Derbyshire Makes | Festival

The festival is coming soon

A free festival across Derbyshire, celebrating making in all its forms.

Friday 28 March - Sunday 27 April

Derbyshire Makes Festival unfolds across six local Hubs over five weeks. In Chesterfield, Heanor, Cromford, Glossop, Bolsover and Swadlincote, there will be artist talks, craft-based demonstrations and making opportunities, as well as exhibitions, performances and more.

See Glossop’s central square transformed into a giant playground, or stop by the Big Community Skills Swap in Heanor. Each Hub location is programmed by local cultural partners, with activities informed by the stories and history unique to the area. And threading its way between these locations is the mobile workshop and gallery The Makory.

Festival Events

Derbyshire Makes Festival - Chesterfield
Chesterfield, Destination Chesterfield
Chesterfield
Fri 28 March - Sun 30 March 2025
10:00am - 4:00pm

Derbyshire Makes Festival - Chesterfield

Paying homage to Chesterfield's formidable making heritage
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The Makory, Chesterfield
The Makory, Wirksworth Arts Festival 2024. Photo Richard Tymon
Chesterfield The Makory Workshop Exhibition
Friday 28 April 10.00am - 4.00pm
Saturday 29 April 10.00am - 4.00pm

The Makory, Chesterfield

The mobile activity space from Derby Museums.
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Dare to Dream Workshop
Alex Murphy, Launch event February 2025. Photo Richard Tymon
Chesterfield Dare to Dream Textiles Workshop
Fri 28 March - Sat 29 March 2025
10:00am - 4:00pm

Dare to Dream Workshop

Be a part of a monumental artwork celebrating Derbyshire’s textiles heritage.
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Box Making Workshop
Photo Junction Arts
Chesterfield Workshop
Fri 28 March and Sat 29 March
10.30am-12.30pm
1.30pm-3.30pm

Box Making Workshop

Make a beautiful box to take home, led by artist Charlotte Land
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Derbyshire Creative Heritage Conference
Church of St Mary and All Saints, Chesterfield, Destination Chesterfield
Chesterfield
Fri 28 March 2025
9:30am - 3:30pm

Derbyshire Creative Heritage Conference

Honouring Tradition | Inspiring Future Makers.
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The Curing Chemists
Chesterfield Performance
Sat 29 March 2025
10:00am - 3:30pm

The Curing Chemists

Mixing a splash of silly science and ridiculous potions and lotions.
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ClothesWise Upcycling Workshop
Photo Junction Arts
Chesterfield Textiles Workshop
Sat 29 March 2025
10:00am - 12:30pm

ClothesWise Upcycling Workshop

Learn basic hand-sewing and machine sewing skills.
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The Chesterfield Postcard Show Workshop
Chesterfield Workshop
Sat 29 March
10.00am - 12.30pm
1.30pm - 4.00pm

The Chesterfield Postcard Show Workshop

Be part of the fourth annual Chesterfield Postcard Show.
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Public Art Launch & Workshop
Chesterfield Public art Workshop
Sat 29 March 2025
10:00am - 4:00pm

Public Art Launch & Workshop

Launch of Kaleidoscope, a new piece of public art by Lucie Maycock.
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Pottery Workshop
Chesterfield Ceramics Workshop
Sat 29 March
10.00am - 12.00pm
1.30pm - 3.30pm

Pottery Workshop

Join artist Clare Gage for a hands-on clay workshop.
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Kaleidoscope Workshop
Chesterfield Workshop
Sat 29 March
10.30am - 12.30pm
1.30pm - 3.30pm

Kaleidoscope Workshop

Explore colour and light, shadows and reflections with artist Rachel Scanlon.
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Mountains of the Moon Film Screening and Drama Workshop
Photo Junction Arts
Chesterfield Film screening Workshop
Sat 29 Mar
10.30am - 12.30pm
1.30pm - 3.30pm

