Derbyshire Open Arts 2023

During the late May Bank Holiday weekend artists from the West Studios community will be taking part in Derbyshire Open Arts! Their studios will be open for you to be able to view where they create their work, and talk to them about their creative process.

Michael Claxton

Michael creates oil paintings of land and sea using bold open brushstrokes alongside palette knife mark making to achieve rich textured paintings full of energy and emotion.

You can contact Michael by phone or email or find out more more about him via his website.

Miriam D. Robinson

Miriam’s abstract mixed media art engages with and reflects the silent, mysterious, transient and energetic aspects of life. Her inspiration comes from the Elemental World, Celtic & Christian Iconography, and Universal Symbols.

You can contact Miriam by phone or email.

Andie Cooper

Andie Cooper went to secondary school in Sheffield in the 1970's and has lived in Chesterfield since 2021. In between times she studied Biology at Newcastle University and worked in several beautiful places in the North and South of the country; but it is being surrounded by Northern upland landscapes that she feels most at home. She is a close observer of wilderness, nature and light and aims to share the joy of what she observes through her paintings. Her work is available at the Derwent Gallery, Grindleford and via her Instagram account @andiecooperart.

Opening Times:

• Friday 26th May 6pm - 8pm

• Saturday 27th May 10am - 5pm

• Sunday 28th May 10am - 5pm

• Monday 29th May 10am - 5pm

What's Happening at West Studios - Spring Newsletter 2023

Get the latest updates about upcoming exhibitions, workshops and projects from West Studios our community of tenant businesses and artists!

Women United - an exhibition by Sue Dickins.

It’s the final few days of Women United, an exhibition from Chesterfield-based artist Sue Dickins.

The idea behind the exhibition is to combination of two of Sue’s passions figurative work and her passion for painting fabrics. The exhibition showcases women from around the world, wearing traditional dress where possible.

Open to the public between 10am and 4pm until Friday 28th April.

Chesterfield Postcard Show

Chesterfield’s annual exhibition of mini masterpieces is back for 2023, giving creatives, communities, and up-and-coming artists the opportunity to show their work in this unique and exciting exhibition!   This year’s show is entitled ‘Wish You Were Here’ and will take place between the 9th and 19th of May at West Studios.  In 2022, there were first exhibits and sales for several new artists and creative people in the community, with 70 artists involved and 131 postcard-size pieces exhibited. 

The exhibition celebrates the importance of getting creative and its impact on people’s self-esteem and well-being.  Organisers, Junction Arts, and local artist Dave Elsom are inviting people locally, from across the UK, and Internationally to create their own postcard piece of art and submit it by the 20th of April 2023. 

Hannah Bowdler, Fundraising Coordinator at Junction Arts said: “We believe that everyone should have access to art. The Chesterfield Postcard Shows not only provides a free exhibition of marvellous miniature artworks for local people to enjoy, but it also provides a unique opportunity for new artists to exhibit and showcase their talent. 

You can find out more information and download the submission forms from Junction Arts website.

Young Artist of the year

Are you aged between 8 and 18? Do you enjoy getting creative and want an opportunity to show off your work? Then enter this year Derbyshire Young Artist of the Year award 2023 to be in with a chance of being crowned the winner for 2023.

All the rules about the competition and how to enter can be found in the link below.

This years brief is ‘Reduce, Recycle, Replace – How do you think we can make the world be more sustainable?’

Click here to find out more information about the Young Artist of the Year exhibition.

Lego Printing For Adults - A Printmaking Workshop by Dave Elsom

Join Chesterfield based printmaker Dave Elsom at West Studios for a Lego printing for adults workshop.

 It's just £20 per person for a 90 minute workshop where you'll use Lego to make printing plates so you can print off your unique designs onto cards and paper. All materials and equipment are provided.

Tuesday 9th May, 6.30pm - 8pm.

 To book your place, contact Dave directly on 07790447615 or email him at davidjelsom@hotmail.com.

Shop at West Studios

There’s a range of cards and enamel pins available on our Etsy store!

Get your special person a quirky card and token gift, or pop into West Studios between 10am and 4pm Monday to Friday to browse the gallery-shop to find a wider range of cards and gifts.

Click here to visit our Etsy store.

