‘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!
The Triangle: Public art call-out
Have your work displayed in an iconic and well-visited popular UNESCO space…
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!
Care to Dance
This is a chance for you to express your creativity, learn new skills, and have fun in a relaxed, low-pressure environment.
Bish Bash Nosh
Eat, meet and create together as part of the Food & Community Hub, in Belper Baptist Church, on Bridge Street.
Warm Welcome Wednesdays
A self-led warm space with a hot drink, art activity , jigsaw and books provided.
‘Recycled River Goddess: Derwent Pilgrimage 2025’ FILM
Watch our short film of the Derwent Pilgrimage 2025 here!
Games Day & DRS collection
Please help us gather the items listed to donate to Derbyshire Refugee Solidarity before Christmas…and whilst you are in the Co-create space, join in a game or two on our Games Day spectacular with Derby On Board Games!✌️🙏👌
What’s on offer this Winter
We have been busy developing our 2026 delivery program…in the meantime, here what we have on offer to take part in the colder months…
Winter Festival
Join us in our Co-create space for our Winter Festival gathering, as part of Belper Christmas Lights Switch On event.
Diwali Concert
We have been busy developing our 2026 delivery program…in the meantime, here what we have on offer to take part in the colder months…
Creative Writing Short Course
This is a chance for you to express your creativity, learn new skills, and have fun in a relaxed, low-pressure environment.
Derwent Pilgrimage 2025
SAVE OUR RIVER! Following a series of art workshops, our Recycled River Goddess became the mascot for the Derwent Pilgrimage. She then hosted a short film documenting this journey with water-inspired choir/poem/story performances and Derbyshire Wildlife Trust ‘Derwent Survival Plan’ campaign information. See the film on our ‘Project videos’ page or via the QR code.
Baton of Hope
We are really chuffed to be working with Belper Shed and Baton of Hope to bring these ‘Text & Tools’ workshops by Poet, Daron Carey. The poems will be lazer-cut onto wood and become part of hand-made bird boxes and displayed in the Guildhall Market, Derby as part of the Baton of Hope event on 13th September.
Bling your Bike
As part of Transition Belper’s Eco Festival this year…come and bling your bike up in our Co-create space. Then bring it to the event on 14th September as part of their parade!
River Goddess
Join Anna Roebuck (The Making House) to add to the Recycled River Goddess before she goes on tour with Friends of the Derwent on their ‘Derwent Pilgrimage’ to HELP SAVE OUR RIVERS!
World of WORDS
back by popular demand…a 3 x week writing course with the wonderful Leanne Moden (Book your bargain place asap) and a free spoken word open-mic with Daron Carey.
THRIVE : Youth Arts Club
Our Youth Art Club in our Co-create space is continuing for at least two more terms! Different art mediums will be explored led by professional artists. FREE but must book via our online form as per poster details.
Bloomin’ Marvellous 2025
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, Bloomin Marvellous project exhibition, Murmuration art activity…and you may catch the ‘Gold start Gal’ here and there!
Derbyshire Makes
We worked with 4 x amazing artists and 100’s of people over two weekends – one in Heanor Market Place and one in Cromford Mills, with Derbyshire Makes. Watch out for our amazing Recycled River Goddess coming to a river near you with a ‘keep our waters clean’ message…
FREE Easter activities
Lots on offer over the Easter holidays in Heanor, Cromford, Belper and Ilkeston!
THRIVE : Youth Arts Club
A brand new Art Club for young people in our Co-create space. Different art mediums will be explored led by professional artists. FREE but must book via our online form as per poster details.
Spring exhibition Ilkon Gallery : Bloomin’ Marvellous
Help us celebrate Spring and respecting the earth in our installation at the Ilkon Gallery as part of their Spring Exhibition….created with Bloomin Marvellous participants and #Sharethelove Climate Coalition campaign workshops.
Week of Words
Help us celebrate World Book Day with our word-orientated free offerings this week!
Youth Arts Club
A brand new Art Club for young people in our Co-create space. Different art mediums will be explored led by professional artists. FREE but must book via our online form as per poster details.
Human Library
Get in touch if you are interested in being a HUMAN BOOK for our very first Human Library in our Co-create Space.
Bloomin’ Marvellous 2025
Nature-based creative sessions, including a cuppa in a community garden followed by an indoor eco-art activity for adults.
Co-create Cabin: Meet, Make & Mingle sessions
Hurrah…come to Co-create Space to the FREE The Cabin creative sessions to: Meet, Make & Mingle sessions.
Co-create LAUNCH week
Hurrah…come to our launch week of activities in our new community residency space in Belper Coop!
Bloomin’ Marvellous
Nature-based creative sessions, including a cuppa in a community garden followed by an indoor eco-art activity for adults.
Diwali lantern workshop
Make a lantern to then take along and join in with Belper Christmas Light Switch on and Derby Season of Light events.
Happy Mondays
FREE drop-in, creative activities for up to 15 x people…as part of the support sessions to help people with energy bills and to feel less isolated during the colder/darker months.
Daytime Disco
Deck the halls with…BIG chandeliers and disco dancing! Pop in to our community chandelier workshop as part of the Winter fair and Christmas Lights switch on. Then put on your glitter and head down to have a dance and make something festive at our Daytime Disco Solstice/Christmas PARTY…both in our new community residency space in Belper Coop!
Meet & Make
Creative sessions for families, linked to books in Belper Library in school holidays.