Mountains of the Moon Film Screening and Drama Workshop

Mountains of the Moon tells the tale of a group of animal friends who together solve their problem of running out of water.
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ClothesWise Upcycling Workshop
Chesterfield Textiles Workshop
Sun 30 March 2025
10:00am - 11:30am

ClothesWise Upcycling Workshop

Up-cycling with Fabric Scraps.
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Pottery Workshop
Chesterfield Textiles Workshop
Sun 30 March 2025
12:00pm - 1:30pm

ClothesWise Upcycling Workshop

Clothes-Wise Banner-making.
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Public Art Launch & Workshop
Chesterfield Textiles Workshop
Sun 30 March 2025
2:00pm - 3:30pm

ClothesWise Upcycling Workshop

Up-cycled Denim Project.
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Arts Workshops
Cromford Banner making Heritage crafts Textiles Workshop
Sat 05 April - Fri 11 April 2025
11:00am - 3:00pm

Arts Workshops

Join our resident artists in the school room at Cromford Mills to help them create a huge banner which will be part of the festival weekend
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Derbyshire Makes Festival - Heanor
Swanwick Men's Shed, Community Living Room
Heanor Food Music Textiles Film screening Market Performance Workshop
Sat 5 April 2025 10.00am - 4.00pm
Sun 6 April 2025 10.00am - 3.00pm

Derbyshire Makes Festival - Heanor

A celebration of all things handmade in Heanor
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Reimagine, Transform and Create Anew: A Weekend of Fun with Waste!
Generous Waste
Heanor Workshop
Saturday 5 April 10.00am - 4.00pm
Sunday 6 April 10.00am - 3.00pm

Reimagine, Transform and Create Anew: A Weekend of Fun with Waste!

Get ready to dive into the world of creativity and reimagine waste as something generous, generative, and transformative
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Listening Lounge
Listening Lounge, Maison Foo Theatre
Heanor Storytelling
Saturday 5 April 10am – 4.00pm
Sunday 6 April 10am - 3.00pm

Listening Lounge

Sink into a sofa, pop on a pair of headphones and listen to stories that celebrate the extraordinary power of everyday making in our local communities
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Dare to Dream workshops
Photo Sue Reddish
Heanor Dare to Dream Banner making Textiles Workshop
Saturday 5 April 10.00am - 4.00pm
Sunday 6 April 10.00am - 3.00pm

Dare to Dream workshops

Join artist Karen Logan to repurpose and reinvent old textiles to create banners and flags to dream a better future
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The Makory
The Makory, Wirksworth Arts Festival 2024. Photo Richard Tymon
Heanor The Makory Workshop Exhibition
Saturday 5 April 10.00am - 4.00pm
Sunday 6 April 10.00am - 3.00pm

The Makory

Look out for The Makory, a mobile maker space on wheels
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MAKE Room Workshop
Glassball Studio
Heanor MAKE Room Talk Workshop
Saturday 5 April 10.00am - 4.00pm
Sunday 6 April 10.30am - 3.00pm

MAKE Room Workshop

A place for thinking about how we can all connect with Nature
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Hands-on Heanor
Heanor Textiles Workshop Exhibition
Saturday 5 April 10.00am - 4.00pm
Sunday 6 April 10.00am - 3.00pm

Hands-on Heanor

Furthest from the Sea are inviting families to get creative together
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Embroidered Stories with Lise Bennett
Heanor Textiles Workshop
Saturday 5 April 10.00am - 4.00pm
Sunday 6 April 10.00am - 3.00pm

Embroidered Stories with Lise Bennett

Join artist Lise Bennett to embellish our giant embroidered map of Amber Valley with your stories and stiches
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Public Art Launch & Workshop
Heanor Music Performance Workshop
Saturday 5 April 10.00am - 4.00pm
Sunday 6 April 10.00am - 3.00pm

Hubbub Theatre in Residence

Chillout tunes from our Hubbub DJ’s and creative activities all day
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Pottery Workshop
Heanor Food Market
Sat 05 April 2025
9:00am - 12:00pm