Venue Hire

We have a range of rooms and hireable space to suit the needs of any type of booking. Whether you need a space suitable for standard meetings, theatre, sports, dance, drama, yoga, choir, or something else we have a space suitable for you!

HOST YOUR COMMUNITY GROUP HERE…

MEET WITH CLIENTS OR HOST A TEAM AWAY DAY…

A SPACE FOR CONFERENCES AND SHOWS…

GET YOUR AUDIO SORTED…

Updates from our community of artists & businesses…

Pomegranate Youth Theatre & Gokkota Arts

The Pomegranate Youth Theatre offers weekly drama workshops that are available to all at a low cost. Formed in 2002, the fun workshops are for young people aged 7-18 years old. The weekly sessions teach all areas of stagecraft with professional facilitators which promote teamwork, social skills, emotional intelligence, creativity and confidence.

Gekkota Arts is a group of adults (18+) that provide a fast paced, improvised comedy performance, full of laughs and banter!

For more information about either group please contact Carole on 07932603525 or email pomytheatre@gmail.com.

Dave Elsom of Sombrero Printmaking

As well as running group workshops, Dave Elsom, who is a tenant at West Studios, offers 1-1 lessons on various printmaking techniques. 1-1 sessions are £40 for 2.5 hours with all equipment and materials provided. Dave can be contacted via email at davidjelsom@hotmail.com. 

Life Drawing with John King

A life drawing session with Chesterfield based artist John King.

To book onto these sessions please contact John directly by phone or email.

Chesterfield Children’s Festival - A Junction Arts Event

Junction Arts is delighted to announce that this summer we are launching our first Chesterfield Children’s Festival, a free weekend of fun for families that will include music, theatre, storytelling, dance, and art workshops.

The two-day event, will celebrate the joy of childhood, imagination, and play. It will take place in Queen’s Park on the 29th and 30th of July, bringing colour and excitement to Chesterfield during the summer holidays.

The arts and culture festival will have a number of family-friendly acts and activities taking place over the weekend.

Entertainment announced so far includes a silent disco tour, an interactive game zone, a comedy club, a circus, story time yoga, tie-dye workshops, face-painting and a brass band that plays everyone’s favourite Disney tunes!

You can find out more information and get regular updates on the Chesterfield Children’s Festival Facebook event or directly from Junction Arts.

Commissioned portraits by Sue Dickins

Ever fancied your very own portrait?

Get in touch with Chesterfield-based artist Sue Dickins to get your very own commissioned portrait. A free consultation will be provided to discuss your requirements, size of portrait etc. and a quote will then be provided to you.

A photo shoot and discovery session can be arranged to create a unique and special portrait or Sue can work from an images provided.

Your portrait will then be completed in oils on museum quality stretched linen canvas.

Contact Sue directly to enquire by email, phone, or through her Instagram account.

March Newsletter

View a Show….

The story of WASPIs - Women Against State Pension Inequality. 

 1950s-born women always thought they would retire with a state pension on their 60th birthday like generations of women before them - how wrong they were! The Government moved the goal posts - not once, but twice and these women have bore the brunt.  But you can’t keep a group of strong, determined women down for long … Join members of North Derbyshire WASPI on a rollercoaster of a ride in their quest for pension justice.

Performances take place Saturday 4th & Sunday 5th March.

You can find out more information about the play and book your tickets here.

Gekkota Arts presents A Comedy Eggprovavaganza!

An evening of fast paced improvised comedy with an Easter Theme.

Creating scenes with the help of the audience.

The Studio Theatre, West Studios, Chesterfield College.

Tuesday 4th April, 7.00pm. Doors open from 6.45pm.

Click here for more information & to book your ticket.

Attend an exhibition….

DISORDER

DISORDER is an exhibition of printmaking and other art by Dave Elsom.

This exhibition will support the Chesterfield College Food Pantry as well as the Trussell Trust (food banks). You can find out more information about Dave in our blog post.

The exhibition will be open to the public from Monday 6th March - Friday 24th March, between 10am and 4pm. On occasion part of the exhibition may be closed due to other events taking place in the centre. We recommend calling us ahead of your visit to avoid disappointment.

The exhibition preview evening is on Friday 3rd March, 6pm - 9pm. Click here to book your space.

