Lord Burlington, Derbyshire’s High Sheriff and Chancellor of the University of Derby, has visited Derby College Group’s Broomfield Hall Land-based and Leisure college in Morley to meet students benefiting from higher education programmes.

On Saturday 19th September 2020, the new Museum of Making will open to the public for the very first time, showcasing Derby’s 300-year history of making and celebrating the area’s rich history of innovation.

Located in the Derwent Valley Mills UNESCO World Heritage Site on the site of the world’s first factory - the Derby Silk Mill - the Museum will offer visitors access to all 50,000 objects in its collections.

Bondholder St James Securities has submitted revised plans for the city centre residential offer to be part of the £200m regeneration of Becketwell.

The new plan includes a larger building of 224 apartments over a maximum of ground plus 10 storeys, with a second smaller building of ground plus 4 storeys developed separately and fronting Green Lane and Victoria Street. It will also comprise a public square on the site of the current United Reformed Church.

Bondholder JSA Architects has been engaged on new plans to convert Forester House in Derby city centre into an easyHotel, part of the easyGroup of businesses.

Forester House, located on the corner of Newland Street and Becket Street, became empty after the relocation of JobCentre Plus. The fresh plans would bring an 111-bedroom easyHotel, a 160-seat restaurant plus function room to the city centre.

If you’re a writer who is interested in researching Derbyshire then take advantage of a FREE Introduction to the Record Office session at Derbyshire Record Office in Matlock.  The sessions happen on a regular basis and can be booked online by visiting

Novelist Joanna Courtney will be in Belper on 17 March 2020 delivering an afternoon workshop on writing historical fiction, see here for details: 

The New Year will see this panto fighting fit cast ready to bring classic family pantomime to you all.  Hansel and Gretel be staged at New Mills Art Theatre on 31 January & 1, 2, 7, 8 February.

Tickets for Hansel and Gretel are on sale now – book early to get good seats in the beautifully refurbished Art Theatre.  Matinees at 2.15pm on 1^st, 2^nd, & 8^th February sell out very quickly.  Evening performances on 31st January, 7^th & 8^th February at 7.15pm.

Hansel and Gretel

If you identify as Black, British and female, theatremaker Lauren Nicole Whitter invites you to take part in a fun free workshop to create your own piece of writing or short performance.

The workshop takes place on Wednesday 15 January 2020 (6-8pm) at The Maypole Theatre and Cafe Bar on Brook Street in Derby. There is no charge to take part.

At the workshop, Lauren will create a safe space for you to express yourself freely, share what theatre and stories mean to you, and take part in creative activities that spark off storytelling.

Derby will be Going Loco this summer as a 60^th anniversary celebration of the music of the Motor City heads for the railway city. Tickets are now on sale from Derby LIVE for the Magic of Motown 2020, which steams into Derby Arena on Friday 10 July.

This unstoppable show has been seen by over a million people, including Her Majesty the Queen at the Royal Variety Performance.