Heanor Community Craft Fair

Artisan crafts and foods from local suppliers
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Community Living Room - Val & Trev Radio
Val at the Community Living Room
Heanor Performance Workshop
Sat 05 April 2025
10:00am - 4:00pm

Community Living Room - Val & Trev Radio

Drop into ‘Val & Friends Community Living Room’ for a spot of mischief, making and mayhem
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Festival Flock with Michelle Reader
Recycled Birds with Michelle Reader
Heanor Workshop
Sat 05 April 2025
10:00am - 4:00pm

Festival Flock with Michelle Reader

Create your own bird from recycled materials with artist Michelle Reader
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Mini Makers at Infinite Wellbeing Community Centre
Mini Makers at Infinite Wellbeing Community Centre
Heanor Music Film screening Workshop Food
Sat 05 April 2025
10:00am - 4:00pm

Mini Makers at Infinite Wellbeing Community Centre

The perfect destination for Mini Makers and their grown-ups to come together for food, play, making and friendly faces
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MAKE Room Workshop
Glassball Studio
Heanor MAKE Room Walk
Sat 05 April 2025
11:00am - 11:30am

MAKE Room - Walkshop

Art and nature walkshop
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MAKE Room Workshop
Glassball Studio
Heanor MAKE Room Walk
Sat 05 April 2025
2:00pm - 2:30pm

MAKE Room - Walkshop

Art and nature walkshop
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Big Community Skills Share
Heanor Heritage crafts Workshop Demonstration
Sun 06 April 2025
10:00am - 3:00pm

Big Community Skills Share

Celebrating and sharing the extraordinary everyday making, doing, mending and growing across Amber Valley.
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Sprout of the Ordinary: Sow Much Potential
Heanor Workshop
Sun 06 April 2025
10:00am - 3:00pm

Sprout of the Ordinary: Sow Much Potential

Plant, swap and share seeds in this drop-in family friendly workshop
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Mini Makers at Infinite Wellbeing Community Centre
Mini Makers at Infinite Wellbeing Community Centre
Heanor Food Music Workshop
Sun 06 April 2025
10:00am - 3:00pm

Mini Makers at Infinite Wellbeing Centre

The perfect destination for Mini Makers and their grown-ups, to come together for food, play, making and friendly faces
View Event
MAKE Room Workshop
Glassball Studio
Heanor MAKE Room Walk
Sun 06 April 2025
11:00am - 11:30am

MAKE Room - Walkshop

Art and nature walkshop
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MAKE Room Workshop
Glassball Studio
Heanor MAKE Room Walk
Sun 06 April 2025
1:30pm - 2:00pm

MAKE Room - Walkshop

Art and nature walkshop
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Derbyshire Makes Festival - Cromford
Derwent Valley Mills World Heritage Site Cromford, Visit Peak District & Derbyshire
Cromford Workshop Performance Storytelling
Sat 12 April - Sun 13 April 2025
10:30am - 4:00pm

Derbyshire Makes Festival - Cromford

Events inspired by water and local folklore in Cromford
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Adverse Camber storytelling
Ann Jones and Pyn Stockman, Adverse Camber
Cromford Storytelling Music
Sat 12 April - Sun 13 April 2025
10:30am - 4:00pm

Adverse Camber storytelling

Sharing stories with roots in local folklore
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Dare to Dream workshops
Threadmill, High Peak. Photo Richard Tymon
Cromford Dare to Dream Textiles Workshop
Saturday 12 April 10.30am - 4.00pm
Sunday 13 April 10.30am - 4.00pm

Dare to Dream workshops

Be part of a monumental artwork celebrating Derbyshire's textiles heritage
View Event
Easter activities at Cromford Mills
Cromford Heritage crafts Workshop
Mon 14 April - Mon 21 April 2025
11:00am - 3:00pm

Easter activities at Cromford Mills

Join artist Netty Reddish to get crafting
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Derbyshire Makes Festival - Glossop
Pop-up Secret Garden, Creeping Toad
Glossop
Tue 15 April 2025 2.00pm - 8.00pm
Note: The Makory will be open from 12noon - 6pm on Tuesday
Wed 16 April 2025 10.00am - 4.00pm

