Junction Arts

Junction Arts: Connecting, Inspiring and transforming creative communities since 1976.

Junction Arts brings people together through creativity, improving well-being, inspiring change, and strengthening communities. Our festivals, workshops, and events provide opportunities for people of all ages to be creative, learn new skills, and connect with others. Established in 1976, we have led rural participatory arts for over 45 years, believing passionately in the power of the arts to transform lives.

Our flagship festivals, including the Bolsover Lantern Parade, Tapton Lock Festival, Bright Winter Nights, and Chesterfield Children’s Festival, celebrate creativity, culture, and place. We are also leading two festival hubs for a countywide collaboration Derbyshire Makes. These large-scale, inclusive events bring thousands of people together each year, fostering local pride and ensuring that the arts are accessible to all.

We co-create projects with local people, ensuring a long-lasting impact. Working with both established and emerging artists, we make the arts accessible to communities facing economic challenges, using creativity to tackle social isolation and build stronger, more resilient communities.

Our success is rooted in partnerships. We engage underserved communities, demonstrating how creativity can be transformative. We also collaborate with heritage sites, regional arts centres, and health groups to expand our impact.

Background

Junction Arts has served the communities of rural, ex-industrial North East Derbyshire for over 45 years. Established in Bolsover District—an area with little cultural infrastructure—we have enabled thousands to engage in the arts.

We are a Company Limited by Guarantee and a registered charity. Our administrative base is in Chesterfield, Derbyshire, but all projects and events take place in communities. As an Arts Council England National Portfolio Organisation (NPO), we receive funding from Arts Council England and Bolsover District Council, alongside strong partnerships with local agencies and organisations.

Our work is delivered by a core team of twelve staff, supported by freelance artists, consultants, and volunteers.

History

Junction Arts emerged from the UK’s pioneering Community Arts movement in the 1970s. Originally a South Normanton community arts project, we became a registered charity in 1984 as “Junction 28,” before evolving into Junction Arts in the mid-1990s.

Key milestones include:

• The Bolsover Lantern Parade, now in its 30th year.
• Nationally significant projects such as Take Me With You and Combine: Farming Heritage | East Midlands.
• Expansion to international projects, including work in Brazil through the British Council DICE programme and collaborations with the International Community Arts Festival (ICAF).

As we approach our 50th year, we reflect on our impact and future challenges, including rising costs of living and increased community needs. We remain committed to using the arts as a tool for well-being, resilience, and positive change.

For more information, visit www.junctionarts.org