CreativeMornings/Derby

Everyone is creative. Everyone is welcome. We're a free monthly breakfast lecture series for Derby’s creative community.

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No meeting this month as we plot some exciting changes to CreativeMornings/Derby.

Watch this space - more news very soon...

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Meet Robyn, this month's speaker and a perfect fit for our global theme of Nomad:

My childhood was spent at festivals and camping, and after not doing well at school and being fully distracted at college I left education to work on festival stalls.

Then after trying my best in my early twenties to settle down and get a great CV, I drove away to Scotland and spent the following eight years living in tents, caravans, tents and amongst wagons living nomadically.

I came back to Derbyshire three years ago to reconnect with my roots, and in that time have begun a music career which is heavily based on my experience of the road, and my constant longing for it.

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Our theme for August is NOMAD. It was chosen by our Ulaanbaatar chapter in Mongolia and illustrated by Oyuna Bold.

Some people feel compelled to travel from place to place. To live outside the confines and constraints of a permanent address. Others have no choice but to leave home in search of a better life. A nomad embraces discomfort, welcomes the unknown, and sees every detour as a new adventure.  

Have you heard the call of the open road? Ever dream of being a digital nomad working from exotic locales? Crossing borders and time zones to discover fresh inspiration and share-worthy views. But following your nomadic spirit doesn’t require collecting stamps in your passport. 

The act of creating is its own journey. So, meander through your ideas. Roam between different styles. The most important thing is to take the first step. It doesn’t matter where it leads, because the joy is suddenly finding yourself somewhere unexpected.

Whether you’re racking up frequent flyer miles or navigating a change in your creative career, remember that motion fuels imagination. Wander. Wonder. Repeat.

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We're so pleased to have the fascinating David Turner as this month's speaker.

David is Derby born and bred and is passionate about his home city and the surrounding county. As part of Derby Uncovered CIC he runs the Derby Uncovered Heritage Centre and Derbyshire’s Own in Derby Market Hall. He also hosts various history themed walks, talks and events in the city.

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Another FriYAH's is just around the corner! See you on Friday 18th July at Derby Market Hall with the always fascinating David Turner from Derby Uncovered as this month's speaker Our theme for July is MENTOR. It was chosen by our Glasgow chapter in Scotland, illustrated by Molly Hankinson, and is presented by Adobe. No one is born with all the knowledge and skills they’ll need to thrive in life. That’s why kids go to school. But we shouldn’t stop learning once we graduate. We need to find new teachers. A mentor doesn’t have to be an expert or the top of their field. Just someone who’s been there and done that before. Someone to show you the way and offer a bit of advice and encouragement. Ideally, they’re willing to make introductions and mention your name when you’re not in the room. Being a mentor is considered a way of giving back. But mentors get just as much out of the relationship, if not more. Beyond the satisfaction of helping, mentors also learn from their mentees. From a fresh way of looking at established practices to tackling new problems with a beginner’s mind. So, ask for help. We all could use a guide as we climb. Find your mentors and be a mentor in return. Your plans for growth are more likely to succeed if they include lifting others up as you rise.

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Our theme for June is PUNK. It was chosen by our Bologna chapter in Italy and illustrated by Cristina Portolano. 

Does the system feel broken 

Staring at our screens

Not hearing the screams

Wake up wake up wake up

We’re not meant to go it alone 

Find your people lift them up

Do what you can with what you got

Wake up wake up wake up

Your creativity can save you

What you gonna make

What you gonna change

Wake up wake up wake up

We'll be in our new home Derby Market Hall on Friday 20th June from 09.30am

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Exciting News 🎉 We've got a new home 🏡

Those of you who have been following our CreativeMornings/Derby journey over the last five plus years, know that we never like to keep things the same for too long.

So, it's with great excitement that we'd like to invite you on Friday 30th May at 09.30am to Derby Market Hall, our new home for CreativeMornings/Derby.

We offer our heartfelt thanks to Derby Museums who have housed us and supported us most recently. They are an amazing organisation who will always be a partner in the city.

More to follow on our new location, we can't wait to show you around!

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We're taking a break for Easter this month and we'll be back in action on the 16th May 2025.

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Another month and another fabulous speaker!

Sally Pepper is a storytelling specialist and the Director of Pepper Dawes Media. With 25 years of top flight radio and television broadcasting experience, she is now a media mentor, creator and facilitator working with businesses and charities to develop their brand awareness through creative and engaging storytelling.

As a Derbyshire lass through and through she is still shouting about how great our city and county is through her weekly Truly Madly Derby podcast and her monthly Derbyshire Life Magazine feature and she offers that as guaranteed PR to organisations with a 250,000 audience reach across Derbyshire. 

Sally's name and reputation across the East Midlands is why she is also a popular choice to host events and is regularly invited as guest speaker which is why we are thrilled she's agreed to speak at Creative Mornings/Derby. 

