The Beginning...

We are a group of third year Theatre Design Students from Nottingham Trent University.  There are seven of us in total: Bryony Ruth, Chloe, Emily, Emma, Helen, Ruth and myself, Jayne. We are all interested in varying aspects of theatre ranging from scenic art to costume, puppetry to interactive installation, amongst other things.

We are at the start of an exciting opportunity to create an exhibition of varying art forms within the National Trust property, Calke Abbey, in Derby. The project will explore the history of the building and its former residents to inspire a range of artistic outcomes that respond to the curious decline of what was once a grand country-house estate. 

Yesterday, we ventured the building guided by two members of the National Trust Team; Alison Thornhill the Community and Engagement Manager, and John Parkinson the House and Collections Manager. They both guided us through the current accessible parts of the building showing the spaces we could use to exhibit. As the house is currently closed to the public, most of the furniture and artefacts were covered with dust sheets and the window shutters were closed, but it was still an inspirational insight into the building and its history we will be responding to. Hopefully we will be able to arrange another viewing soon when more of the rooms and artefacts are uncovered and visible. 

We ended the tour with a meeting to discuss our interests and intentions which helped us to gauge an understanding of what the National Trust would like to see. The health and safety regulations and the practical limitations with working within a heritage building were also discussed, as was to be expected. This project is certainly going to be a challenge!

So where do we go from here? The next step is to research the history of the building and its former owners to generate an overall theme to respond to, through any suitable practice of our choice.

Please follow this webpage page to keep up to date with the entire design process, from research right through to the final exhibition.

Jayne