Ashfield Creates is bringing bold, new and exciting creativity to every corner of the district, and 2025 was just the beginning!
As we reflect on the past year, it’s clear that Ashfield Creates has grown into something truly special. What began as an ambition to bring more arts and creative activity into the Ashfield District has developed into a vibrant programme of events, networks and Community Commissions. Together, these have reached people in every corner of Ashfield, placing creativity firmly at the heart of our communities and unlocking exciting ways for everyone who lives, works or studies here to get involved in inspiring arts and creative experiences.
In March 2025, Ashfield District Council, alongside the Ashfield Arts Partnership, made the exciting announcement of the appointment of Nonsuch Studios as Programme Managers and Producers for Ashfield Creates. Nonsuch Studios brought together an incredible team of project staff to lead and deliver the programme, and here’s what we’ve been up to so far.
Local Stories MATTER
This year saw standout events that brought people together in powerful ways, most notably sixTEEN, with sold-out performances across the board. We were overwhelmed by the response to sixTEEN by Lisa McKenzie and Jayne WIlliams, presented by New Perspectives, as we delivered our first-ever Ashfield-wide tour. In September, the show visited Teversal, Selston, Hucknall and Sutton, selling out in record time and prompting an additional performance.
The tour attracted over 300 audience members from across the district and left us feeling inspired by the appetite for bold, locally relevant stories.
This powerful and deeply personal play tells Lisa’s and Jayne’s stories during the 1984 Miners’ Strike; a raw and unflinching coming-of-age story about working-class teenage girls and women finding their voices, fighting back and rewriting the rules.
Jayne Williams, New Perspectives Participation Director commended:
‘’We all felt so well looked after by Ashfield Creates, the whole team, the engine, the individuals. To have our team be treated with the highest respect when we’re sharing a type of theatre that usually gains the least respect in our industry, has been gratefully received and gladly refreshing. Every single green T Shirt wearer, whether they were freelance or part of the Nonsuch team, arrived with professionalism yet also interest and intrigue, they leaned in, laughed and cried along with the audiences and made sure to tell us at the end of how much they had personally enjoyed it. This makes a huge difference – thank you!’’
A Circus of Curious Machines visited Cornerstone Theatre, Sutton in Ashfield
During October half term, we partnered with Makers of the Imaginary Worlds to bring the whimsically wonderful Thingamabobas to Cornerstone Theatre; a playful, sensory experience designed for the whole family.
Audiences were invited to meet and interact with a curious circus troupe of bizarrely brilliant machines, created to inspire, delight and intrigue. Makers of the Imaginary Worlds also teamed up with Cobot Maker Space Mixed Reality Lab to introduce their newest robot creation, The Ring Master, which visitors had the chance to meet up close.
Across the half-term weekend, we welcomed over 200 visitors to Cornerstone Theatre, with the Saturday Build-a-Bot session selling out and welcoming 40 participants to create and build their very own mini robot.
Supporting Local Artists, Makers, Communities and Organisations
Supporting and investing in local creativity has been at the core of Ashfield Creates this year. We opened two rounds of Community Commissions; small pots of funding for local artists, organisations and community groups to put on creative, art-filled events for their communities.
In Round 1 we supported eight community commissions, resulting in a programme of brilliant local events led by artists, organisations and community groups, engaging over 200 people. We’ve recently selected our Round 2 commissioners, with exciting events and activities set to take place in early 2026. With 10 rounds of commissions planned in total through to Autumn 2027, there will be many more opportunities to get involved. Round 3 launches in early 2026, so be sure to sign up to our newsletter to be the first to hear when applications open.
Creativity in every corner through Regular Activity and Local Creative Networks
Alongside our larger events and Community Commissions, Ashfield Creates has been busy testing, learning and growing through a programme of regular activity, with even more to come as we head into 2026. So far, we have worked with and supported amazing local creatives and community groups to run workshops in their own neighbourhoods and together we have delivered 12 events, engaging over 300 people from across the district. These activities have helped us explore what kinds of creative experiences Ashfield communities love most, shaping the future direction of the programme.
At the same time, we launched our Local Creative Networks, bringing together local organisers, artists and community leaders for our first sessions in all four corners of Ashfield. The response confirmed a real appetite for connection, collaboration and the kinds of creative opportunities Ashfield Creates exists to support and the energy in the room reflected genuine excitement for what’s coming next.
As we look ahead to 2026, we’re planning an expanded programme of regular activity, deeper community partnerships and more opportunities for local creatives to get involved, and we want your ideas to help shape it. So if you have a suggestion, an idea, or want to be part of Ashfield Creates, we’d love to hear from you! Whether you’re an artist, organiser, community group or resident, sign up to our newsletter and drop us a line at hello@ashfieldcreates.co.uk and tell us about what you’d like to do!
To round things off, we were delighted to welcome Arts Council England’s Area Leadership Group, alongside James Graham, for a sneak peek at what we’re laying the foundations for through Ashfield Creates. The visit offered an opportunity to share our journey so far and introduce the ambition shaping the programme’s future.
To showcase the activity developed to date, we heard from three brilliant local artists and projects connected through our extensive community engagement work: Meloni Poole, who shared BACKBONE, her digital mining heritage project coming in 2026; Kalaa Kerala South Indian Arts & Sports Community Organisation, celebrating cultural connection and creativity; and New Perspectives, who offered a work-in-progress glimpse into sixTEEN.
It’s been a remarkable year. Across nearly 40 events, large and small, we’ve engaged 1,500+ people with £7500 directly invested into local creatives and organisations through the Community Commissions.
Looking ahead, 2026 is set to see Ashfield bloom, with more programmed workshops, new rounds of commissions, deeper conversations and even more opportunities for communities and creatives to get involved.To everyone who has supported, engaged, questioned, liked, shared, drawn, shaped, moved, made and dreamed with Ashfield Creates in 2025 – THANK YOU!
