BSL - Drama & Doodle

Celebrate Chesterfield’s Creative Spirit – Share Your Story and be Part of Derbyshire Makes 2026!

Are you a maker or creative living in Chesterfield? Join Junction Arts for a story gathering session and help shape the future of making in Derbyshire!

As part of the Derbyshire Makes 2026 programme, Junction Arts is collecting stories and ideas from makers across Chesterfield to better understand your needs, uncover opportunities, and celebrate the town’s vibrant making identity. Whether you’re a professional artist, dedicated hobbyist, or creative at heart, your voice matters.

BSL Drama & Doodle Story Gathering Session

• Tuesday, 7th October, 2025
• 10am – 4pm
• Rose Hill Arts Centre, Chesterfield

A fun and creative story gathering workshop for deaf and hard-of-hearing people who love being creative. Using drama and illustration, artists Kelly and Carole will stimulate conversations, allowing you to tell the story of your craft or creative journey.

BSL interpreters will be present and information will be gathered with visual note-taking.

This is more than just a workshop—your insights could become part of a public exhibition in Chesterfield town centre as part of Derbyshire Makes 2026! We’re creating 10 Makers' Stories to highlight the rich and diverse world of making in our community, past and present.

Why Take Part?

• Celebrate your craft and community
• Influence the direction of a major cultural programme
• Be part of an inspiring public art exhibition in 2026
• Meet and collaborate with fellow creatives

Meet the Artists

Carole Copeland
A graduate of the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama, Carole has built an extensive career as an actor in theatre, radio, and television, as well as in Theatre in Education and community arts outreach. An experienced freelance director and drama workshop leader, Caroloe has worked with professionals, amateur companies, youth ensembles, and community groups. As founder and director of Pomegranate Youth Theatre and Gekkota Arts, they have created and managed twelve annual Play Writing Festivals, championing both professional talent and emerging local writers to bring new work from page to stage.

Carole has collaborated widely with local authorities, museums, artists, and independent organisations to produce theatre rooted in local history, supported by successful Arts Council and Heritage Lottery grants. Their projects have ranged from site-specific productions, such as Down the Line at the Barrow Hill Roundhouse featuring the Flying Scotsman, to original works exploring social history and community stories. Passionate about the transformative power of the arts, Carole thrives on nurturing creativity, building confidence within communities, and bringing bold, original work to both traditional stages and unconventional performance spaces.

Kelly Sheldon

From the age of sixteen, Kelly honed their craft as an apprentice cartoonist in a busy Derbyshire studio, producing illustrations for greetings cards, magazines, books, and advertising. This early experience instilled strong skills in working to tight deadlines and creative briefs. Transitioning into graphic design and print, Kelly has built a career specialising in branding, logo design, and visual communication, using Adobe software to deliver work for businesses, community interest companies, and charities across Derbyshire and Yorkshire. Today, they run 13 Bends Design from their Chesterfield studio, creating everything from brochures and digital adverts to flyers and community-focused projects.

A versatile creative, Kelly is particularly known for their visual note-taking—live drawing community conversations and events on large boards with humour and warmth. They also run cartoon workshops for young people, fostering creativity in fun, engaging ways. As a deafblind artist with Usher Syndrome, Kelly is passionate about using their practice to connect with communities and aims to support and empower other disabled creatives through future projects.