Women United

Women United is an exhibition by local artist Sue Dickins, who specialises in oil paintings.

The aim of the Women United exhibition is to showcase women from around the world, wearing traditional dress where possible.

The exhibition will be open to the public Monday - Friday between 10am and 4pm.

Monday 17th April - Friday 28th April. Open evening - Saturday 15th April, 6pm - 9pm.

Click here to find out more information about the Women United exhibition.

Chesterfield Postcard Show

Chesterfield’s annual exhibition of mini masterpieces is back for 2023, giving creatives, communities, and up-and-coming artists the opportunity to show their work in this unique and exciting exhibition!   This year’s show is entitled ‘Wish You Were Here’ and will take place between the 9th and 19th of May at West Studios.  In 2022, there were first exhibits and sales for several new artists and creative people in the community, with 70 artists involved and 131 postcard-size pieces exhibited. 

The exhibition celebrates the importance of getting creative and its impact on people’s self-esteem and well-being.  Organisers, Junction Arts, and local artist Dave Elsom are inviting people locally, from across the UK, and Internationally to create their own postcard piece of art and submit it by the 20th of April 2023. 

Hannah Bowdler, Fundraising Coordinator at Junction Arts said: “We believe that everyone should have access to art. The Chesterfield Postcard Shows not only provides a free exhibition of marvelous miniature artworks for local people to enjoy, but it also provides a unique opportunity for new artists to exhibit and showcase their talent. 

You can find out more information and download the submission forms from Junction Arts website.

Young Artist of the Year
Are you aged between 8 and 18? Do you enjoy getting creative and want an opportunity to show off your work? Then enter this year Derbyshire Young Artist of the Year award 2023 to be in with a chance of being crowned the winner for 2023.

All the rules about the competition and how to enter can be found in the link below.

This years brief is ‘Reduce, Recycle, Replace – How do you think we can make the world be more sustainable?’

Click here to find out more information about the Young Artist of the Year exhibition.

Shop with us…

There’s a range of cards and enamel pins available on our Etsy store!

Get your special person a quirky card and token gift, or pop into West Studios between 10am and 4pm Monday to Friday to browse the gallery-shop to find a wider range of cards and gifts.

Click here to visit our Etsy store.

Hire a space…

We have a range of rooms and hireable space to suit the needs of any type of booking. Whether you need a space suitable for standard meetings, theatre, sports, dance, drama, yoga, choir, or something else we have a space suitable for you!

HOST YOUR COMMUNITY GROUP HERE…

MEET WITH CLIENTS OR HOST A TEAM AWAY DAY…

A SPACE FOR CONFERENCES AND SHOWS…

GET YOUR AUDIO SORTED…

Updates from the tenants…

Dave Elsom of Sombrero Printmaking

As well as running group workshops, Dave Elsom, who is a tenant at West Studios, offers 1-1 lessons on various printmaking techniques. 1-1 sessions are £40 for 2.5 hours with all equipment and materials provided. Dave can be contacted via email at davidjelsom@hotmail.com. 

Pomegranate Youth Theatre & Gokkota Arts

The Pomegranate Youth Theatre offers weekly drama workshops that are available to all at a low cost. Formed in 2002, the fun workshops are for young people aged 7-18 years old. The weekly sessions teach all areas of stagecraft with professional facilitators which promote teamwork, social skills, emotional intelligence, creativity and confidence.

Gekkota Arts is a group of adults (18+) that provide a fast paced, improvised comedy performance, full of laughs and banter!

For more information about either group please contact Carole on 07932603525 or email pomytheatre@gmail.com.

Life Drawing with John King

A life drawing session with Chesterfield based artist John King.

To book onto these sessions please contact John directly by phone or email.

Junction Arts

Hosted at the stunning Museum of Making in Derby, the theme for the day is “Dive into Digital – hacking heritage with digital technologies’’. We will celebrate and showcase some exceptional creative heritage projects including This Girl Codes. Speakers include Josie Fraser, Head of Digital Policy at National Lottery Heritage Fund, Stephanie Walsh, lead coordinator for the spectacular Derbyshire focussed Shine a Light project and Eilish Clohessy-Dennis, Curator of Making at the Museum of Making.

Click here to find out more & book your place.

