April 2019

Grab your walking shoes for the first ever Derby Walking Festival

May 2019 will see the first ever Derby Walking Festival take place in Derbyshire, a celebration of walking and walks throughout the city.

 

Running from Sat 18 – Sun 26 May the festival will explore some of Derby’s fascinating heritage on suburban and urban strolls throughout the city and out into the county. Derby Parks and Move More Derby would like people from across Derby to get involved and take part in one of the many and varied walks scheduled during the festival.

 

Two atmospheric paintings by Rex Preston....

Rex Preston's solo exhibition finished at gallerytop at the weekend. Most of the paintings were quickly purchased but two of the centrepieces of the show are still available. 

 

Click on the images for more details. Contact the gallery for delivery options. If you'd like to see the exhibition catalogue, you'll find it here

Export champion kudos for Tidyco

Bondholder Tidyco, a supplier of hydraulic and pneumatic products to the UK rail industry for over 40 years, has been recognised as an Export Champion by the Department for International Trade (DIT).

Local Fundraiser Continues Fitness Drive To Support Safe & Sound

A Derby father-of-three who started on a fitness drive as part of his lifestyle change to combat Type two diabetes, is raising money for a local charity through a series of challenges.

Simon Barcz (39) from Oakwood aims to raise thousands of pounds for Safe and Sound which specialises in grassroots work across Derbyshire that transforms the lives of children and young people who are victims or are at risk of child sexual exploitation (CSE). 

Latest Events Coming up at the Barn

'The Cavernicoles of Creswell - The Biology of Caves'
Wednesday 1st May, 7:30pm, Dronfield Hall Barn
£4 (£2 for Friends)
We're looking forward to welcoming Dr Chris Terrell-Nield to the Barn to give a talk all about the biology of caves. Dr Terrell-Nield is a principal lecturer at Nottingham Trent University, and a trained entomologist with particular interests in cave biology and woodland management. Join us as he gives a fascinating talk entitled 'The Cavernicoles of Creswell'. 

Dry Stone Walling Workshops

Derbyshire to inspire artists in prestigious annual competition

Professional and amateur artists of all ages are being encouraged to enter their work in the prestigious annual Derbyshire Open Art competition.

The Derbyshire County Council competition and exhibition is in its 37th year and is being co-ordinated by the team at the council’s Buxton Museum and Art Gallery.

It is supported by Tarmac and the Friends of Buxton Museum and Art Gallery.

Artists considering entering the competition are encouraged to use Derbyshire as their inspiration and express through their work what the county means to them.

Buxton Rotary Club's Annual Summer Fair and Bazaar

10am-4pm Saturday June 1st

Buxton Pavilion Gardens and Octagonal Hall

 

A day for all the family to Celebrate Summer

Back in its traditional home in the Pavilion Gardens on Saturday June 1st will be the Buxton Rotary Club's Annual Charity Bazaar and Fair. The event is expected to be bigger than ever before, with an increased emphasis on entertainment for younger family members - and it is still free to attend.

The Man Without A Past New Perspectives Theatre

Sunday 19th May 2019 - 7:30 pm

at

Crich Glebe Field Centre (DE4 5EU)

 

Part-melancholic love story, part-deliciously deadpan comedy, The Man Without A Past takes us on one man's extraordinary journey from anonymity to unexpected salvation.

 

Horrible History Street Theatre Launches New CQ Saturdays Programme

Derby Cathedral Quarter Business Improvement District (BID) will stage its first CQ Saturdays free street entertainment event of the year on Saturday May 11 – focusing on the family-friendly ‘horrible history’ of this iconic part of the city centre.

A troupe of actors from city arts company FFTS Events will stage pop-up theatre performances across the Cathedral Quarter between 11am and 3pm.

They will share some of the haunting tales and scary stories from the ‘dead centre’ of England.

John Barker in Concert

St. Helen’s Church

(Darley Dale, Matlock, Derbyshire, DE4 2GG)

has secured one of Britain’s finest trumpeters

to play a concert on

Friday the 3rd of May 2019, 7.00pm

Light refreshments will be provided.

The cost of tickets is £7.50 and they can be obtained from St Helen’s treasurer Ian Sutton

who can be contacted by phone 01629 734290

Bakewell’s 17th International Day of Dance

 The Bakewell International Day of Dance has gone from strength to strength and is now celebrating its 17th year - on Saturday 29th June 2019.   For one day every year, the picturesque town of Bakewell hosts a stunning celebration of world music and dance, heralding the start of Bakewell Carnival Week.  On the same day as the Farmers Market and with local well dressings on show, it is a day out not to miss, so join the several thousand people who travel from around the country to enjoy the dancing, colour and fun. 

