Belper Arts Festival Set to Inspire Town

Belper will be at its creative best as The Arts Trail takes centre stage on the 1st & 2nd May – Sunday and Bank Holiday Monday.

There will be over 100 artists in 48 venues throughout the town displaying and selling their work.

Three Busk stop music stages are running at The Memorial Gardens (Tour Busk stop), The Lion Hotel (Open Mic Busk stop) and De Bradelei courtyard (Vintage Busk stop) with a full music programme of local musicians from 12 to 4 on each day. Also look out for a DJ workshop (Party Buzz stop) where you can come and have a go at the decks or just play some party tunes. The different music on each stop guarantees there is something for everybody.

Street entertainment this year includes Messy Moss with his alternative juggling where he will be getting you to take part, Lord Illusion with his own particular brand of street magic and a vintage singer / tap dancer, Rebecca Jayne, for your enjoyment plus the Mayor of Belper, Dan Booth, undertaking a charity event.

For children we have Twistin Tots with dance and music, Jumping Clay with pirate based workshops, large paper flower making and Book Magic with their interactive play sessions.

The Arts Trail

The Trail covers the town centre and beyond but the focal point will be the Memorial Gardens where you willfind food and drink stalls, children’s entertainment and Captain Dan who will take children and adults alike on a journey of discovery, buried treasure and mutiny!

Then, from 5:00pm Bank Holiday Monday on the Memorial Gardens, the tour Busk stop becomes the Busk till Dusk stop with music until 9pm.

There are even trails within the trail! Look out for Ola Wilson’s OxyMoron Trail and Adrian Farmer’s Arts and Heritage Walk.

The Belper Arts Trail was created to promote the growth of local artists, engage with the community and enhance Belper’s reputation as a beautiful and inspiring place to visit. Now in its third year, the Arts Trail is attracting artists from across the country whilst still keeping local artists at the forefront. Paintings, sculpture, photography, glass and jewellery – all will feature throughout the trail with prices to suit all pockets. You can chat to artists and see demonstrations. Inspiration will never be more than a few feet away.

There is a Ceramic Nail Installation by Marion Stuart where six hundred ceramic nails will be installed onto the Heritage Centres internal steps as a part of the Belper Arts Trail and laid out to represent the nail makers as they were at their height of industry in Belper. Names from the community will be represented onto the nails from the present day and from the period of history the nails portray.

It was estimated that 2,000 people visited the Arts Trail in 2015, making it one of the most popular Trails in the Midlands. Arts Trail Guides will contain a map identifying venues and artists as well as times of events during the two days of the trail. Entry to the Trail this year will be by purchasing a brochure and a trail badge with the price remaining at only £3 and they will enable you to enter every venue.

Before the Trail dates, you can buy guides and badges from TIME AND AGAIN on King Street. On 1st & 2nd May they can be bought on the Market Place, in the Memorial Gardens and the Lion Hotel.

• Dates : 1st May – 2nd May
• Times : 10.30am to 4.30pm
• Trail Guide and Badge – £3 from the Market Place, Memorial Gardens & The Lion Hotel on the day

For more information visit the website at: www.belperarts.org