The Makory: A Mobile Makerspace Bringing Derbyshire’s Creative Heritage to Life

As part of the inaugural Derbyshire Makes Festival 2025, The Makory - a bright, beautifully wrapped bus-turned-mobile-makerspace - toured six hubs across the county, engaging over 1,175 participants in hands-on workshops inspired by Derbyshire’s rich heritage of making and manufacturing.

Delivered in partnership between Local, Derby Museums’ Museum of Making, Derbyshire Record Office, and the six hub leads, The Makory embodied the festival’s ethos of connecting people to their creativity, their local stories, and their county’s heritage through accessible, joyful making experiences.

The Makory, managed by the Museum of Making, was designed as a flexible, inclusive, and highly visible way of taking cultural activity to people, particularly those who might not visit a museum or gallery.

We set out to:

- Celebrate Derbyshire’s heritage of making, past and present.

- Showcase the Museum of Making’s collections and expertise.

- Offer hands-on STEAM-inspired creative activities.

- Reach diverse audiences in town centres and public spaces.

At each hub, local artists were commissioned to design site-specific workshops that reflected local stories and industries, using accessible materials and techniques suitable for all ages.

What Happened in Each Place?

Chesterfield & Heanor – Verity Foster
In both towns, Verity introduced participants to sgraffito clay tile-making, inspired by the locomotives, railways, and textiles industries that shaped each place. Wheels, smokestacks, intricate patterns, and textures emerged as community members etched their designs into rolled clay tiles.

Cromford – Gordon MacLellan (Creeping Toad)
Drawing from the story of the ancient ash tree "Crooker," families created imaginative pop-up cards depicting magical trees and lively rivers full of otters, mermaids, and pirates — celebrating Derbyshire’s landscapes and folklore.

Glossop – Dr Tim Campbell-Green
As an archaeologist with decades of experience, Tim invited participants to become archaeologists for the day, unearthing and documenting ‘treasures’ and even taking home their finds, making local history hands-on and personal.

Bolsover – Sophie Gresswell
Inspired by Derbyshire’s boggarts - mischievous spirits of local folklore - Sophie encouraged participants to share stories and memories while sculpting their own Boggart of Bolsover figurines from clay.

Swadlincote – Jenny Stevenson
Jenny led two workshops: folded paper buildings inspired by the town’s potteries, collieries, and pipeworks, and layered industrial shadow boxes, crafting intricate scenes that celebrated Swadlincote’s industrial heritage.

Over 1,175 people engaged directly, with many more pausing to watch, talk, and learn about Derbyshire’s making heritage.

The Makory acted as a beacon for creativity, drawing in children, families, and older residents who shared their own making stories.

Five local artists commissioned, showcasing Derbyshire’s creative talent and building their networks with the Museum of Making and Local.

Participants of all ages and abilities took part, supported by an accessible space (with lift) and experienced facilitators.

The project sparked new partnerships and conversations about heritage, sustainability, and creativity - laying foundations for a countywide "living archive" of stories.

The Makory was a collaborative triumph. Local, Derby Museums, Derbyshire Record Office, and the six hub leads worked together to ensure each site reflected its unique character. From the custom vehicle wrap and curated museum displays to the shared collections database and artist induction sessions, the project exemplified what can happen when cultural partners, artists, and communities come together.

“The Makory proved that creativity belongs everywhere - not just in galleries or studios, but on the streets, in the squares, and in the hands of everyone who wanted to take part. Watching children, grandparents, and strangers share stories and make something beautiful together in the heart of our towns was inspiring. This is what Derbyshire Makes is all about: celebrating who we are and what we create.”
Claire Tymon, Creative Director, Derbyshire Makes

“We were delighted to bring The Makory into the heart of Derbyshire communities. Seeing our collections and stories spark creativity in so many different ways - and meeting people who hadn’t visited the museum before - was hugely rewarding. The project strengthened our relationships with local artists and hubs, and showed just how powerful place-based creativity can be.”
Charlotte Convey, Head of Learning, Museum of Making

What We Learned

From the evaluation, several key learnings emerged:

High visibility matters - the striking bus wrap and outdoor activities helped attract passers-by.

Simplicity and accessibility win - materials and activities that could be started quickly encouraged participation from hesitant visitors.

Local knowledge counts - the hub leads’ understanding of their communities was invaluable in finding the right sites and engaging participants.

Stories matter - many older participants shared rich memories of local industries, which we plan to capture more systematically next time.

By the Numbers

6 hubs visited over six weeks
5 artists commissioned
12 days of delivery
24 participatory sessions
1,175 participants (plus hundreds more engaged informally)
Countless stories, smiles, and new connections made