Chatsworth has announced the return of its annual festival Art Out Loud, which will see leading lights of the art world talk about their work, inspirations, and current discussions around art this September.

The first five speakers confirmed for a second stimulating programme include:-

• Director of Manchester’s recently refurbished Whitworth Art Gallery Maria Balshaw, who will challenge pre-conceptions about running a northern cultural powerhouse in her talk, ‘Not so Grim Up North’;
• Dan Pearson, who will discuss the art of landscape and garden design in his session, entitled ‘Painting with Plants’;
• Author Peter Frankopan, who will talk about his book The Silk Roads: A New History of the World, examining how the East has influenced Western art and culture over the centuries;
• Julia Peyton-Jones, who will soon be stepping down as director of the Serpentine Gallery and she will provide a retrospective of her 25 years in charge of the cultural institution;
• Artist and author Edmund de Waal, who will share an account of his pilgrimage to the three most important sites in the history of porcelain – China, Dresden and Cornwall – as detailed in his book The White Road.

This year’s festival features new educational elements with local schools being invited to join a design workshop at Chatsworth and to attend a talk hosted by a top British artist and one of the country’s leading museum directors. Other family friendly events are planned for the weekend.

Local collective Peak District Artisans will also hold a selling exhibition as part of the festival, with 30 members selected to exhibit work that complements the themes discussed at Art Out Loud. The eye-catching pieces and live artisanal demonstrations will cover a range of disciplines from watercolours to wrought iron, and pencil drawings to porcelain. The exhibition at Chatsworth marks a fitting way for Peak District Artisans to celebrate its 25th anniversary this year, having been established by Deborah Devonshire in 1991.

Tickets for Art Out Loud will be available from early June when the full programme will also be announced. Day Passes will be introduced for Saturday and Sunday, allowing visitors to attend multiple talks of their choice each day with the advance purchase of just one ticket.

All Art Out Loud ticket holders will have access to the Chatsworth garden, Sotheby’s Beyond Limits monumental sculpture exhibition and the Peak District Artisans exhibition.

Other arts-related exhibitions running in conjunction with Art Out Loud at Chatsworth are the photographic exhibition ‘Never a Bore: Deborah Devonshire and Her Set by Cecil Beaton’, and the ‘Grand Tour’ exhibition, part of a celebration of Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire’s cultural history and landscape, in conjunction with Nottingham Contemporary, the Harley Gallery and Derby Museums.

(Image: Clockwise from top left: Speaker Edmund de Waal; Chatsworth, the stunning venue for the Art Out Loud Festival;
Speakers Maria Balshaw; Peter Frankopan; Dan Pearson; Julia Peyton-Jones.)

Spireites player and PFA chairman Ritchie Humphreys visited Hardwick Hall on Thursday evening to light a beacon in celebration of the Queen’s 90th birthday.

It was one of many similar events across the county, all marking the landmark birthday of the sovereign, with Humphreys reading out a proclamation from Prince Charles before lighting the beacon.

“I was delighted to do it,” commented Humphreys. “There were approximately 900 beacons being lit around the Commonwealth to mark the Queen’s birthday. I’m very proud and very honoured to represent the football club and the PFA.

“It’s been a fantastic turnout, with lots of people coming out. There was a band playing in the background on a beautiful evening, so I think it all went quite well.

“The community work that goes on around the country is, from a footballer’s point of view, outstanding. We’ve had 50,000 community visits this year around the country.”

Two of Britain’s most iconic and historic names have joined together at Chatsworth’s new restaurant to serve afternoon tea in famous Wedgwood china.

Named after the 2nd Duke of Devonshire’s legendary racehorse and located in the Stable Block, Flying Childers was opened on Tuesday 19 April by the current Duke and Duchess of Devonshire who took afternoon tea with Antony Robson and Heather Broadhurst from Wedgwood, the internationally renowned Staffordshire pottery firm.

The restaurant only serves afternoon tea and is open on Saturdays, Sundays, all bank holidays and every day during school holidays. The menu includes a selection of finger sandwiches, tea and scones and a glass of Laurent-Perrier Cuvée Rosé Champagne with a traditional Rose de Reims biscuit. All food and drink is served on Wedgwood’s Butterfly Bloom Collection, which features intricate patterns of graceful butterflies and colourful florals with each piece gilded with gold banding.

The Duke of Devonshire: “We are delighted that all of the tea ware and tea in our Flying Childers Restaurant has been provided in partnership with Wedgwood. Josiah Wedgwood began designing tea ware collections in response to the fashion for drinking tea, which flourished from the mid-18th century and which we’re delighted to continue that tradition here at Chatsworth in the present day.”

Sally Warmington, Marketing Manager, Wedgwood: “We are delighted to be embarking on our first collaboration with Chatsworth House. With Wedgwood being synonymous with tea drinking it fits that the Wedgwood Afternoon Tea is part of the launch of the Flying Childers Afternoon Tea Restaurant. This partnership offers us the perfect opportunity to encourage people to discover our delicious tea blends as well as showcase our beautiful designs such as Butterfly Bloom and Daisy which have been selected to complement the delicious afternoon tea experience at Chatsworth.”

Flying Childers began his racing career in 1719 at the age of six and over the following two years, racing at Newmarket and York, ran in a total of six races winning them all before being put out to stud. Such was Flying Childers reputation, the Duke received many offers including one to pay for the horse’s weight in gold!

The Spireites are offering all 2016/17 season ticket holders a free day of explosive Twenty20 cricket action at picturesque Queen’s Park this summer.

To reward season ticket holders, the club, in partnership with Derbyshire County Cricket Club, is giving away 500 pairs of tickets to the NatWest T20 Blast fixture versus Northants Steelbacks on Sunday, July 3 at Queen’s Park in Chesterfield.

To claim a pair of tickets, season ticket holders are asked to visit cricket.derbyshireccc.com/CFC and complete the online form. Tickets will be sent out in the post prior to the fixture.

Supporters who attend the fixture are encouraged to wear their Chesterfield FC shirts to turn Queen’s Park blue and show support for the local county cricket club.

For more information please contract info@derbyshireccc.com or call 01332 388 101.