Gallery and Studios
Bringing Art to the Heart of South Derbyshire
Creative Melbourne Gallery & Studios are the home of Melbourne Festival
The Gallery opened in Spring 2022 to support regional artists as we emerged from the pandemic and many events were still cancelled. The Gallery features a collection of work created by Artists and Makers from the Midlands, many of whom have exhibited at Melbourne Festival. Our exhibitions change each month. All works are for sale.
The Gallery also has three studios for Resident Artists, “Spaces to Create”, a mentored creative space for emerging artists, and space for Creative Workshops which can also be hired for events.
We look forward to meeting you at Wellington House, Church Street, DE73 8EJ, just off Melbourne Market Place. The Gallery is open Wednesday - Saturday from 10am - 4pm
Drop into the new Exhibition at Creative Melbourne Gallery
PEOPLE & PLACES
Our current exhibition PEOPLE & PLACES features an extraordinary collection of original artwork - paintings, prints and mixed media works by an impressive line-up of artists, whose work includes a collection of stunning pieces created by Melbourne Festival Artists.
PEOPLE & PLACES opened on Wednesday 7th October with fresh look at the people and places around us.
The exhibition features two overlapping exhibitions sitting alongside each other in the Gallery.
PEOPLE features the work of three inspiring artist TRACEY COVERLY whose stitched portraits of celebrities and friends are guaranteed to draw you in, contemporary oil portraits by MATTHEW LYONS who may spot you as a muse for a future piece and PAUL & JASON SKELLETT, better known as STUDIO SKELLETT with their thought provoking ceramic sculptures.
On the other side of the gallery step into PLACES inspirational landscapes to step into. The exhibition includes collaged landscapes by GILES DAVIES, acrylic landscapes by STEVE MCLOUGHLIN and oil landscapes by PETER WATSON.
The exhibition is open until Saturday 8th November, when the Gallery becomes a hive of activity making the final preparations for GLISTEN as we tiptoe into the festive season.
In addition to our featured artists don’t miss the stunning work by our studio artists Sujata Aten, Michelle Holmes and Patrick Twiss-Prentice.
Open Wednesday - Saturday 10am to 4pm until 6th September
We look forward to seeing you at
Creative Melbourne, Church Street DE73 8EJ soon!
Creative Melbourne is at the top of Church Street, just off Melbourne Market Place so why not make a day of it - visit the gallery, the fabulous independent shops and cafes in the Market Place and pop down the hill to Melbourne Pool and see Melbourne Hall and the 900 year old Melbourne Parish Church, parking is free so no need to hurry home!
Artists’ Studios
Creative Melbourne opened in January 2022 as a Gallery with studio space for artists & makers and to create a hub for creative industries in South Derbyshire.
Our three Studio Artists, Sujata Aten, Michelle Holmes and Patrick Twiss-Prentice. are a key part of our creative community. Follow the links to their websites and check back soon to visit their mini-pages to find out more.
Gallery Workshops
Creative Melbourne aims to bring the best of the Creative and Performing Arts to Melbourne and South Derbyshire.
In addition to the professional artists exhibiting each year on the Melbourne Festival Art & Architecture Trail and in Creative Melbourne Gallery, we have a deep commitment to arranging Creative Workshops for adults, young people and children.
Community Workshops
It’s time to head out, catch up with old friends and make some new ones while enjoying making something special in FREE workshops led by some of MELBOURNE FESTIVAL’s favourite artists!
The FREE taster workshops are for everyone from under 5’s to under 95’s book a space and come and join in!
All materials are provided just book a space bring yourself!
In 2025 our Summer workshop programme focussed on ART ABOUT TOWN looking at Melbourne, our home. Our Autumn programme is inspired by THE BIG DRAW FESTIVAL we are focussing on Drawing Together taking inspiration from our family and friends.
Spaces to Create - Phase 2
Creative Melbourne Gallery and Studio launched Spaces to Create, a new mentored artist development programme, in October 2023 with the aim of promoting the creative industries in South Derbyshire by supporting creatives to become self-sustaining small businesses; phase 1 of the programme ended in May 2024. We have now launched Phase 2 Applications.
We are currently recruiting our next group of artists in April 2025; this opportunity is not solely for visual artists; our 2023/ 2024 artists included a poet, digital creative, and a photographer. Spaces to Create is open to creative people who can utilise the hotdesking space and benefit from supported development.
The six artists who participated in the Pilot Project took up hotdesking residence in our newly launched space above the Gallery.
Spaces to Create aims to promote the creative industries in South Derbyshire by supporting creatives in becoming self-sustaining small businesses. Please contact us at info@melbournefestival.co.uk if you would like to find out more!
This opportunity is not solely for visual artists, you could be a writer, digital creative, photographer, game designer or producer, we are open to creative people who can utilise the hotdesking space and benefit from supported development.
We would like to thank South Derbyshire District Council for their support for Spaces to Create.
Artists @ Creative Melbourne
Creative Melbourne is strongly committed to supporting artists. To find out more about Artists @ Creative Melbourne please follow the link below or contact us to join our mailing list for artists.
Join Our Team
The most important people in our organisation are our volunteers, the day to day operations of Creative Melbourne Gallery and Melbourne Festival are carried out by an AMAZING team of volunteers some of whom we have worked with since the first Festival in 2005.
If you would like to find out more about joining our team of volunteers please get in touch. We look forward to hearing from you!