Junction Arts Secures National Lottery Funding to Launch 50 Stories for 50 Years Celebrating Half a Century of Creativity, Community and Culture

Junction Arts is marking a major milestone in its history with the launch of 50 Stories for 50 Years, an ambitious new heritage project made possible by a £56,000 grant from The National Lottery Heritage Fund. The year-long initiative will celebrate the charity’s 50th anniversary by capturing and preserving the personal stories, memories and creative impact Junction Arts has inspired across Derbyshire since 1976.

In December 2026, Junction Arts will celebrate five decades at the heart of the UK’s community arts movement. What began in the 1970s as a small grassroots organisation in South Normanton has grown into a National Portfolio Organisation supported by Arts Council England, known for delivering transformative creative projects that tackle inequality, spark imagination, and bring people together. From bringing dinosaurs to life in South Normanton, to pioneering STEAM innovation with young people, to creating one of the UK’s biggest and longest-running light processions — the Bolsover Lantern Parade — Junction Arts has been a catalyst for creativity, resilience and community pride for generations. Every year, thousands of people take part in its free events and festivals, making art and culture accessible to all.

50 Stories for 50 Years promises to uncover the voices, experiences and hidden histories behind Junction Arts’ extraordinary journey. Made possible thanks to National Lottery players, the project will record and share the stories of participants, artists, Junction Arts is marking a major milestone in its history with the launch of 50 Stories for 50 Years, an ambitious new heritage project made possible by a £56,000 grant from The National Lottery Heritage Fund. The year-long initiative will celebrate the charity’s 50th anniversary by capturing and preserving the personal stories, memories and creative impact Junction Arts has inspired across Derbyshire since 1976. In December 2026, Junction Arts will celebrate five decades at the heart of the UK’s community arts movement. What began in the 1970s as a small grassroots organisation in South Normanton has grown into a National Portfolio Organisation supported by Arts Council England, known for delivering transformative creative projects that tackle inequality, spark imagination, and bring people together.

From bringing dinosaurs to life in South Normanton, to pioneering STEAM innovation with young people, to creating one of the UK’s biggest and longest-running light processions — the Bolsover Lantern Parade — Junction Arts has been a catalyst for creativity, resilience and community pride for generations. Every year, thousands of people take part in its free events and festivals, making art and culture accessible to all. 50 Stories for 50 Years promises to uncover the voices, experiences and hidden histories behind Junction Arts’ extraordinary journey. Made possible thanks to National Lottery players, the project will record and share the stories of participants, artists, volunteers, partners and staff — people whose lives have been shaped by creativity, and who in turn have helped shape the cultural life of Bolsover, Chesterfield and North East Derbyshire.

These memories will form a new digital archive preserved for future generations, alongside a documentary film and a touring exhibition created by artists responding to the collected stories. The exhibition will feature at Junction Arts’ flagship festivals, including the Chesterfield Children’s Festival, Tapton Lock Festival and Bright Winter Nights.

Junction Arts began life as South Normanton Community Arts in the 1970s, working from the old New Street School and delivering creative opportunities for children and families in former mining communities along the M1. Through the 1980s and 90s, the organisation expanded across Bolsover District and evolved into Junction Arts — a new name for a growing organisation pioneering participatory arts and public art projects.

The iconic Bolsover Lantern Parade, established in 1994, remains one of Junction Arts’ most beloved achievements, attracting thousands of people each year to witness the unforgettable spectacle of hundreds of community-made lanterns lighting up the town. More recently, Junction Arts has gained national recognition for its free family festivals and innovation in STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Maths), including work for Bradford City of Culture, contributing to an exhibition at the Science and Media Museum.

Junction Arts Managing Director, Emily Bowman, said:
“We know statistically and anecdotally that Junction Arts has transformed lives — but now, for the first time, we have the chance to preserve and celebrate this remarkable heritage. Made possible by The National Lottery Heritage Fund and National Lottery players, 50 Stories for 50 Years will capture the lived experiences of the people who have built this organisation and whose creativity has shaped their communities.

“Our 50th anniversary in 2026, is a vital moment to safeguard a unique strand of cultural heritage — the stories of creativity, resilience and connection in post-industrial and rural Derbyshire. This project will help us evidence the long-term legacy of participatory arts
while celebrating the people at the heart of it all.”

Junction Arts is inviting local people to share their stories and be part of the year-long celebration. Stakeholders and supporters across generations — including participants, volunteers, founders, artists and families are invited to be part of 50 Stories. In February and March, events are taking place in Bolsover, Shirebrook, Creswell, Chesterfield, South Normanton and Pinxton where local people are invited to come along and share their stories.

For more info: https://junctionarts.org/whats-on/50-stories-for-50-years-events/

You can also send an email: 50stories@junctionarts.org, or call: 01246 209 219.

🔗 Find out more & get involved: junctionarts.org/50stories