Weekend Celebration of Creativity Derby 2024 Programme
Thursday 17 - Sunday 20 October 2024
The Weekend Celebration of Creativity brings together local and national artists to Derby City. This event promises to immerse and captivate visitors in a world of new and innovative contemporary artworks, with a blend of visual arts, live performances, music, and spoken word. Premiering 12 new commissions, born from the heart of Derby/shire and created in collaboration with the people, arts organisations and charities, will be presented in both cultural spaces and unconventional venues across the city.
All events are free.
Navigating the Present, Shaping the Future Symposium: PART ONE
Thursday 17 October: 13.00 - 16:15
Derby Museum & Art Gallery, The Wardwick Space, Derby DE1 1BS - Entry from Wardwick Road
Derby City Council and UK New Artists will explore key questions around supporting and sustaining new artists’ practices. With initiatives like the Derby City of Culture bid, the city is positioned as a regional arts hub, making it crucial to discuss how best to nurture and support its creative community. We'll examine what Derby needs to offer and how it can play a larger role in fostering artistic talent locally, regionally, and beyond.
Artists Navigating the Present, Shaping the Future of Derby Symposium: PART TWO
Friday 18 October: 11:00 - 14:00
Artcore Gallery, 8 Albert Street, Osnabruck Square, Derby DE1 2DS
Our second day of the ‘Artists Navigating the Present, Shaping the Future of Derby’ symposium offers an opportunity for new artists to interrogate the challenges facing them with peers and to find new ways to inspire, support and thrive.
Join us for an afternoon of practical workshops designed for artists. The first session, Managing an Arts Practice, led by Short Supply, will offer strategies for navigating the challenges of being an artist in 2024, including tips on funding applications and managing uncertainty. This will be followed by Blank Space: Creative Consultation, where local artists are invited to share their ideas on transforming unused spaces in Derby into creative hubs.
Positioning Choreography as Visual Art: Perceptions, Challenges & Navigations by Zara Sands
Friday 18 October: 14:30 - 15:30
QUAD, Participation Studio, Market Place Cathedral Quarter, Market Pl, Derby DE1 3AS
An interactive session exploring the positioning of choreography as visual art. UKNA Alumni Zara Sands will share her experiences of embracing choreographic work as an ‘exhibition’ or ‘live statue’ and the practicalities and challenges of this. A session for anyone wishing to experiment with presentation and subverting structural expectations.
Zara Sands is a dance artist based in London. She focuses on working both physically and creatively, often in ways symbiotic to one another and intertwined with visuals.
Postcards for Belper
Friday 18 - Saturday 19 October: 10:00 - 16:00
St Peter's Church, 10 St Peter's Churchyard, Derby DE1 1NN
Postcards for Belper is a celebration of the artist's experiences in Belper. Touching on themes of homeliness, belonging and love letters to a place. The artists have created works ranging from textile offerings, useful gifts, spoken word and reverse postcards all to commemorate Belper's strong traditions of folklore and creativity.
The artists invite you to take a postcard and reflect on meaningful questions:
What message would you send to this place? A thank you for the experience? Hopes and dreams of returning? What changes would you wish to see, and what should remain unchanged?
Artwork by: Noemi Gunea, Dylan Bull, Mustafa Boga, Abdullah Adekola, Ollie Nancarrow, Parham Ghalamdar
The Factory of Failure
Friday 18 - Saturday 19 October: 10:00 - 16:00
St Peter's Church, 10 St Peter's Churchyard, Derby DE1 1NN
Live performances by Divija Melally and Laurie Luxe taking place on Friday 18 October at 10:30 and 13:30
The Factory of Failure challenges traditional ideas of work-life balance and productivity. This exhibition invites audiences to 'clock in' to a reimagined factory environment. The showcased works present diverse perspectives on what a modern ‘New Factory’ could be, encouraging visitors to reflect on the dynamics of labour, efficiency, and the role of industry in contemporary life. By embracing failure as part of the creative process, it pushes against the norms of productivity and invites a rethinking of modern work culture.
Artwork by: Theo Vasiloudes, Robyn Bradford, Divija Melally, Laurie Luxe, Ella van der Straaten, Emily Armstrong
Found Poem
Saturday 19 October: 12:30 pm
Thrivemind Village, 39 Iron Gate, Derby DE1 3GA
Poetry by Abdullah Adekola and music by Dylan Bull.
Found Poem is inspired by Belper’s rich traditions of well-dressing and folk customs, exploring how we can engage with rural contexts with empathy and respect. It also considers how these traditions shape and influence contemporary culture as we look toward the future.
Performance, 10 minutes.
Live performance by John Tsuma Mumba
Saturday 19 October: 12:45
Thrivemind Village, 39 Iron Gate, Derby DE1 3GA
UKNA will be joined by a special guest, John Tsuma Mumba, who will be visiting Derby City from Kenya thanks to a Catalyst Grant from the British Council. John will captivate us with his live spoken word performance.
John Tsuma Mumba is a Mombasa-based artist, popularly known as Masufuria. He is an actor, spoken word artist and rap music artist. He is a social-political commentator whose artistic disciplines include, poetry, music, film and theatre. His art highlights culture, health, heritage, and activism and uses humour the main element featured in his work.
John is an award-winning artist who has been privileged to win various accolades including; Lampart Best Local Content Film 2024, and Lenga Ugaidi winner 2021.
He currently works at Jukwaa Arts as an assistant creative producer and artists team leader.
Creative Citizens Family Friendly Drop-in Workshop
Saturday 19 October: 13:00 - 15:30
St Peter's Church, 10 St Peter's Churchyard, Derby DE1 1NN
Unleash your inner inventor and design your own ‘Machine of the Future’. Whether you envision flying cars, smart robots, or eco-friendly energy generators, this fun, hands-on session invites all ages to bring their ideas to life. With a range of materials to play with, you'll leave with a unique creation. No prior experience is needed - just drop in, dream big, and start building!
Creativity Unlocked
Friday 18 - Saturday 19 October: 10:00 - 16:00
St Peter's Church, 10 St Peter's Churchyard, Derby DE1 1NN
Over the past three months UKNA’s Creative Citizens, in collaboration with S.H.E.D, Infinite Wellbeing and SEN-Fit, have been working with talented young people in Derby and Derbyshire, to explore and celebrate creativity. This exhibition features visual and digital artworks made by participants from UK New Artist's Machines of the Future Summer School and young people from Heanor who attend SEN-Fit's Tea Time Club.