Our Great Place Scheme
The Derwent Valley Mills Great Place Scheme was a programme of activities designed to engage people with the uniqueness of our Great Place.
We were proud to have been awarded this funding as one of 16 Great Place Schemes in England. Great Place was a pilot scheme which was a partnership between the National Lottery Heritage Fund, Arts Council England and supported by Historic England.
The programme used the Derwent Valley Mills’ industrial heritage and spirit of innovation and making to inspire creative activities, enabling people to connect and communicate with the culture and heritage at the heart of this historically significant place.
A key element of the programme was also to persuade local councils, civic organisations and businesses to invest in and put culture at the heart of their thinking.
We will celebrate the successful work of the Derwent Valley Mills World Heritage Site Partnership since inscription on the UNESCO World Heritage List in December 2001. We will champion its place as the only World Heritage Site in the East Midlands.
Our Vision Statement
By 2020, arts, culture and heritage will be central in shaping the social, capital and economic future of the Derwent Valley Mills World Heritage Site and will inspire and enable people to have a sense of pride in and belonging to it.
By working together we can:
- Encourage people to explore the Derwent Valley Mills World Heritage Site by using arts and culture to investigate, listen, explain and inspire
- Build an understanding of a broader range of connections to and interests in our heritage to reflect the past, present and future of our landscape, buildings and communities
- Enable local organisations to work with artists, students, university researchers and community groups to explore the connections between people, our heritage buildings, social change and the rural landscape
- Be a great example for the 16 Great Place pilot schemes in England.
We are working with many organisations within the Derwent Valley. Our work is guided and supported by:
- Accessible Derbyshire
- Amber Valley Borough Council
- Arts Derbyshire
- D2N2
- Darley Abbey Mills
- Derby City Council
- Derbyshire County Council
- Derbyshire Dales District Council
- Derby Museums
- Marketing Peak District and Derbyshire
- New Art Exchange, Nottingham
- John Smedley Ltd
- The Arkwright Society
- Quad, Derby
- University of Derby
- University of Nottingham
Find out more about the individual projects here.
Great Place Projects
There are 20 projects which are building the work already achieved by the Derwent Valley Mills World Heritage Site Partnership since inscription by UNESCO in 2001. Working in partnership is central to the delivery of these projects and the co-ordination team is working with a range of organisations based in Derbyshire and beyond to ensure […]
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Creative Focus
A number of our projects had a creative thread and were designed to bring the World Heritage Site alive through arts. We aimed to inspire artists and makers who live and work in the World Heritage Site, supporting existing and fostering new relationships into the future, along with sparking new ideas for local heritage organisations. […]
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Business Focus
The Derwent Valley Mills World Heritage Site Great Place Scheme has a focus on supporting our local businesses as they are an essential part of our communities. The World Heritage Site has been working with businesses and organisations located here since inscription in 2001. This work was augmented with the Great Place Scheme, which expanded the successful […]
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Great Place Schemes
The investment received by the Derwent Valley Mills World Heritage Site is part of the Great Place Scheme. There are 16 pilot projects throughout England to ensure that investment in arts and culture also has the biggest possible impact on local economies, jobs, education, community cohesion and health and wellbeing. Great Place Schemes will enable […]
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Our Outcomes
World Heritage Sites are places of Outstanding Universal Value to Humanity. The World Heritage Site list is not a list of all properties of great interest, importance or value, but only a select list of the most outstanding of these from an international viewpoint. Our Great Place Scheme will support and enhance understanding of the […]
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Great Place Outcomes
The 16 Great Place Schemes across England are working towards the following outcomes: With the investment of Heritage Lottery Fund and Arts Council England: Everyone has the opportunity to experience and be inspired by arts, culture and heritage Your local area and community will be a better place to live or visit Your local economy […]
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