Derbyshire Makes - Chesterfield

Join us in Chesterfield as we celebrate the town’s formidable making heritage through a series of free events and activities.

On Friday, you can meet the experts and creatives as they share their knowledge and ideas at the Derbyshire Creative Heritage Conference in the Town Hall, you can also try your hand at some traditional crafts in West Studios or join a fun box making workshop at Chesterfield Library.

On Saturday, the town centre will come to life with live street performances from the Curing Chemists, they’ll also be drop-in creative activities, where you can make everything from a mini masterpiece to a kaleidoscope. You can also make your mark and be part of a new community mural by Lucie Maycock!

On Saturday morning and Sunday book yourself onto the free Transition Chesterfield “Clothes-Wise” upcycling workshops and learn creative ways to mend and transform old clothes and textiles”.

Friday 28^th March

Derbyshire Creative Heritage Conference –  Derbyshire Makes: Honouring Tradition | Inspiring Future Makers

The conference will celebrate some of the traditional crafts associated with the region and discover how they can be protected and evolve for future generations, with speakers, live demonstrations and ‘have a go’ opportunities for delegates.

• Chesterfield Town Hall & West Studios
• 9.30 – 3.30pm
• Booking – Fully booked

Box Making Workshop

Take your inspiration from Chesterfield’s rich manufacturing heritage and the packaging made by Robinson and Sons Ltd and make a beautiful box to take home. Led by artists Charlotte Land.

• • Chesterfield Library                                   
  • 10am – 12.30pm & 1.30- 3.30pm
  • Booking – Fully booked

The Makory

A mobile activity space from Derby Museums will show carefully selected exhibits relevant to Chesterfield with never-before-seen items from Derby Museums and the Derbyshire Records Office. Join artists for free drop-in-making workshops inspired by the exhibits.

• The Market entrance
• 10am – 4.00pm
• Drop in – no booking required

Dare to Dream Workshop

Be a part of a monumental artwork celebrating Derbyshire’s textiles heritage.

Inspired by Derbyshire’s history of innovation, Dare to Dream invites everyone from across the county (and beyond!) to create new flags embodying hope, aspiration and radical thinking.

This is our chance to discover Derbyshire’s textiles heritage, create a monumental artwork together, and dream of a better future through making.

Using old, unwanted fabrics and found materials, we invite you to make powerful statements of possibility using flags, garments or banners.

• Indoor Market
• 10am -4.00pm
• Drop in – no booking required

Saturday 29^th March

The Curing Chemists!

Watch out for the Curing Chemists as they wander Chesterfield’s Market helping passers-by and offering the perfect remedy for what-so-ever is wrong with you…. Mixing a splash of silly science and ridiculous potions and lotions, we dare to offer nothing but fun.

• Chesterfield Market            
• 10am – 3.30pm
• No booking required

ClothesWise  Upcycling Workshop – Have a Go at Sewing!

Learn basic hand-sewing and machine sewing skills aimed at mending, altering and up-cycling clothing to make it last for longer.

• The Hub
• 10am to 11.30pm 
• Over 18s only, all materials provided.
• Booking

The Chesterfield Postcard Show Workshop

Be part of the fourth annual Chesterfield Postcard Show! Come along and design your mini masterpiece with the help of local artist John King.

• Sorbo Lounge, 1 Market Pl, Chesterfield S40 1TW                        
• 10am – 12.30pm & 1.30- 4.00pm
• Drop in – no booking required
  

The Makory

A mobile activity space from Derby Museums will show carefully selected exhibits relevant to Chesterfield with never-before-seen items from Derby Museums and the Derbyshire Records Office. Join artists for free drop-in-making workshops inspired by the exhibits.

• The Market entrance
• 10am – 4.00pm
• Drop in – no booking required

Public Art Launch & Workshop

Come and join the launch of Kaleidoscope, a new piece of public art by Lucie Maycock, make your mark and be part of this community mural!

• Pavements shopping centre
• 10am -4.00pm
• Drop in – no booking required

Dare to Dream Workshop

Be a part of a monumental artwork celebrating Derbyshire’s textiles heritage.

Inspired by Derbyshire’s history of innovation, Dare to Dream invites everyone from across the county (and beyond!) to create new flags embodying hope, aspiration and radical thinking.

This is our chance to discover Derbyshire’s textiles heritage, create a monumental artwork together, and dream of a better future through making.

Using old, unwanted fabrics and found materials, we invite you to make powerful statements of possibility using flags, garments or banners.

• Indoor Market
• 10am -4.00pm
• Drop in – no booking required

Pottery Workshop

Join artist Clare Gage for a hands-on clay workshop inspired by Chesterfield’s pottery past and the work of Chesterfield-based ceramic artist William Gordon. You will make a hand-built vase with an owl design and explore textures and the sgraffito technique. Beginners welcome.

• West Studios
• 10am -12.00pm & 1.30-3.30pm
• Booking – Fully booked

Box Making Workshop

Take your inspiration from Chesterfield’s rich manufacturing heritage and the packaging made by Robinson and Sons Ltd and make a beautiful box to take home. Led by artist Charlotte Land.

• Chesterfield Library                                   
• 10.30am- 12.30pm & 1.30- 3.30pm
• Drop in – no booking required

Kaleidoscope Workshop
Explore colour and light, shadows and reflections with artist Rachel Scanlon in this fun kaleidoscope making workshop.

• West Studios
• 10.30-12.30pm & 1.30-3.30pm
• Drop in – no booking required
  

Mountains of the Moon Film Screening & Drama Workshop    

Owl, Bat, Camel, Monkey and Gecko need to find a way to replenish their river. None of their ideas work and they are dying as they travel to the Mountains of the Moon to search for the Rain God and make him cry – so the river can fill up again.

Involving local actors, writers (Writers in the Peak) and producers, Mountains of the Moon tells the tale of a group of animal friends who together solve their problem of running out of water. The film will be accompanied by a fun drama workshop.

• West Studios
• Suitable for all ages
• 10.30-12.30pm – Book in advance
• 1.30-3.30pm – Drop In

Sunday, 30^th March – Pre-booked Workshops Only

ClothesWise Upcycling Workshops

Up-cycling with Fabric Scraps

Learn how to up-cycle clothing into rag-rugs, decorate and mend clothing using patchwork, make a lace-trimmed hair scrunchie or fabric flowers.

• The Hub
• 10am to 11.30pm 
• Over 18s only, all materials provided.
• Booking

Clothes-Wise Banner

Help to make a “Clothes-Wise” Banner using simple embroidery, fabric pens, buttons and trims and patchwork.

• The Hub
• 12pm to 1.30pm
• Over 18s only, all materials provided.
• Booking

Up-cycled Denim Project.

Contribute to a wonderful up-cycled denim cloak, which will feature in our Sustainable Fashion week “Alternative Catwalk” show in September.

• The Hub
• 2pm to 3.30pm
• Over 18s only, all materials provided.
• Booking