Talking Business Live: Putting Derby and Derbyshire on the map

Marketing Derby Bondholders have been hearing how they can play a part in helping put Derby and Derbyshire on the map – whether it be through music, sport, leisure or culture.

At its latest Talking Business Live session, a panel of inspirational individuals, each one of them driven by a passion for the city and county, shared their vision for the city’s future as it looks to secure UK City of Culture status.

There are many organisations and individuals out there who are working tirelessly behind the scenes to put Derby and Derbyshire on the map.

They work to bring live music to the city, to create films centred around the city and county, they operate our major cultural attractions – and they even support local athletes who are competing in the Tokyo Olympics.

They are playing a key role in promoting Derby and Derbyshire to the rest of the region, nation and the world.

And at the Talking Business Live session, hosted by Marketing Derby managing director John Forkin, attendees were not only given an insight into their work – but also how they can get involved.

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The session opened with a presentation by Gez Addictive, from Alpha Pro Creative, which provides support services to the creative industries.

Alpha provides a range of accessible and inclusive creative facilities and workshops both at its premises and offsite at schools, festivals and other locations.

Gez explained that there was a wealth of talent coming through at grassroots level, some of which many people were not aware of.

He said: “Not everyone realises the scale of the grassroots scene. For example, we have some really exciting young bands coming through. Part of our work is also to go into schools and explain that the creative industries is a valid career.

“I’m really pleased that we are bidding for City of Culture, which I hope will shine a light on the talent we have, particularly at grassroots level.”

Next up was Derby actor, musician and film director David Chabeaux, who is the driving force behind a new international documentary film called Moz’s Band.

The film not only remembers the marching band movement in the East Midlands, which was initiated by his grandfather, but it also celebrates the sense of belonging the banding movement created.

David said: “Fundamentally, it is a film rooted in Derby – a film about Derby, made in Derby for the people of Derby.

“The film tells the story of the marching band movement – but also the sense of belonging it created before it died out.

“Marching bands are still popular in countries across the world, particularly in the US. The film looks at what it means to belong.”

It has been quite a summer of sport so far, with the Euros and most recently the Olympic Games.

Out of the 376 athletes Team GB took to Tokyo, 10 had received support from the Derbyshire Institute of Sport.

Chloe Maudsley, from Derbyshire Institute of Sport, told the session: “Our aim is to develop, inspire and support champions – and to make Derbyshire proud.

“But it’s not just about creating Olympians and world-class athletes – it is also about how sport can help create skills for life and future careers.

“We would not be able to do what we do without the support of businesses, who in exchange for sponsorship, benefit from our range of health and wellbeing services.”

Mike Wingfield, from Derby and Sandiacre Canal Trust, wants to put Derby on the map by utilising its waterways.

It will begin with the launch of riverboat trips on the River Derwent – but the trust’s vision extends much further than that.

Mike said: “Our plan is not just to restore the canal into Derby – we want to play a part in making the city a major tourist attraction.

“The riverboat is just the start – we want to do much bigger things that will attract larger volumes of tourists, such as the Derby Arm and Derby Triangle Waterfront.”

Finally, Adam Buss, chief executive of QUAD, who this week was announced as the bid director for Derby’s UK City of Culture 2025 bid, addressed the session.

He said: “You could say that UK City of Culture is the Olympics of our industry – it is very much about putting Derby on the map.

“But it is not a beauty pageant – it is aimed at cities where a step change can be achieved.

“So, it is about recognising our flaws, shining a light on them and looking at how culture can help bridge the massive differences between our communities.

“It is a tough competition – around 15 locations are bidding, some of whom have been working on their bid for three years, whereas we had three weeks.

“But Derby is a city where we work well together. We are almost unique in that respect. And we have had incredible support so far.”

To watch the discussion in full please click here.