Last week we paid a visit Derby’s Silk Mill Museum – the venue of the next Swop n Shop.
Community project director Hannah Fox was very kind to show us around. She gave us a fascinating insight into the exciting developments currently taking place in the museum and the grand plans they have for the future.
We were stunned by the versatility and potential of the space.
The old Industrial Museum within the Silk Mill was mothballed in April 2011 and is currently going through a redevelopment phase.
Derby is an epicentre of engineering, technological and creative excellence, with one in eight people being employed in high-tech functions. This is four times the national average.
The Silk Mill is set to become the sort of interactive discovery centre in which Derby’s unique industrial heritage is recognised and celebrated alongside its bustling present and bright future
Until then, though, we are genuinely proud and more than a little humbled to be given the opportunity to showcase the buzz of creativity once more in this awesome environment.
At the moment, the ground floor of the Silk Mill is playing host to “Hijacked III” – an excellent exhibition of contemporary photography from the UK and Australia. Set to haunting ambient music which lilts wonderfully through the air, this free exhibit demonstrates perfectly the potential the Silk Mill has for acting as a hub for all that is creative and forward-thinking in Derby.
Also, the Derby music and art collective Holy Smokes use the Silk Mill Industrial Museum as a venue for their monthly evenings of intrigue, innovation and edification. The next event takes place on March 30th and features music from Ben Butler & Mousepad and Grey Hairs, as well as spoken word performances from Éireann Lorsung and Nathan Good.
We wouldn’t miss it for the world, and neither should you.
To read more about the exciting developments occurring at the Silk Mill, click here to read FD2D’s excellent, insightful and optimistic article.
Swop n Shop 