Castle Park Arts Centre

06/06/2026

It was a sad day yesterday when Denby Pottery fired it's final pieces in the kiln, following going into administration back in March. They have been manufacturing ceramics in Derbyshire since 1809 and have had success world-wide. The cost of everything rising is hitting our home grown craft industries hard, and none more so than ones that require energy intensive processes like firing.

They are supporting a petition to ask the government to support the British ceramics industry with ever-increasing energy costs and help prevent further damage to our own craft economies. Please sign the petition and share to your family and friends to ensure we are protecting these skills and livelihoods.

https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/764785

And if you find yourself over in Derbyshire, pop into the Denby Pottery Village and check our their shop and cafe!

06/06/2026

It was a sad day yesterday when Denby Pottery fired it's final pieces in the kiln, after going into administration back in March. They have been manufacturing ceramics in Derbyshire since 1809 and have had success world-wide. The cost of everything rising is hitting our home grown craft industries hard, and none more so than ones that require energy intensive processes like firing.

They are supporting a petition to ask the government to support the British ceramics industry with ever-increasing energy costs and help prevent further damage to our own craft economies. Please sign the petition and share with your family and friends to ensure we are protecting these skills and livelihoods.

https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/764785

And if you find yourself over in Derbyshire, pop into the Denby Pottery Village and check our their shop and cafe!

Apply energy intensive industry relief (Supercharger scheme) to the ceramics industry to help cut soaring industrial energy costs & support ceramics businesses, which are at the risk of imminent collapse without urgent intervention, as seen with Denby Pottery registering for administration support.

05/06/2026

We have a great FREE talk about Street Photography coming up on Friday 19th June (1pm to 2pm). Robert Alexander (who is currently exhibiting in The Link Gallery) will talk about his exciting style of street photography. No need to book - just turn up and enjoy :-)

05/06/2026

A very exciting workshop for this coming Saturday afternoon (6th of June) - come and paint a beautiful picture on slate, with Lynsey Tyson. You can either have a go at a Kingfisher, or you can fetch a reference photo of your own, maybe a bird or a landscape or an animal, or even a pet that is dear to you.

Lynsey has pioneered her own methods of painting on re purposed pieces of slate, using a mixture of oil and acrylic paints. Each piece of slate is unique in its shape, texture and the way it will behave when paints are applied. This means that each painting is a little bit of a creative "mystery tour" and that even the same artist would never create two identical works on slates.

This greatly adds to the fun of the creative process, and letting go of that control often makes for much more exciting and individual paintings than you'd normally anticipate.

For more info and to book a place, please contact Lynsey on 07761 445186 or email her on [email protected]

04/06/2026

Proving extremely popular, with the June dates fully booked, Dee and Michelle will also be running Cyanotype workshops in July too. These July workshops will include using cyanotype on fabric as well as paper.

If you fancy this workshop - please email [email protected]

And if you fancy seeing Dee & Michelle's own work - they currently have an exhibition on display in the Foyer :-)

04/06/2026

We have a treat in store... especially for those of you that couldn't come to Denis' talk earlier this year... Denis is coming in, a week on Saturday, (13th June) at 1pm, with his replica Van Gogh paintings, to give a presentation and to chat/discuss all things Van Gogh.
Many of you asked for a Saturday session, and so here it is :-)

04/06/2026

Have you bought your tickets for our 2026 Summer Sizzler yet?
Saturday 18th July - Gates open at 5.30pm... be there or be square!

Come and join us for an evening of fabulous live music, a courtyard quiz, and a delicious Hog Roast!

03/06/2026

Following such great feedback on Lynsey's last Oil Painting Workshop - she is running another, a week on Friday (12th June), from 2pm to 6pm. You have a choice, to either paint a highland cow, or to bring a reference picture of your own. Either way, Lynsey will share tips and tricks and will guide you as much or as little as you need her to.

To book a place or for more information, please contact Lynsey on 07761 445186 or via email at [email protected].

03/06/2026

We have two new 6-week courses starting this week with 'Tracy Lemal Art' in the courtyard. Check out the posters for the different time slots available.

If you want to book a place, please go to www.tracylemalart.com

£125 pp (all materials included)

Beginners welcome!