Art will make sure Notre Dame has an encore

Art saved Notre Dame once and it can save it again, Buxton International Festival’s Chief Executive Michael Williams said in advance of the UK premiere of an award-winning musical performance inspired by the Parisian cathedral which has been ravaged by fire.

Deaf awareness week

 

At the Winding Wheel Theatre, Chesterfield

8 May, 7pm to 9pm

We will be showing the short film The Silent Child

Lip reading session

Sign language session

Signing choir

Free lambing open day at Croots Farm Shop in Derbyshire on Sunday 28th April

Derbyshire farm shop Croots is staging its popular lambing day on Sunday 28th April.

Free to visit, the event is the chance to drop into the lambing sheds and see some of the lambs that have been born at Farnah House Farm, Wirksworth Road, near Duffield, this spring.

Visitors can get up close to pet the lambs and may even get the chance to bottle feed some of them. Kay Croot and husband Steve, who run the farm shop, will be on hand to answer any questions.

Wathall’s Expands Into Burton

Family-owned funeral directors, Wathall’s, which celebrated its 160th anniversary last year, has opened a new branch in Main Street, Stapenhill.

The company is Derby’s long-established funeral directors with branches in the city centre, Ashbourne, Alvaston and Borrowash.

The new branch has undergone major refurbishment to provide a private consultation area where families can arrange funerals as well as a chapel of rest.

The Burton branch will be managed by Jackie Dowdy who has returned to Wathall’s to take up the role.

Derbyshire Noir 2019 - New Book Festival for August 2019

Derbyshire Noir 2019

Saturday 17th August, Chesterfield Library, 9.30am – c.5pm

Join us at our brand new book festival for lovers of crime and psychological thrillers including panels, talks and signings aimed at readers and writers, with keynote speaker Stephen Booth.

Events on the day are currently under wraps but look out for news as we release event details and reveal our confirmed speakers on Derbyshire Libraries Facebook and Twitter: @DerbyshireLibraries @DerbyshireLibs

Save the date!

Previewing the 2019 Dronfield Arts Festival

3rd-6th May 2019

 

Our second ever Dronfield Arts Festival is just weeks away, and we're already looking forward to what's in store. 

With over 60 events taking place over across eight different locations in town, there's sure to be something for everyone. Remember that you can still purchase tickets for some of the festival's biggest events, including:

Summer Showstoppers in Concert
Friday 3rd May, 7:30pm
Dronfield Hall Barn Gallery, £8

Timber announces enchanting programme line up for 2019 International Forest Festival

Timber is a unique, site-specific festival celebrating nature. Located at Feanedock, a 70acre woodland site in the National Forest, Timber returns for a second year from July 5-7 2019 – fresh from winning Best New Festival at the UK Festival Awards.
The unique site will host dance, performance, arts and debate, with music from Gwenno, Hannah Peel, Stealing Sheep, You Tell Me, Jesca Hoop and guest curator Elizabeth Alker from BBC Radio 3 and 6Music, to name a few.

Announcement of eighth winner of prestigious art prize in Derbyshire

Foundation Derbyshire has announced the winner of the eighth Jonathan Vickers Fine Art Award, one of the largest art awards in the country.  Artist Ed Burkes will take up his residency in Derby in October 2019. 

The biennial Award brings a rising artist to Derbyshire to produce work inspired by the county’s landscape, heritage and people.  The continuing theme of the Award is ‘Sense of Place’, inspired by the people, landscape and heritage of Derbyshire. 

Scandalous duchess returns home for one-night only performance

Chatsworth’s most controversial mistress returned to the stately home in triumph for a one-night only performance – more than 200 years after her death.

Georgiana, who scandalised and fascinated Georgian high society in equal measure while married to the Fifth Duke of Devonshire, took to the stage in Chatsworth’s private theatre for a sneak preview of  Buxton International Festival’s world premiere of the opera which takes her name.

Derby Book Festival - Flash Fiction Competition 2019 - Open now!

Can you write about ‘Our World’ in up to 50 words?

That is the challenge we are setting for our 2019 Fifty Word Flash Fiction Writing Competition which is launched today, Wednesday 10 April. We are looking for stories of up to fifty words, as calculated on the website entry form (excluding the title). You can interpret the theme of ‘Our World’ in any way you wish, but your work must be original, and it must tell a complete story.