February Newsletter

Upcoming Exhibitions

Emerging Artists

West Studios’ Emerging Artist Exhibition is a showcase of up and coming artists from across the UK. The wide range of styles, themes, and mediums throughout the exhibition is a celebration of art in its many forms. The exhibition will be open for public viewing Monday to Friday, 10am until 4pm from Monday 6th – Friday 24th February 2023.

• Click here to find out more information & book on to our celebration evening.

DISORDER

DISORDER is an exhibition by Chesterfield based artist Dave Elsom of Sombrero Printmaking. The exhibition will be a showcase of printmaking, as well as other mediums Dave works in. This exhibition will support the Chesterfield College Food Pantry as well as the Trussell Trust (food banks).

The exhibition will be open to the public from Monday 6th March - Friday 24th March, between 10am and 4pm. On occasion part of the exhibition may be closed due to other events taking place in the centre.

Click here to find out more information about the DISORDER exhibition.

Women United

Women United is an exhibition by local artist Sue Dickins, who specialises in oil paintings.

The aim of the Women United exhibition is to showcase women from around the world, wearing traditional dress where possible.

The exhibition will be open to the public Monday - Friday between 10am and 4pm.

Monday 17th April - Friday 28th April. Open evening - Saturday 15th April, 6pm - 9pm.

Click here to find out more information about the Women United exhibition.

Young Artist of the Year

Are you aged between 8 and 18? Do you enjoy getting creative and want an opportunity to show off your work? Then enter this year Derbyshire Young Artist of the Year award 2023 to be in with a chance of being crowned the winner for 2023.

All the rules about the competition and how to enter can be found in the link below.

This years brief is ‘Reduce, Recycle, Replace – How do you think we can make the world be more sustainable?’

Click here to find out more information about the Young Artist of the Year exhibition.

Shows in the Theatre Studio

I would do anything for laughs… But I wont do that!

Join us for a night of comedy improv with a Valentines theme. "I Would Do Anything For Laughs... But I Wont do That!" is our upcoming comedy improv evening in the Studio Theatre with Gekkota Arts.

Tuesday 14th February, 7pm - 9.30pm. (Doors open from 6.45pm)
Standard entry is £6, concessionary tickets £4.

Click here to book your ticket.

STUNG

The story of WASPIs - Women Against State Pension Inequality. 

1950s-born women always thought they would retire with a state pension on their 60th birthday like generations of women before them - how wrong they were! The Government moved the goal posts - not once, but twice and these women have bore the brunt.

Saturday March 4th - 3.00pm and 7.00pm.

Sunday March 5th - 2.00pm.

General Admission - £8, Concessionary Tickets - £6

Find out more & book your ticket.

Shop…

There’s a range of cards and enamel pins available on our Etsy store! Get your special person a quirky card and token gift, or pop into West Studios between 10am and 4pm Monday to Friday to browse the gallery-shop to find a wider range of cards and gifts.

Click here to visit our Etsy store.

Rent A Space

We have a range of rooms and hireable space to suit the needs of any type of booking. Whether you need a space suitable for standard meetings, theatre, sports, dance, drama, yoga, choir, or something else we have a space suitable for you!

HOST YOUR COMMUNITY GROUP HERE…

MEET WITH CLIENTS OR HOST A TEAM AWAY DAY…

A SPACE FOR CONFERENCES AND SHOWS…

GET YOUR AUDIO SORTED…

Women United - an exhibition by Sue Dickins

I am a local Chesterfield artist who has returned to art after many years off following a career as a Police Constable then retiring to run a livery yard. I love figurative work and work in oils on stretched canvas in my little studio at home where I live with my son, Ben. 

Last year in August I held my first solo exhibition, This Woman’s Work at West Studios. I studied art at St Helena’s many years ago, just next door to the West Studios building, so felt that it was appropriate to have an exhibition here where it all began. I discovered whilst preparing for my initial exhibition that I had a passion for painting fabric and as I love figurative work I decided to combine the two; I came up with the idea for a follow on exhibition, Women United. Here I am portraying women from around the world wearing traditional dress where possible. I take my own photos and also work with live models.

West Studios is such a lovely warm, cheerful place that I asked if I could return. I was welcomed back and am exhibiting here again in April!

Click here to reserve your free space at the opening night.