Innovate Magazine puts culture centre stage

In the latest edition of Marketing Derby’s Innovate Magazine launched this week, we look at some of the major projects which are set to take Derby’s cultural offer to the next level.

Around £100 million is being spent on schemes designed to increase footfall and add vibrancy, particularly in the city centre.

For decades now, Derby Theatre has been providing cultural enrichment, not just to those who walk through its doors, but in the wider community.

Recently, it received £10 million from the Levelling Up Fund to enhance its facilities – but the theatre’s ambitions go further than that.

Innovate sits down with artistic director Sarah Brigham, creative learning director Caroline Barth and executive director Iain Hayes, to find out more about their vision for the much-loved venue.

A new venue that is rapidly rising out of the ground is the Becketwell Performance Venue.

With a 3,500-capacity, this new development, which will be operated by ASM Global, will be a real game-changer for Derby when it opens its doors next year.

The building is being constructed by Bowmer + Kirkland, a company that has a proven track record of delivering quality developments in Derby, such as Derby Arena and the Moorways Sports Village.

It is also a firm with a long and distinguished history, as Innovate discovers.

A building in Derby city centre which also has a long and distinguished history is the Market Hall.

Currently, this beautiful landmark building is undergoing a multi-million-pound revamp – and is due to reopen next year as a key leisure destination.

It is being reimagined by a company called Hemingway Design, which has been brought in by Derby City Council to provide creative direction for its transformation.

Innovate catches up with Wayne Hemingway, from Hemingway Design, to talk about the vision for the Market Hall.

Derby Theatre, the Becketwell Performance Venue and the Market Hall all share a common theme – offering culture as a means to attract people to the city centre.

And in the latest Talking Business roundtable discussion, a panel consisting of representatives from cultural organisations, come together to discuss how culture can drive regeneration and play a key role in Derby’s revival.

Elsewhere in this edition, we meet Steve Carlier, president of Rolls-Royce Submarines, who talks about the massive investment being made in the firm’s Rayneseway site, which produces power plants for nuclear submarines.

The investment has been prompted by the AUKUS deal, which will provide new fleets for the UK and Australia.

Innovate also speaks to Andrew Storer, from Nuclear AMRC, who explains why our region is well placed to benefit from huge investment in this sector.

We interview Pauline Latham, MP for Mid-Derbyshire, who is retiring after a lengthy career in politics.

After 37 years, during which she changed legislation and passionately campaigned on issues both home and abroad, Pauline has decided not to stand at the next General Election.

In her interview, she reflects on both the highs and lows of a life in politics.

And we meet the team at law firm Smith Partnership, who explain their strong bond with the city and their commitment to helping improve Derby’s fortunes.

Finally, in his latest Innovate column, John Forkin, managing director of Marketing Derby, looks ahead to 2025 – and asks whether it really could be Derby’s ‘olympic year’.

A digital version of the latest edition of Innovate magazine is now available on the Marketing Derby website at https://heyzine.com/flip-book/fbdb70bd48.html

To find out more about advertising opportunities in future editions of Innovate Magazine e-mail Andrew Lowe at andrew.lowe@marketingderby.co.uk.