Matlock Stories May19

Matlock Storytelling Cafe, would like you to join us for our next evening of storytelling, when Ursula Holden Gill returns on Friday 3rd May with The Bishoprick Garland (or to give it its full title: ‘The Bishoprick Garland or a Collection of Legends, Songs and Ballads Belonging to the County of Durham’). If you haven't heard of Ursula here's what the Craven Herald said of her when she appeared at Settle Storytelling Festival " When Ursula Holden Gill steps on to the stage your first impression is of a Victorian urchin with a somewhat impish twinkle in her eyes.

New Hares in Derbyshire...

Last week gallerytop travelled to Hampshire to visit Elaine Peto in her studio. We brought back a a fantastic collection of her work including a group of Hares. These compliment the Hares we already have in the gallery by Jeremy James. By co-incidence it's Mad March/April, the time for hares to be seen boxing on the moors, fields and woodland edges of the Derbyshire Peak District....

 

Arts Festival Activities...

It's a busy time of year at Dronfield Hall Barn with the Arts Festival coming up soon, and there's plenty of opportunities for you to get involved with some of our activities. Here's just some of what's coming up over the next few weeks...

'Ocean World'

Lantern Making Workshops

Saturday 13th April
Tuesday 16th April
Tuesday 23rd April 
Saturday 27th April

All 10am-2pm, £2 per child

Brick History is coming...

Brick History takes famous moments from history and imagines them in LEGO® bricks how many do you recognise? From DNA and the Big Bang to Mozart, Martin Luther King and mobile phones, LEGO® artist Warren Elsmore and his team have created a celebration of our shared stories, struggles, and triumphs, made from everyone’s favourite Danish toy.

From tiny recreations of Concorde and the Titanic that could fit in your hand, to a 1.5m square medieval castle bustling with activity, there are models to make you smile, to make you think, and to inspire you to build a better world.

DERBY CONCERT BAND'S MIDSUMMER MUSIC ON 13 JULY

Derby Concert Band’s next concert is on Saturday 13 July 2019 at 7.30pm at Landau Forte College, Fox Street, Derby DE1 2LF. This will be a particularly special concert with guest soloist, trumpet and cornet virtuoso, Roger Webster

 

Popular Arts Trail returns to Derby’s Six Streets in June

Residents in and around the Six Streets area of Derby will open up their homes and gardens once again for the fifth biannual Six Streets Arts Trail on the weekend of Sat 22 – Sun 23 June.

 

With more participants than ever, 30 residents and community venues will host over 50 artists and makers displaying and selling their work.

 

Transitions: 16 - 18 and Beyond

Thursday 25th April 2019 
NWG Derby

There is no doubt that throughout the country there is a disparity in the support available to children making the transitions into adulthood and the services available to them. However there are more and more conversations happening nationally that are recognising the need to offer support and acknowledging that vulnerabilities we see in them as children don't just go away when they turn 18. 

 

GT Couriers Easter Weekend Hours

Easter weekend is rapidly approaching – and here at GT Couriers we are geared up to cope with this very busy period.

As usual we will be operating throughout, but may well have reduced capabilities due to the bank holiday.

The early bird catches the worm

If you have deliveries that are scheduled over the bank holiday then please advise us as early as possible – we will allocate you vehicles and assign drivers to ensure your pre-booked deliveries all go without a hitch.

Leading dance for older people

A 2-day training course £150 Click here to book
Saturdays May 18th and June 8th 2019, 10-4
This course will equip you to facilitate dance and movement with older people with limited mobility and/or dementia in one-to-one sessions or in settings such as care homes, daycentres and hospitals. It includes practical workshops offering take-away methods and tools to add to your ‘bag’.

ARTIST OPPORTUNITY

Summary:

Arts Development are looking for 5 individual artists to each facilitate a creative workshop for over 16s, as part of Creativity and Wellbeing: a National Celebration, 10 – 16 June 2019.

Workshops can be creative in the broadest sense, from comedy to calligraphy, dance to drumming, flower pressing to felting, and everything in-between.

Workshops need to be themed around one, some or all of the five ways to wellbeing (connect, give, keep learning, be active, take notice).

RHS Chatsworth Return For Broomfield Hall Garden Volunteers

A group of 40 garden volunteers are returning to RHS Chatsworth Flower Show in June to promote the physical and mental benefits of volunteering their time to restore and maintain the historic gardens at Derby College Group’s Broomfield Hall land-based and leisure college.

20th anniversary of Air Traffic Control

Bondholder East Midlands Airport's Air Traffic Control (ATC) tower celebrates 20 years in operation with £130k investment to upgrade its radar room.

EMA has control of airspace up to 105,000 feet above ground level and covering an area of 150 sq miles. On average 320 aircraft movements pass through this space each day.

