Welcome to the new Melbourne Festival website.

Melbourne Festival is the highlight of South Derbyshire’s cultural calendar. Each September Melbourne comes alive as a hub for the creative and performing arts, now into its eighth year the Festival is eagerly awaited by local people and visitors from far afield. For two weeks people pour in to take advantage of the programme taking place in this gem of a town hidden away between Derby, Nottingham and Leicester.

The dates for the 2012 Melbourne Festival Art and Architecture Trail will be Saturday 15th and Sunday 16th September. The call for artists is posted on our artists page – lots of entries coming in, closing date 31st March so don’t miss out! We are breaking with our tradition this year and the Melbourne Festival Concerts and Performances will start from 15th September (The Art and Architecture Trail weekend) and continue for two weeks until 29th September.

Other plans for this year include Concerts and Performances and Events throughout the year – including Ten Poems about Mothers on Wednesday 14th March (a pre- Mothers Day treat for all Mums and people who have had one!) and Melbourne Festival Funhouse Comedy Nights on Friday 20th April. More creative workshops are planned along with workshops for children, young people and the elderly.

We will keep you up to date with our plans as they progress so keep checking out this website and facebook page.

2011 was the best ever for Melbourne Festival!

The programme of Concerts and Performances exceeded expectations and were packed with appreciative audiences.

The Melbourne Festival Art and Architecture Trail went by in a blur of colour, excitement and streets packed with people. Everyone says that this, the seventh Festival was the best yet. Over 100 artists exhibited in 64 venues throughout the heart of Melbourne featuring a huge range of mediums and styles at prices to suit every pocket. Highlights of the Trail this year were The Contemporary Artists at The One Off and the amazing Bollywood flash mob which attracted 100’s of people and literally brought the High Street to a standstill!

Gallery and the Xmas Art Sale and to all the visitors who came and bought work from the Gallery.