Derbyshire Makes Festival - Glossop

Surprise live performances and a giant playground in Glossop
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The Makory, Chesterfield
The Makory, Wirksworth Arts Festival 2024. Photo Richard Tymon
Glossop The Makory Workshop Exhibition
Tuesday 15 April 12.00pm - 6.00pm
Wednesday 16 April 10.00am - 4.00pm

The Makory at Derbyshire Makes Festival - Glossop

A mobile activity space from Derby Museums
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The Cat & The Swift - Puppetry
Artist Deb Pitman, Launch event February 2025. Photo Richard Tymon
Glossop Performance Workshop
Tuesday 15 April 2.00pm - 8.00pm
Wednesday 16 April 10.00am - 4.00pm
See below for individual activity timings

The Cat & The Swift - Puppetry

An artistic celebration of birds comes to Norfolk Square
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Sound Tapestry
Sound Artist Clare Savory
Glossop Talk Exhibition
Tuesday 15 April 2.00pm - 8.00pm
Wednesday 16 April 10.00am - 4.00pm
See below for individual activity timings

Sound Tapestry

Join Clare Savory in Partington Theatre for a journey through the sounds of Glossop
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Doodle It Your Way
Glossop Workshop
Tuesday 15 April 2.00pm - 8.00pm
Wednesday 16 April 10.00am - 4.00pm
See below for individual activity timings

Doodle It Your Way

Decorate, doodle and design
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Derbyshire Makes Festival - Glossop
Pop-up Secret Garden, Creeping Toad
Glossop Storytelling
Tuesday 15 April 2.00pm - 8.00pm
Wednesday 16 April 10.00am - 4.00pm
See below for individual activity timings

Lost Stories

Join Gordon MacLellan for stories of Glossop
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Gruesome Glossop – Film Screening
Glossop Film screening
Tuesday 15 April 2.00pm - 8.00pm
Wednesday 16 April 10.00am - 4.00pm
See below for screening times and venues

Gruesome Glossop – Film Screening

High Peak Community Arts’ Film Cuts Club present their take on the history of Glossop
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Virtual Norfolk Square
Glossop Film screening
Tuesday 15 April 2.00pm - 8.00pm
Wednesday 16 April 10.00am - 4.00pm
See below for exact timings on each day

Virtual Norfolk Square

Slip on a VR headset and enter an alternative Norfolk Square
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Dare to Dream workshops
Threadmill, High Peak. Photo Richard Tymon
Glossop Dare to Dream Banner making Textiles Workshop
Tuesday 15 April 2.00pm – 4.00 pm & 5.00pm – 7.00pm
Wednesday 16 April 10am – 12.00pm & 2.00pm – 4.00pm

Dare to Dream Workshop

Be a part of a monumental artwork celebrating Derbyshire’s textiles heritage.
View Event
MAKE Room - Walkshop
Glassball Studio
Glossop MAKE Room Workshop
Saturday 15 April 2.00pm - 8.00pm
Sunday 16 April 10.00am - 4.00pm

MAKE Room Workshop

A place for thinking about how we can all connect with Nature
View Event
MAKE Room - Walkshop
Glassball Studio
Glossop MAKE Room Walk
Tue 15 April 2025
11:00am - 11:30am

MAKE Room - Walkshop

Art and nature walk
View Event
A Song for Glossop
Matt Hill Songwriter
Glossop Music Workshop
Tue 15 April 2025
1:30pm - 5:00pm

A Song for Glossop

Join local singer-songwriter Matt Hill to explore what makes up Glossop
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MAKE Room - Walkshop
Glassball Studio
Glossop MAKE Room Walk
Tue 15 April 2025
2:00pm - 2:30pm

MAKE Room - Walkshop

Art and nature walk
View Event
Gruesome Glossop – Film Screening
Glossop Performance
Tue 15 April 2025
4:30pm - 5:30pm

