Derby Festé Reimagined as Derby Well
September 26 - September 27
Derby Festé has traditionally involved a weekend of the best outdoor entertainment from some of the top performing companies around Europe. The plan was to hold this event in September, however, due to the government’s COVID-19 guidance, organisers Déda have decided to reinvent Derby Festé for 2020 as Derby Well.
Derby Well
From 26 September, the newly conceived Derby Well will include a city-wide arts trail. The programme aims to support artists without work, and encourage people into the Derby city centre in a safe way, as well as contributing to the helath of the city’s communities.
Déda is working with other cultural bodies on how to deliver the Derby Well. A trail will include installations that embrace created by individuals to express their lockdown experience.
It is hoped that Derby Well will aid theboth the econimc and socio-cultural redevelopment of the city with a series of events starting in September.
The programme for Derby Well will start with installations in hommage of the county’s Well Dressing festivals fthat date back to the 14th century.
Déda director, Steve Slater said, “Since 2007, Derby Festé has existed to bring surprise, enlightenment, entertainment and amusement to local communities and visitors alike. We obviously have to think differently this year and the idea behind Festé/Derby Well is to create a series of events that will celebrate our city and reunite our communities.
“The idea was originally born from a conversation about traditional Derbyshire Well Dressing festivals and our goal is for this to be the launch of the long-term programme which is very appropriate considering the county’s links to the Plague all those centuries ago.
“This will be the perfect way to proclaim the city’s strength and ability to overcome the pandemic with care and kindness, humanity, creativity and love.”
For more ideas of what to do when in Derby, read, Things to Do in Derby: from Pubs to Suffragettes.
Derby Rises
During the Festé weekend of 26 and 27 September, the Derby Creative Arts Network will launch Derby Rises, a project that will unite communities across the city to rejoice at lockdown easing, and to express their future hopes and ambitions for the city.
To learn more about Derby Festé
Click here.
For tourist information on things to do in Derby
Visit: www.visitderby.co.uk.
Images provided by organisers to reflect what the installations could look like.
