New chair to help drive city’s cultural offer

A partnership that was originally developed to deliver Derby’s 2025 UK City of Culture bid has appointed an executive at Rolls-Royce as its inaugural chairman.

Mark Gregory, who is a member of the executive team at the engineering giant, has agreed to take on the role of interim chair at Culture Derby to help steer the organisation through the next phase of its development.

Culture Derby helped the city reach the last eight of the UK City of Culture competition.

Now, it looking to become a key organisation in the development of Derby as a cultural city.

Short term priorities include increasing the number of creative organisations in the city centre, commission a range of cultural ‘disruptions’ that inspire more people to visit Derby and develop new policy and procedural plans for cultural and creative organisations.

Long term the organisation will increase resources for cultural activity, lead on funding bids and continue Derby’s journey to bid for UK City of Culture 2029.

Mark said: “I’m proud to take on this leadership role in organisation I believe could have a ‘game changing’ effect on Derby.

“I have seen through my own life and my role as chair of QUAD, the impact arts and creativity can have on individuals and businesses.

“Culture Derby will work in the gaps to ensure the cultural and creative life of Derby is one to be proud of.

“Derby has a lot to be proud of already with some fantastic arts and heritage organisations and events.

“However, we all realise there is more to do and leadership in the form of Culture Derby is crucial if we want to take the next steps and make Derby a creative and cultural destination or powerhouse.”

To date, Culture Derby has been developing an overall Cultural Manifesto, designing a ‘Cultural Compact’ with stakeholders and led on a successful funding bid as part of the East Midlands Creative Consortium.

This work has been supported via funding from Derby City Council, the Department of Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) and Arts Council England.

Adam Buss, Derby’s bid director for UK City of Culture 2025 said: “Myself and Mike Brown (arts manager at Derby City Council) have been working behind the scenes since the end of our UK City of Culture 2025 journey.

“This is to ensure the energy and ideas that were generated do not go to waste and indeed are a catalyst for cultural and creative growth in the city.

“We are ambitious and the appointment of Mark is a sign of this ambition, our plans are for and by the city of Derby and its residents and it is crucial we all play a part.

“We truly believe this can be the start of a cultural renaissance in Derby.”