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Our theme for March is PARALLEL. It was chosen by our Kuala Lumpur chapter in Malaysia and illustrated by OLI.

Like train tracks receding into the distance, our lives eventually reach the end of the line. And for a large part of our journey, most people tend to live parallel lives. We go to school, hang out with friends, get jobs, and take care of our families.

Just look out the window at the home or office across the street. We exist side by side with strangers. Always keeping the same distance of anonymity between us – even though we have so much in common. All of us are trying to build a better life for ourselves and our loved ones.

Of course, we are not carbon copies. The differences make our lives our own. Her black coffee. His energy drink. Their chamomile tea. So, we may never see eye to eye. After all, mathematics proves that parallel lines never meet.

But unlike those train tracks, our paths don’t run in straight lines. We can meet someone new at every turn. Look someone in the eye and smile. Reach across that gap between us and make a connection.

We may be living parallel lives. But we don’t have to go through them alone.

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Our theme for February is LAYERS. It was chosen by our Lausanne chapter in Switzerland and illustrated by Catherine Olivia Pearson.

Simplicity provides clarity, but layers give our work a richer complexity and depth. 

Musicians fuse melodies, harmonies, and rhythms to create more dynamic compositions. While other artists use a juxtaposition of colors, textures, images or materials for greater visual impact. The creative magic happens when those choices conjure different interpretations and emotions. 

Because people have layers too. Just like a collage is created by overlapping layers of found materials, we pile up experiences that form our beliefs and reactions. 

The cliché “beauty is only skin deep” means that a pleasant appearance does not guarantee a virtuous character. We are a mess of competing emotions and personality traits. So how we act to the outside world doesn’t always reflect how we feel inside. We make polite chit chat when it takes vulnerable conversations to form meaningful connections. 

Surface level pleasantries and superficial decoration have their place. But it is the layers that give life meaning. We must peel them away to discover our deeper truths.

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John is a content writer for a market-leading SaaS brand by day, a successful book blogger and critic by night, and a certified crazy cat man, 24/7. He’s also fascinated by existentialism and our place in the modern world.

There are layers to all of us. We wear a number of masks in our lives, often multiple times a day. Parent. Partner. Professional. Colleague. Carer.

It can be messy at times, and we’re often told to 'just embrace your authentic self.' But which self is that? And how do we make peace with all these competing roles?

Join CreativeMornings Derby this February as we discuss Layers.

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What a way to kick off 2025 - we've got the awesome Rob Dawes!

Rob Dawes is the Owner and Creative Director of Briight, a video and marketing agency focused on using video and visuals in brand-building, strategic marketing, and content creation. The three areas that catapult businesses to new heights.

With over a decade of experience and a client list that includes McDonald’s, HECK Foods, and Microsoft, Rob has a particular love for all things B2B, creating marketing content that builds strong connections and elevates brands in the corporate world. His approach combines sharp strategy with compelling visuals, helping businesses cut through and engage their audience with memorable marketing.

We'll be gathering, drinking coffee, chatting and listening on Friday 17th January from 09.30am at Derby Museum and Art Gallery.

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Our theme for January is JOURNEY. It was chosen by our Muscat chapter in Oman and illustrated by Salim Al Salami. 

Let’s go. Let’s get out there and see what the world has waiting for us. 

By putting ourselves in a new environment or experience, we gain a different perspective. That sense of discovery sparks fresh inspiration. If your brain feels stuck, try moving your feet. 

So, let’s travel somewhere we’ve never been. Either down the street or across a far-off border, there’s so many places to explore. Or we can take a metaphorical journey like unlocking personal growth in therapy, advancing on our career paths, or undergoing a spiritual awakening. Or we can enjoy a journey into imagination through a book, film, or other work of art.

As we travel through life, everyone you meet is at a different point in their own unique journey. Some of us know where we’re going. While other paths are full of twists, turns, and obstacles thrown in our way. The trick is to embrace the detours and delays. Because there are no shortcuts on a journey of self-discovery or creative expression. 

Just please remember: you are not traveling alone.

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Have you registered for your free festive fun spot at tomorrow's CreativeMornings/Derby event?

We'll be seeing out our CMDerby 2024 in style with 🌍Thom Baker

Whilst your waiting check out this month's playlist:

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We are very pleased to introduce Thom Baker, this months speaker:

I’m Thom Baker, a Brand Strategy Consultant working with CEOs and agencies to make a positive impact and create a better future - turning green business ambitions into powerful market positions.

I have worked with start ups and global corporations for over 14 years. Originally a brand designer, I shifted from design to strategy after spending the pandemic with my daughter. I want to help make a greener, brighter future for her. I am fuelled by creating social and environmental change. I am also fuelled by cups of tea.