Published 10th July 2025
Your August – November 2025 What’s On Guide has arrived! Pick up a copy from your local library or Nottinghamshire Archives from 21 July, or view and download online.
Introducing Inspire’s biggest-ever What’s On Guide! This bumper 40-page brochure is sure to fill your calendar.
We’re starting with plenty of activities for children and families in the school holidays. This summer we’re welcoming Knotted Hawk Productions back to libraries with their family theatre tour of The Quest for Planet P! This interactive dance theatre show follows two brave aliens on their quest to find a perfect planet. This year’s Artist and Author in Residence: Michelle Reader and Leanne Moden, will deliver free Seed family workshops inspired by this year’s Summer Reading Challenge theme. Grow your imagination to create a magical seed packet, recycled sculpture or story to take home with you!
As soon as the autumn leaves start to fall, it’s time for one of the highlights of the Inspire calendar – the annual Poetry Festival. This week of wonderful words will run from Thursday 25 September – Thursday 2 October.
We don’t believe there’s such thing as a “bad” poem! Nottingham-based independent publishers Bad Betty Press are bringing free, inclusive poetry workshops to libraries known as the Bad Ideas Club. Share new work, first drafts and “bad” ideas.
Inspire are delighted to be a partner and host library for the Into the Light: Pioneers in Black British Ballet exhibition. This unique partnership between Libraries Connected and Oxygen Arts funded by The National Lottery Heritage Fund celebrates the lives of Black dancers in British Ballet. We will also host a series of events inspired by the exhibition including dance workshops, a panel talk, dance photography workshops and a poetry workshop as part of the Inspire Poetry Festival.
In September, heritage enthusiasts won’t want to miss free events as part of Heritage Open Days, England’s largest festival of history and culture. This year’s theme is architecture, and we will be taking a closer look at the architectural curiosities of Retford, recent archaeological discoveries in Nottinghamshire, and giving you the chance to go behind-the-scenes at Nottinghamshire Archives.
The gardening theme inspired by the Unearthed exhibition featured heavily in last season’s brochure returns. There are more opportunities to see this fascinating exhibition and get involved in gardening-themed events. Learn how to create a willow poppy seed head sculpture, hear from an experienced gardener, and enjoy a family theatre performance of Mrs Armitage on Wheels – a classic children’s story that champions the great outdoors!
Plus, we’ve got our usual range of live music in libraries, film screenings, author visits, writing workshops, exhibitions, activities for under 5s, talks and more!
This is just a sample of the exciting events we’ve got programmed this season, so do browse the brochure find out what’s on near you.
We look forward to seeing you, whether it’s to sign up to the Summer Reading Challenge, attend an event, or to read, learn, and enjoy culture.