40th Birthday Archive Exhibition
We are so proud to have gifted our 40 years of work to Derbyshire Records Office. Mini exhibition till 3rd January, 2025.
Bollywood in Belper
Book your tickets for a special evening of Bollywood dance with refreshments and disco.
Cotton-On project 2020 – 2023
This one-year Fleet Arts project with Belper Youth Council culminated in a series of pop-up exhibitions in Black History Month and will be exhibited from January 2023, in Derby Museum and Art gallery. It has also been short-isted for a ‘Creative Lives’ Award…please vote for us here: http://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/peoples-choice-2022 (voting closes 27th January 2023).
Meet & Make
Creative sessions for families, linked to books in Belper Library in school holidays.
Young Traders
Young entrepreneurs are invited to apply for a stall to share their skills and wares at our Youth Market this Summer. Get in touch soon! We will have music, refreshments, art and much more.
Pride in Belper
We worked with artist, Steph Coley to run Love banner workshops with Blend Youth groups and Long Row Primary School. These were then paraded at the 12,000 strong parade!
Poet-Trees
Poems by locals, lazer cut onto wood on the theme of nature, climate, environment…and our relationship to it.
Timber Festival
Art & Nature workshops in a beautiful woodland festival as part of our ‘Bloomin Marvellous’ project.
Daytime Disco
Dance to DJ’s playing diverse & uplifting music sets
BYO drinks/snacks…and raise valuable funding for our charity
Be back home for your dinner…or use it as a springboard for your Saturday night out-out!
Poet-Trees
Poetry call-out and workshops on the theme of nature, climate, environment…and our relationship to it.
2024 Update
2024 update to clarify confusion about the auction of our old rented building.
Youth Market
Young entrepreneurs are invited to apply for a stall to share their skills and wares at our Youth Market this Summer. Get in touch soon! We will have music, refreshments, art and much more.
Happy Mondays
We are happy we can support the ‘Happy Mondays’ initiative during the cold months, by offering a variety of free, drop-in, creative activities at No.28 on a Monday as part of the free access sessions to help people feel less isolated and with energy bills.
Bloomin’ Marvellous
Nature-based creative sessions, including a cuppa in a community garden followed by an indoor eco-art activity for adult Carers/self-referral wellbeing individuals.
Adult and family Lego workshops
Creative Lego building activities set by Lego artist/extraordinaire, Tan Draig. One workshop just for adults…one for families. Book soon to secure your place!
World Menopause Day
Come and help support this under-rated issue that effects so many of us, with a creative well-being activity as part of the Big Blue Vegan Revelation Cafe.
Diwali classical concert
Book your tickets for a special evening of classical Indian music with three amazing performers. Also there will be authentic Diwali snacks in the interval. Book your tickets now:-
https://www.surtalarts.co.uk/event-details/enchanting-raga
Global Grooves
Music sessions exploring different genres of music from different countries in Primary Schools.
Summer programme
We have lots of FREE events and workshops on for all ages over the Summer, plus a couple of ticketed sessions. Take a look!
Adult and family Lego workshops
Creative Lego building activities set by Lego artist/extraordinaire, Tan Draig. One workshop just for adults…one for families. Book soon to secure your place!
Beyond the Windows exhibition
We are happy to support this great first solo exhibition by Jenny Stevenson Art all inspired by the Mills in Derwent Valley.
Larks in the Park
Face painting, drop-in art activities, live music in Belper River Gardens around the bandstand.
National Refugee Week event
Join lots of local, community groups in a Unite Community-led event in Belper Memorial Gardens, for National Refugee week.
Artist Development Day
Join artist and trainer, Tan Draig (OBE) on this fun, interactive day that will help you explore and develop your own creative practice.
DONATE for our 40th Birthday
Please help us continue our positive work with those who need it. We need your support to help us remain stable and fill our funding gaps (all core funding has been pulled this year), in our 40th Birthday year!
Whale Skeleton Community Parade
Mini road closure Saturday 25th March, 11am – 11.45am on King Street.
Warm Welcome
We are happy we can support the ‘Warm Spaces’ initiative during the cold months, by offering a variety of free, drop-in, creative activities at No.28 on a Monday as part of the ‘Welcome Meal’ sessions.
International Women’s Day: Deda DJ night
ALL are welcome to come and celebrate International Women’s Day with us by dancing the evening away with two great FEMALE DJ’s!
The bar will be open for refreshments.
We will be taking over the Deda Cafe in Derby…see the poster for booking details for this charity FUNdraiser (some to Fleet Arts and some to support women in Iran).
LEtGO with LEGO
Lego for Adults…join Lego extra-ordinaire, Tan Draig and his massive Lego collection, for fun, silly and totally seriously skilled Lego challenges!
Family LEGO
Lego for all the family, join Lego extra-ordinaire, Tan Draig and his massive Lego collection, for fun, silly and totally seriously skilled Lego challenges! Booking through the Library in Belper.
You Create Rotary Showcase workshops
FREE drop-in creative table sessions with Poetry and visual art. Then submit your work to the Rotary Art Showcase/competition.
Winter 2023
We have lots of workshops, projects and events happening this Winter at the start of our 40th Birthday year. Enjoy!
Meet & Make
Ukrainian families have been making wire and bead stars to help decorate the Christmas Lights Switch On event on 25th November 5.30pm.
Belper Food Festival
We will have a drop-in festive art activity to take part in at this busy Food Festival.
Poetry Open Mic
Margaret Gosley and friends at the popular Poetry Open Mics at Belper Library.
