A half-day LoveLit writing workshop for adults with Joanna Courtney, part of the writing ambitions

Christmas at the Mill

Celebrate Christmas at the Mill on the 7th & 8th December, with our festive stalls, Snow Zone*, Christmas Tree Festival*, singing and family friendly activities. We also have Medley Christmas Arts & Crafts selling unique gifts, and we still have some places on our Christmas Workshops - see below!
On Friday 20th, why not join us for a winter warmer as we lead the wassail from the Mill to St Mary's Church to join their evening Carol Service.
*The Christmas Tree Festival and Snow Zone will be open till the 5th January.

We have amazing handmade gifts available this Christmas! There are hundreds of items for sale created by Derbyshire makers and artists. It’s a great opportunity to get a one-of-a-kind gift for that special someone.

Our shop is open 11-5pm Monday - Saturday in the buildup to Christmas, so pop in and pick up something special. 

Our adult community education centres offer a range of courses and workshops to help you repurpose, reuse and recycle while learning a new creative skill.

Acclaimed artist David Manley has donated one of his land and seascape-inspired paintings for a silent auction to support the community engagement programme at Déda – the city-based organisation that aims to enrich people’s lives through dance and the arts.

The 15” by 12” painting entitled ‘Cape Poem’ was recently on display as part of the ‘A Riotous Assembly’ exhibition at Déda in Chapel Street and would usually sell for around £120.

Telecommunications specialists Invictus Communications will reinforce its ethos of ‘buy local, sell local and support local’ by treating customers to a special hamper brimming with fayre produced by fellow local businesses this Christmas.

Twelve lucky customers will receive bottles of Melbourne water and gin produced by the Highfield Drinks Group and a platter of doughnuts from Project D.

Both companies are based close to Invictus’ Castle Donington offices and managing director Jonny McPhee’s Melbourne home.

Normanton Library which is to be based at St Augustine’s Community Centre opens on 27 November 2019. There will be a series of opening events spread over four days to showcase what the new library can offer.

Authors, storytellers and face painters as well as an exciting ‘CSI Whodunit Event’ where people can join the fun and solve the burglary in the library using forensic science are all on the line-up.

Hope you are enjoying the recent brighter weather and keeping snug and warm as the Winter months approach. I’m writing to update you with information about our Winter Show and share with you other news, forthcoming events/exhibitions and workshops.

We’ve enjoyed a great start to our Winter Show, which ends on the 22nd December and has another 4 weeks to run.

Super-Powering Girls and their Grannies

We are excited to announce that we have received almost £60,000 from Arts Council England and the Lottery’s AWA fund to mount a ground-breaking new aerial theatre show for families. Aidy the Awesome is an aerial theatre show about 8 year-old Aidy who discovers she is a superhero after her grandmother tells her a secret- all women in their family have super powers.

It is been a busy month I've had some amazing commissions and sales and I'm loving how my work has been framed by my client. It has really made me rethink my own framing choices.
As artists, we have to be neutral and cater to all tastes but the treatment of my Ilkeston piece pictured really impressed me.