Residents in Alfreton and across the Amber Valley are being invited to help create of a giant community art installation.
The ‘People Make Amber Valley’ creation is set to be part of Amber Valley Borough Council’s 50th anniversary year celebrations.
Workshops are taking place across the borough – including at Alfreton Library – where residents are invited to join in on its creation.
A spokesman for the borough council said: “The community of Amber Valley is invited to join in and make their mark as events celebrating 50 years of Amber Valley Borough Council get underway.
“Furthest from the Sea Music, Comedy & Arts’ are heading up the creation of a giant community art installation, which will be unveiled to the public on Saturday, April 6, as part of The Making of Amber Valley event on Ripley Market Place.
“Leading the creative team for Furthest from the Sea is Ambergate-based artist Lise Bennett, who has set herself the challenge of fashioning a 2m2 representation of Amber Valley’s geography and landscape out of chicken wire.
“This centre-piece will be populated by individual figurines, crafted by the community from some of the materials which draw on the borough’s rich industrial heritage.
“Wire, clay, wood and fabric will be used in a series of workshops, and the ‘people’ created by school children, care-home residents and the general public will be added to the piece, titled ‘People Make Amber Valley.”

Artist Lise further explained: “There’s so much to celebrate about this wonderful corner of Derbyshire, but most important of all are the people who live and work in our towns and villages. It’s great to be part of something which brings together so many different individuals. Together we can reflect the joy of diversity, and the beauty of community.”
‘People Make Amber Valley’ is supported by We are Make/Shift and funded through Arts Council England’s Creative People and Places programme.
Workshop sessions are open to the general public and are running at Alfreton Library on Saturday, March 30, and on Ripley Market Place on Saturday, April 6.
Both sessions are free and everyone is invited to drop in to either session between 10am and 2pm.
‘People Make Amber Valley’ will be on display in Ripley Old Town Hall, adjacent to the Market Place, on Saturday, April 6, from 10am until 2pm, and thereafter will welcome visitors in the entrance hall of Amber Valley Borough Council’s offices.

To keep up to date with Amber Valley Borough Council’s 50th anniversary year celebrations go to here

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