Call for Artists - Now Open
Melbourne Festival Art & Architecture Trail
20-21 September 2025
Click the poster for details
Make a Date for Melbourne Festival
In 2024, 68 hosts welcomed 163 regional artists and over 5,000 visitors to the 2024 Melbourne for the Art & Architecture Trail.
Melbourne Festival is an amazing event thanks to our hosts, helpers, volunteers and amazing artists' support.
Entry has remained £5 per adult (under 18’s free) since 2008.
Melbourne Festival puts art at the heart of South Derbyshire. Come and see for yourself!
INTROSPECTION
at Creative Melbourne Gallery
INTROSPECTION features an extraordinary collection of original artwork—paintings, prints, photography, and mixed-media works by an impressive line-up of artists. Their work is inspired by looking into the past at our industrial heritage to find images for the future.
INTROSPECTION opened on 19th February and continues until 15th March. The exhibition includes work by printmaker Karen Wicks who captures the atmosphere of abandoned buildings perfectly, Oliver Lovley creates dreamlike paintings of people doing everyday things – football crowds, Saturday shoppers, etc. Emerging Artists Beth Edge and Jenny Stevenson bringing their artistic flair to the gallery with a selection of beautiful and thought-provoking works, including the captivating Reviving Melbourne series, their unique ability to capture emotion and storytelling in visual art adds an exciting dimension to INTROSPECTION.
Not to be missed is Amanda Graham’s exclusive collection of jewellery designed for INTROSPECTION using recycled precious metals and semi-precious stones. The exhibition also includes work created from foraged materials by Jane Bevan and beautiful Raku pottery by Andrew Mason.
In addition to our featured artists don’t miss the stunning work by two of our studio artists Michelle Holmes and Patrick Twiss-Prentice.
Open Wednesday - Saturday, 10 am to 4 pm until 15th March
CREATIVE MELBOURNE GALLERY, Wellington House, Church Street, Melbourne DE73 8EJ
JOIN OUR VOLUNTEER TEAM!
Would you like to meet new people, learn new skills, or feel you could help in some way??
You may have an interest in art or would like to be part of an organisation that helps the local and wider creative community.
We are looking for new volunteers to expand our friendly team of volunteers who help at our Creative Melbourne Gallery and at Melbourne Festival. Flexible hours morning or afternoons, one session a month or more! Full training will be given.
Or just call 07765 819 428, email us, or drop into Creative Melbourne Gallery
SPACES TO CREATE…
Creative Melbourne Gallery and Studio launched Spaces to Create, a new mentored artist development programme, in 2023. The programme aims to promote the creative industries in South Derbyshire by supporting creatives in becoming self-sustaining small businesses.
Phase One of the programme ended in May 2024, and we recruited our next group of artists in September 2024.
This opportunity is not solely for visual artists: our 2023/ 2024 artists included a poet, a digital creative, and a photographer.
Spaces to Create is open to creative people who can utilise the hotdesking space and benefit from supported development. We have now launched Phase 2 Applications.
The six artists who participated in the Pilot Project took up hotdesking residence in our newly launched space above the Gallery. This opportunity is not solely for visual artists; you could be a writer, digital creative, photographer, game designer, or producer. We are open to creative people who can utilise the hotdesking space and benefit from supported development.
Spaces to Create aims to promote the creative industries in South Derbyshire by supporting creatives in becoming self-sustaining small businesses. Please contact us at info@melbournefestival.co.uk if you would like to find out more!
We would like to thank South Derbyshire District Council for their support for Spaces to Create.
BLOSSOMING
Spring & Summer 2024
Join the Creative Melbourne Team for “BEARING FRUIT,” our FREE Community Creative Workshops this Summer.
There are great options whether you are under-5 or nearly-95 and ideas for families of all ages in between!
All workshops are artist-led, in accessible spaces - including outdoors.
All materials are provided so take you pick, book a place, bring yourself and HAVE A GO!
Under 5’s
Families
We thank Arts Council England, Foundation Derbyshire, Derbyshire County Council, South Derbyshire District Council, and Melbourne Community Care for supporting creative community workshops in Melbourne during the Summer of 2024.
Sponsored by Community Care
Thank you for visiting our website. Melbourne Festival & Creative Melbourne are both part of Arts Melbourne CIC