Derbyshire Makes

This three-year cultural programme aims to raise awareness of Derbyshire’s creative heritage through high-quality events, community projects, and artist commissions delivered via the Derbyshire Makes Festival and related activities. Led by Derbyshire County Council and delivered by Local and Arts Derbyshire, it is funded by the council and Arts Council England.

The programme supports local creatives with paid commissions, skills development, and resources, while creating new learning and employment opportunities to build a resilient making and heritage sector. It also prioritises global making and targeted outreach to engage diverse communities. Each year builds on the last, connecting past and present, people, and traditional and new skills.

The Derbyshire Makes Festival celebrates the county’s making heritage through place-based activities across six hubs, using local industrial stories to shape creative programmes. These  hubs include Bolsover and Chesterfield (Junction Arts), Cromford (The Arkwright Society), Glossop (High Peak Community Arts), Swadlincote (People Express) and Heanor (Make/Shift).

Alongside the festival, year-round projects support artists and communities, including Women Who Make, and Dare to Dream – a large-scale participatory artwork celebrating Derbyshire’s textile heritage and collective creativity.

For more information, and to get involved, visit the Derbyshire Makes website. 

Photo Credits – Richard Tymon