Derby Book Festival programme launch at Derby Reads

The programme for the fifth Derby Book Festival is revealed tonight (Wednesday 10 April) at Derby Reads, a special event to be held in QUAD, Derby when the Festival programme is published.  The Festival, which will be held from 31 May - 8 June, will include over 90 events and activities in venues across the city.  Derby Reads will feature readings from books to be featured at this year’s Festival. 

Team Viking at Spital Arts on Saturday May 11th

Our next exciting Spital Arts event, in conjunction with Live & Local will be 'Team Viking'  by James Rowland, presented by Tangram Theatre Company on Saturday May 11th.

Five Years ago, James's best friend Tom was diagnosed with Heart cancer and given three months to live. His last wish was to be given a full viking burial.

This is the remarkable story of how James actually gave his best mate the send-off he wanted. Featuring live music, razor-sharp comedy and a heart swelling story of death, friendship and viking helmets.

Where the Power Lies; A One-Day Symposium at LEVEL

LEVEL, in collaboration with East Midlands Participatory Arts Forum (EMPAF) present a one-day symposium of discussion, experiences and debate. Join us on the 11 April 2019 to ask the question WHERE THE POWER LIES?

The day will centre around three themes;

Participation and Power

The Human and the Machine

Digital Interfaces and the process of engagement

You can follow all the developments of the project via the hashtag #DigitalpARTicipationis

Outdoor Theatre and Cinema Season returns for 2019

The ever-popular Outdoor Theatre and Cinema season will return to Markeaton Park Craft Village this June, July and August. Derby LIVE and Derby Parks will be bringing audiences thrilling shows from Oddsocks Productions, The Lost Boys and Babbling Vagabonds, as well as showings of award-winning films, all in the beautiful surroundings of Markeaton Park.

Spring into Shape this April!

Springtime is here, and it’s the perfect time to get up and active again. This spring cleaning season In Derby is here to help the people of Derby focus on their wellbeing, from a half price Derby Active membership to Derby’s first ever Walking Festival, now is the season to spring into shape.

OPEN CALL

Open call for artists, writers, curators or researchers for Haarlem Artspace’s Collectivism Residency May 13 – 17, 2019

Over the Moon introduces Classical Music to Babies

Come along to an interactive musical adventure for your baby at Déda this April.

Over the Moon weaves together gentle classical music with familiar nursery rhymes and sensory play in an interactive musical adventure for babies.

Presented by Hurly Burly Company at Déda this April, the show  creates an enchanting atmosphere  and relaxing environment using  a mix of classical, operatic and soothing music for you and your baby to enjoy.

FORMAT News

EXHIBITIONS


Over 200 artists are exhibiting in over 50 exhibitions in over 20 venues across the historic city of Derby and all are free to see until the close of the festival on 14th April.
 

What's on at the Barn this April

Dronfield Heritage Trust

Peel Centre

High Street

Dronfield, Derbyshire S18 1PY

LEVIATHAN

Saturday 6th April, The Peel Centre, 7:30pm
£8 for Under-16s, £12.50 for Adults

What's On this Easter? Derby Museums

Enjoy our Maurice Broomfield-inspired Camera Magic session, or put on your detective hat at Pickford's House to find the residents' missing shoes. Explore Leonardo da Vinci's drawing tools in a special Art Hub workshop, or take in the glamour of the 1920s and 30s with our Crafty Tuesdays fashion events.

SHERIDAN SHACKLETHWAITE’S STALACTITES SECRETS

Sheffield’s silver-tongued septuagenarian Sheridan Shacklethwaite warmly invites you to accompany him on an illuminating, alternative tour of Poole’s Cavern, as part of this year’s Buxton Fringe Festival (3-24 July 2019).

 

CLASSICS AND COCKTAILS AT SHOTTLE HALL

Now based in Belper, Moscow born classical pianist Sergei Podobedov brings his world class talent to the Orangery at Shottle Hall, beneath Adam Walkden's inspirational sky-scape ceiling, on Friday 12 April.

 

FORMAT News: Closing Weekend

FORMAT19 closes this weekend on the 14th April, but there is still time to catch all the exhibitions across Derby. Pop into BEAR and discover Forever Elvis; visit the Market Hall to see the portrait project SIXTEEN, a French treasure hunt by Emily Graham and some wonderful youth projects.

Check out the University of Derby where you can the work by over 25 artists; see Simon Roberts' Brexit Lexicon at the Strand Arcade and Brian Griffin's new commission is at the Tram Shed. Eagle Market is hosting the FORMAT Fringe alongside projects drawn from FORMAT19's open call.

If Carlsberg did comedy... they would choose DC Comedy Club!