Live Surprises

High Peak Community Arts’ Film Cuts Club at Glossop station
View Event
Performance Line-Up
Artist Deb Pitman
Glossop Music Storytelling Performance
Tue 15 April 2025
4:30pm - 8:00pm

Performance Line-Up

Join us to enjoy the results of the projects which have led to the festival
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Create a Cyanotype - Sun Pictures
Glossop Workshop
Tuesday 15 April
11.00am – 12.30pm
1.00pm – 2.30pm
3.00pm – 4.00pm

Create a Cyanotype - Sun Pictures

Design your own dazzling blue cyanotype
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See, touch, hear & DRAW
Artist Saima Rasheed
Glossop Workshop
11.00am – 12.00pm
12.30pm – 1.30pm
2.30pm – 4.00pm

See, touch, hear & DRAW

Join Saima Rasheed for a journey through the senses
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Derbyshire Makes Festival - Bolsover
PROCESSIONS, 2018, Junction Arts
Bolsover
Sat 19 April 2025 10.00am - 4.00pm
Sun 20 April 2025 10.30am - 3.00pm

Derbyshire Makes Festival - Bolsover

Celebrating local craftsmanship in Bolsover
View Event
Dare to Dream workshops
Threadmill, High Peak. Photo Richard Tymon
Bolsover Dare to Dream Textiles Workshop
Saturday 19 April 10.00am - 4.00pm
Sunday 20 April 10.30am - 3.00pm

Dare to Dream workshop

Be part of a monumental artwork celebrating Derbyshire's textiles heritage
View Event
Willow Weaving
Artist Maggie Cooper
Bolsover Workshop
Saturday 19 April 10:00am - 4:00pm
Sunday 20 April 10:30am - 3:30pm

Willow Weaving

Weave a community sculpture with artist Maggie Cooper
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The Makory, Chesterfield
The Makory, Wirksworth Arts Festival 2024. Photo Richard Tymon
Bolsover The Makory Workshop Exhibition
Saturday 19 April 10.00am - 4.00pm
Sunday 20 April 10.30am - 3.00pm

The Makory - Bolsover

The mobile activity space from Derby Museums
View Event
Buckle Making Workshop
Bolsover Workshop
Saturday 19 April 10:00am - 4:00pm
Sunday 20 April 10:30am - 3.00pm

Buckle Making Workshop

Create models of buckles, inspired by Bolsover's buckle and spur making industry
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Banner Making
Bolsover Workshop Banner making
Sat 19 April 2025
10:00am - 12:00pm

Banner Making

Join textile artist Ursula Rose Rae to explore creating Textile Banners
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Teenage Market
Bolsover Music Market
Sat 19 April 2025
11:00am - 2:00pm

Teenage Market

Buy handmade goods from local teenagers
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Banner Making
Bolsover Workshop Banner making
Sun 20 April 2025
10:00am - 12:00pm

Banner Making

Join textile artist Ursula Rose Rae to explore creating Textile Banners
View Event
Buskers
Photo Junction Arts
Bolsover Music
Sunday 20 April 11:00am - 2:00pm

Buskers

Performers from Bolsover
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Banner Making
Bolsover Workshop Banner making
Sun 20 April 2025
1:00pm - 3:00pm

Banner Making

Join textile artist Ursula Rose Rae to explore creating Textile Banners
View Event
Derbyshire Makes Festival - Swadlincote
Sharpe's Pottery Museum. Photo Chris Beech
Swadlincote
Sat 26 April - Sun 27 April 2025
10:00am - 3:00pm

Derbyshire Makes Festival - Swadlincote

A celebration of community and making in Swadlincote
View Event
Dare to Dream workshops
Threadmill, High Peak. Photo Richard Tymon
Swadlincote Dare to Dream Banner making Textiles Workshop
Saturday 26 April 10.00am - 3.30pm
Sunday 27 April 10.00am - 3.30pm

Dare to Dream workshops

Be part of a monumental artwork celebrating Derbyshire's textiles heritage
View Event

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