Create . Participate . Connect
Key Strands: Young People, Creative Well-being, Community Action, Artist Support
A well-established community arts charity based in Belper, Amber Valley in Derbyshire, since 1983. We work with a wide variety of groups and partners across the region, delivering quality, diverse, arts workshops, projects, events and support, particularly with those at risk of social exclusion.
Any queries, please get in touch
This Season...
‘Cool Beans’ artist residencies
Hurrah…come to Co-create Space to the FREE The Cabin creative sessions to: Meet, Make & Mingle sessions.
Derbyshire Makes: Cromford
This Easter holidays we are excited to finally launch our ‘Revolutions’ offerings, as part of the Derbyshire Makes Cromford Mills event. We have the anything-is-possible ‘Imagination Train’ (see our separate web page) & the fun-challenges ‘Wheel of Fortune’ made with 16-121 year old welding apprentices from Engineered Learning Ltd!
Word of Mouth: Poetry Open Mic
Perform or just listen to poems, in our welcoming Co-create space.
‘Cotton-on’: Youth Council podcasts
Take a comfy seat in Belper Library and settle in to listen to our three podcast interviews by Belper Youth Council, as part of our Creative Lives award nominated ‘Cotton-On’ project.
Bloomin’ Marvellous 2026
Nature-based creative sessions, including a cuppa in a community garden followed by an indoor eco-art activity for adults.
Belper Arts Trail
Come and immerse yourself in art in our Co-create space over the bank holiday Arts Trail weekend. We will have a fabulous artist market, You-create Youth arts exhibition, Revolutions art activities!
BIG thanks to individuals and organisations that have contributed to our core funding,
to enable us to continue to deliver our charitable work:-
Garfield Weston Foundation
Vernon Robert Bowmer Charitable Trust
Belper Town Council
Kind donations through both in-person philanthropy and our website
More information on our project funding is in our ‘Partners and Funders’
on our ‘Who we are’ page…
Facebook Posts
Looking forward to spinning some sounds at the fabulous Belper Goes Green this year on Saturday pm 💃✌️🎉 ![]()
Friday pm is our 'Word of Mouth' poetry open mic and Saturday day is our drop-in 'Temperature Tapestry' workshop 💚
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A little bit of creative fun for all ages this bank holiday/half-term so get involved and enjoy!![]()
1. The 'Imagination Train' installation with all the worlds finally joined together with a train/camera going travelling through them and projected onto a screen! ![]()
Cromford Mills @derbyshiremakes @hereandthererailway Derwent Valley Line Community Rail Partnership ![]()
2. Our pop-in well dressing sessions begin in our @centralcoopuk Co-create space![]()
Ruth Lewis-Jones Blue Box Belper @belpercouncil ![]()
3. Our ever popular family 'meet & make' session continues at Belper Library with @lise.bennett.artist Derbyshire Libraries ![]()
@westonfdn
The week ahead in WELL DRESSING![]()
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Next week's FREE activities in the Co-create Space (inside Coop, Strutt St, Belper) are...![]()
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🌺Filling frames with clay![]()
🌼Pricking out designs onto the clay surface![]()
🌸Adding dry materials to create the outlines of the design![]()
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Here are some images of what we got up to last year to give you an idea of what you can get involved in ☺️![]()
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No experience is necessary and everyone is welcome to come along, get stuck in, learn the techniques involved and have some fun!![]()
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Monday 25th May 12-4pm Co-create Space - Filling frames with clay and pricking out designs![]()
Thursday 28th May 12-7pm Co-create Space - Adding dry materials![]()
Friday 29th May 12-7pm Co-create Space - Adding dry materials![]()
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@belpercouncil @belper250![]()
#welldressingderbyshire
Looking for something fun and creative to do this Bank Holiday weekend?![]()
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Come along to Cromford Mills and enjoy the FREE Imagination Train exhibition + interactive Arthur's Here and There Portable Railway Doodle Train activity so that you can contribute to the exhibition during your visit! 🚂✏💭😃![]()
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Read on to learn more...![]()
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This exhibition installation invites you to journey with us through the past, the present and future, created through the imagination and creativity of local communities in Amber Valley, Derbyshire Dales. This co-created installation connects multiple ‘train worlds’ made by the public with a miniature train and track. A camera projects a train-eye view of this communally created and imaginative landscape onto the wall of the space for all to enjoy. As well as enjoying the installation, you can contribute to our Doodle Train wall. ![]()
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Imagination Train celebrates the creativity inherent in designing and making model railway layouts, whilst also taking inspiration from miniaturism, theatre set-design and mixed-media installations. Lead Artist Martin Paling is interested in using trains and train travel as a means to explore connectivity between people and places, and to explore physical and imagined landscapes. Come on a journey that connects everything from nostalgia to visions of the future, Warhammer to leopard print, Pokemon to Ecstatic Disco!![]()
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Imagination Train has been developed by Fleet Arts in partnership with Cromford Mills with funding support from Derbyshire Makes and Derwent Valley Line. Train worlds have been created by the general public in response to a call out and online video tutorial, workshop participants at The National Stone Centre, Alderwasley School, Wild Roots Creative, Table Top Events and at Fleet Arts events.![]()
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@cromfordmills1771 @derbyshiremakes @hereandthererailway Derwent Valley Line Community Rail Partnership Arts Derbyshire Derbyshire County Council ![]()
#derbyshiremakes #heritage #community #derbyshirecountycouncil #creativity #making #derbyshire #art #place
Make sure your Imagination Train world arrives on time for an efficient service!🚂![]()
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We have 2 drop-off options for you 😄![]()
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1. Deliver to Co-create space at the Coop in Belper, Strutt St - any time before 7pm Thursday 21st May. There is a clearly marked table where you can leave your 'train world' box. ![]()
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or![]()
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2. Deliver to Cromford Mills on Friday 22nd May between 2:00pm-5:00pm ![]()
or Saturday 23rd May between 10:00am - 2:00pm ![]()
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*Please write your name, contact email and title of the your train world underneath*![]()
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If you haven't made your Imagination Train world yet - there is still time to make a start!![]()
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@cromfordmills1771 Derwent Valley Line Community Rail Partnership @hereandthererailway @derbyshiremakes Arts Derbyshire Derbyshire County Council ![]()
#derbyshiremakes #heritage #community #DerbyshireCountyCouncil #creativity #making #derbyshire #art #placecouncil
