Derbyshire Makes 2026 To Transform Towns With Spectacular Showcases And Hands-On Making
Around 100 events will be staged across six of the county’s towns this spring with the return of Derbyshire County Council’s Derbyshire Makes festival.
Cromford, Chesterfield, Swadlincote, Heanor, Glossop and Bolsover will each host a full day of free activity between 11 April and 16 May 2026, bringing together artists, makers, performers and communities to celebrate Derbyshire’s rich story of making and innovation.
The festival, now in its second year, will transform high streets, heritage sites and public spaces into vibrant hubs of activity and at the heart of this year’s programme are specially commissioned showcase performances, created in collaboration with local communities and rooted in the distinct character of each town.
These bold, high-quality productions will be accompanied by workshops, demonstrations and drop-in sessions, so that audiences can experience extraordinary performances and get involved.
Highlights include large-scale outdoor performances from:
- Matt Pang – a performer and maker who entertains using circus, performance and hand-crafted inventions
- Autin Dance Theatre – an award-winning professional Dance Theatre Company based in Birmingham
- Maison Foo – whose work takes on a variety of forms including theatre shows, art installations and audio stories
- John Whall – Derby-based digital production artist
Also taking place:
- The Great Chesterfield Make-Off – demonstrations and craft market with 40 Chesterfield artists
- Heritage craft demonstrations and interactive installations at Cromford Mills
- Ceramics, textiles and forest craft takeovers in Swadlincote
- Heanor’s “Make Do, Mend and Reinvent” celebration of repair and reinvention
- Glossop’s springtime parade led by giant handmade puppet the Lady of the Loom
- Bolsover’s live music stage and lantern-making legacy brought into the present day
Visitors are encouraged to participate in a range of activities including ceramics, weaving, upcycling, printmaking, songwriting, creative writing, digital making and more.
Derbyshire County Council’s Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Economic Development and Regeneration Councillor Rob Reaney said:
“From the mills and mines that shaped the county, to today’s makers, dancers and digital creators, Derbyshire Makes weaves together past, present and future in a celebration of skill, turning high streets into living workshops.
“As well as strengthening the local cultural economy and supporting the creative and heritage sector in our local communities, it is hoped that Derbyshire Makes will help to inspire the next generation of makers to ensure Derbyshire’s creative past lives on in the future."
Alongside the six hubs, a wider countywide programme continues across April and May, including The Makory mobile makerspace, Dare to Dream community sewing events and Women Who Make activity. Further details about these projects will be announced separately.
The festival has been made possible thanks to funding from Arts Council England and the county council, with additional heritage activity funded by The National Lottery Heritage Fund as part of Derbyshire Makes History.
Further details about what’s on during the festival are available below and at www.derbyshiremakes.co.uk, by signing up to the mailing list, or following @DerbyshireMakes on social media.
Cromford
Saturday 11 April 2026
Celebrating Derbyshire’s heritage of making through wheels as symbols of change, revolution and creativity - set against the powerful backdrop of Cromford Mills.
What to expect:
- Parade - The Giant Wheel by Autin Dance and MakeLand, an immersive VR experience by John Whall
- The interactive Wheel of Fortune community sculpture co-created with young people and Fleet Arts
- Heritage craft demonstrations including blacksmithing, spinning, letterpress and ceramics
- Drawn to Weave monoprint workshops with Jane Wells and Lise Bennett
- Folk music, poetry and performance in collaboration with LEVEL Centre and Adverse Camber
Chesterfield
Saturday 18 April 2026
A bold celebration of Chesterfield’s vibrant creative community, transforming the town centre into a live showcase of making in action.
What to expect:
- Thingamabob, an ingenious solo street show by Matt Pang and MakeLand, an immersive VR experience by John Whall
- The Great Chesterfield Make Off – 40 artists creating new work live in the marketplace
- A large-scale photography exhibition celebrating Chesterfield Makers
- Drop-in creative workshops including the Chesterfield Postcard Show
- Meet painters, potters, textile artists, writers and designers – and have a go yourself
Swadlincote
Saturday 25 April 2026
Bringing South Derbyshire’s heritage to life - from mining and pottery to textiles and flax-growing - Swadlincote’s festival celebrates the power of making together across generations.
What to expect:
- Parade - The Giant Wheel, a moving performance by Autin Dance
- Live ceramics demos and have-a-go sessions with Derek Harbinson and hands-on clay workshops with Elaine Lim-Newton
- Forest Makers Market curated by Peter Wood (Greenwood Days) featuring pole lathe turning, willow weaving and traditional woodcraft
- LAMPLIGHT heritage trail sharing stories from South Derbyshire’s mining past
- Textile and fibre showcases including Timewoven with Derbyshire Guild Weavers, Spinners & Dyers and flax-to-linen demonstrations
Heanor
Saturday 2 May 2026
A joyful celebration of all things handmade and preloved – transforming Heanor into a living room of repair, reinvention and creative possibility.
What to expect:
- Thingamabob, an ingenious solo street show by Matt Pang and Val & Friends Community Living Room, by Maison Foo
- Make Do, Mend and Reinvent with Maison Foo, including the “Style Your Neighbour” challenge
- Mass participation sound-making with Sian Watson Taylor and the Orchestra of Possibilities
- Repair Café sessions with Crich Repair Café and upcycling workshops with local makers
- Future Fibres exploring Derbyshire wool and flax, including screenings of The Nettle Dress
Glossop
Saturday 9 May 2026
A springtime celebration of heritage, folklore and making – reviving lost stories, lost skills and the spirit of May Day renewal.
What to expect:
- Thingamabob, an ingenious solo street show by Matt Pang and Val & Friends Community Living Room, by Maison Foo
- The spectacular Lady of the Loom parade and giant puppet performance by Babbling Vagabonds
- Springtime Makers Market in partnership with High Peak Makers Market
- Community weaving revival with Glossop Arts Project
- Creative writing and folklore workshops with Michelle Collier and Gordon MacLellan (Creeping Toad)
Bolsover
Saturday 16 May 2026
A celebration of the creativity and craftsmanship of local people – reflecting the character, pride and diversity of the district.
What to expect:
- Parade - The Giant Wheel, a moving performance by Autin Dance
- Live music stage featuring Mind and Melody Music Group and community samba band Bolsover Beats
- Made in Bolsover exhibition and film celebrating local makers
- Lantern-making workshops with Junction Arts, honouring Bolsover’s lantern parade legacy
- Teenage Market platforming young entrepreneurs and performers
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