DC Comedy Club, which is held every month at The Derby Conference Centre, is proud to announce they have secured a headline sponsor from Carlsberg. The club which launched in February brings an affordable comedy night to Derby and has been a roaring success so far with both shows selling out.

 

New Amazon centre revealed

Global giant Amazon has revealed plans to open a new warehouse in Derbyshire creating 200 jobs.

The new fulfilment centre will be based in Chesterfield with the internet retail giant saying the move will help it meet customer demand, expand its selection and support SMEs who sell their products through Amazon Marketplace.

Bolsover District Council’s chief executive Dan Swaine said: "This is great news and a welcome boost for the area."

Canadians who weren’t bowled over by cricket

Canadian soldiers braved the worst the trenches could throw at them  ­ — but found one thing about World War One hard to take: cricket!

By 1918, three large hotels and a hospital in Buxton were turned over to the rehabilitation of Canadian forces injured in the fighting, and sport played a great part in getting them back to fitness, research in advance of Buxton International Festival’s book programme has found.

THE HARLEY ART MARKET: CALL FOR EXHIBITORS

22-24 November 2019

Applications to exhibit at the Harley Art Market 2019 are now being accepted.  Designer-makers of contemporary craft, visual and fine artists are welcome to apply.  Stalls cost from £230.

April Life Drawing Session

Places left for Sunday 21 April 2019

This month, our life model is Rachel and, as usual, the untutored session starts at 10am and will finish at around 12.30pm, including a 30 minute break part-way through.

Refreshments are available and included within the price but you are welcome to bring your own along if you wish. The session costs £12.50 and you will need to bring your own drawing materials and equipment along for use during the session.

 

Holocaust Memorial Day 2020 - 75 Memorial Flames Call-out

Holocaust Memorial Day (HMD) 2020 (27th January 2020) will mark the 75th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau. In commemoration of this landmark anniversary, Holocaust Memorial Day Trust (HMDT) is launching an exciting new project for organisations and community groups around the country to take part in. The theme for HMD 2020 is Stand Together.

Buckingham Palace Date For Derby Funeral Director

Helen Wathall, managing director of Derby’s longest established independent funeral director, Wathall’s, has been awarded an MBE by HRH Prince William, Duke of Cambridge, at an investiture held at Buckingham Palace.

Miss Wathall (52) was awarded the MBE in the New Year’s Honours list for her services to business and the local community.

She was accompanied to the official investiture by her three children Bec (25), Charlotte (21), Hugo (14) and best friend Melanie Holwell and was delighted when it was announced who would be carrying out the investiture.

NEW Tor Light in Ochre, Grey and Garnet Tones

The Tor Light

We really love this new Tor light, named after Mam Tor - a hill not far from our  Derbyshire workshop. It means 'Mother Hill' and the chosen colour palette reflects the beautiful landscape of this High Peak ridge. The combination of our Slate Grey, soft Garnet Red and Yellow Ochre balance perfectly and work so well with one of this years' stand out colour ways - dusky blush. 

FSB Business Bitesize Notts and Derbys

#FSBConnect Chesterfield Networking - Making Tax Digital
Thursday 11 April 10am - 12.00noon at Saint Helena Centre, University of Derby Chesterfield Campus, Sheffield Road, Chesterfield S41 7LU 

Bakewell entices Cornish clothing brand

Seasalt has announced that it will be opening a brand new shop in Bakewell on 6th April 2019 following work with Marketing Derby as part of its invest in Derbyshire service.

Renowned for their contemporary clothing and accessories in natural fabrics, the Seasalt team designs the range from their studios overlooking the sea in Falmouth, Cornwall. With artistic and practical designs, Seasalt was drawn to the character of the town, along with its beautiful, historical landmarks. 

The Five - the Story of the Ripper’s Women with Hallie Rubenhold

A LoveLit event presented by Arts Derbyshire and Derbyshire Libraries

at Chesterfield Library on 18th June 2019, 7.00 pm. Tickets £6.88.

Who were the five women murdered by Jack the Ripper, Halllie Rubenhold shares their stories and offers new insights using previously unseen or unpublished material in a book which focused on the women, not their murderer.A talk with Q&A and signing with writer, social historian, broadcaster and historical consultant Hallie Rubenhold.

Sinfonia Viva debut performance in new venue - April 17

Sinfonia Viva, the East Midlands’ Grammy-nominated professional orchestra, will make its debut at Derby’s newest performance space – the historic Central Library in The Wardwick – on Wednesday April 17.

Derby Central Library was originally built in 1879 in a Gothic revival style and is now under the stewardship of Derby Museums Trust.