Derby City Lab goes into extra time

Derby City Lab, a space created to engage, inform and inspire people about plans to shape the city going forward, is set to continue after Clowes Developments, which owns the building, agreed a lease extension.

The venue, based in St James Street, first opened its doors back in July last year.

It is based on the concept of ‘urban rooms’, which have appeared in various cities around the world to help local communities better understand the evolution of their place and engage them in shaping its future.

Since opening, Derby City Lab has played hosted a rolling programme of exhibitions focused on future pipeline projects and ideas, as well as events.

After its opening exhibition, which showcased plans by Down to Earth Derby for a nature-led regeneration of the city centre, the lab has hosted exhibitions by a range of organisations and businesses, including the University of Derby, Derby City Council and Culture Derby.

The lab has been made possible thanks to a partnership between Marketing Derby, the university, the city council, Lathams and Clowes Developments.

Amy Burton, inward investment executive at Marketing Derby and Derby City Lab lead, said: “We’re so thrilled to be able to continue the City Lab in its current home on St James’s Street in the heart of Derby city centre, to engage the people of Derby with its future.”

Kevin McFarlane, associate director at Clowes Developments, said: “As a long-standing landlord of properties in Derby city centre, we are pleased to be able to support the recent push to occupy empty premises by backing initiatives like this.”

Most recently, Derby City Lab played host to an exhibition as part of the FORMAT international photography festival.

Throughout the festival, the venue was occupied by The Sustainable Photobook (SPP) network – a group of photographers, publishers, academics and writers – to showcase environmentally conscious approaches to photobook publishing in printed form.

Derby City Lab is currently hosting an exhibition on Derby City Council’s Our City, Our River project.

For more details visit the Derby City Lab web page at Derby City Lab – Marketing Derby .