Photography competition launched to capture the best of Derby

Published: 26 June 2024

Photography enthusiasts are invited to capture the essence of Derby in 2024 for a unique time capsule competition.

The competition, titled "Life in Derby: 2024," is open to amateur photographers aged 16 and over, from anywhere in the UK. The closing date for entries is 16 July 2024.

Winning photographs, chosen by a panel of judges, will be placed in a time capsule to be buried within Derby’s historic Market Hall, offering a snapshot of our lives to future citizens.

Two time capsules, one thought to have been buried almost 160 years ago, were discovered during the refurbishment of Derby’s historic Market Hall.

Contractors working on the transformation of the Grade-II listed building uncovered two sealed glass containers behind a bronze memorial plaque, near the Guildhall entrance. Their contents included several historic items, including the Mayor’s seal from the 1860s, coins and newspapers.

The Derbyshire Evening Telegraph of 1938 reported that the city said good-bye to the last of Basque refugee children who had been evacuated to Burnaston House, Derby during the Spanish Civil War.

Now a third time capsule is to be added to mark the current £35m refurbishment, which is partly funded with £9.43m from the Government’s Future High Streets Funding (FHSF).

Tammy Whitaker, Director of City Growth and Vibrancy at Derby City Council said:

Derby is an amazing city steeped in history – and we have a lot to be proud of. The goal of this competition is to document Derby in the 2020s for future citizens, capturing its diversity, its fantastic people and great spaces. We’d like entrants to think about what they’d want people in the future to know about our lives, our city, and our times.

The theme is open to wide range of interpretations and each entrant can submit up to three pictures. You could capture a quirky local business, a familiar Derby face or landmark. a community event or a quiet moment showcasing everyday life.

This is a perfect opportunity for residents and community groups to celebrate the people and places that have a positive impact on our city.

Grab your camera and capture what makes Derby special in 2024!

Winning photographers will be invited to a special ceremony where all three time capsules will be buried within the Market Hall.  Their photographs will become a part of Derby's history, offering a window into our lives for generations to come.

Derby’s Market Hall was officially declared open on May 29, 1866, by Mayor Frederick Longdon. According to the Illustrated London News, the occasion was marked with a procession and an appropriate inaugural ceremony, including a performance of Handel's Messiah.

Derby City Council has appointed design consultancy Hemingway Design to help bring alive an ambition to create a building that will be a hub for creatives, makers and traders, building on the city’s heritage of innovation and industry.

Extensive structural restoration of the Market Hall’s cast iron, copper and glass roof was finished in August 2022 and work continues on the Victorian building to turn it into an attractive retail and leisure destination fit for the future.

Businesses throughout the region are registering their interest in operating from the refurbished Market Hall, which will bring together the best of the region’s independent shopping, eating, drinking and entertainment when it reopens in Spring 2025.

Full details on the competition, including entry guidelines, judging criteria, and deadlines, are available on the Council's website

Business, Community, Regeneration