Make Works Derby and Derbyshire

Our Make Works story so far: a testimonial from a Make Works region

By Laura Dudley and Hannah Fox

Make Works Derby and Derbyshire is co-ordinated by Derby Museums as part of the delivery programme for the Museum of Making at Derby Silk Mill. Our model of Make Works was created in November 2017 and is designed with the ethos of co-production, working in collaboration with professional film-maker Andy Taylor-Smith alongside staff and students at University of Derby and Derby College. Make Works has three primary functions at Derby Museums, these are:

1. To provide a volunteer training programme, working with students to utilise the processes of being listed on Make Works. This offers valuable professional experience and introduces students to the breadth of making happening in their region.

2. To contribute to a growing database of ‘makers’ working in our region, of all disciplines and scales, who offer a bespoke service.

3. To highlight and tell the continued story of making that started with the Silk Mill as the site of the world’s first factory and continues today.

The three key benefits we see of working in this way with Make Works are:

1. Volunteer co-produced.

When creating new listings, we go through the processes of recruiting volunteers, running an intensive and thoughtful training programme at Derby Museum and Art Gallery, site visits, post-production and evaluation. These are all done with volunteers, collecting feedback and responding to this throughout to enhance our programme for mutual benifit.

2. Database of Makers.

In developing this public database, we are expanding understanding of the full breadth of making in our region. Make Works allows us to meet the people behind a company and showcase them proactively.

3. Ongoing story of Making.

By working with the team at Make Works Scotland we have played a role in developing the taxonomies which tailor search results on the site. A selection of these are now being applied to the Museum of Making at Derby Silk Mill, where Derby Museums’ Make Works films will represent part of the contemporary manufacturing landscape in this region.

@MuseumofMaking #makeworksderby