Hosting at the Wirksworth Arts Festival Trail

Agricola House’s transformation into an art gallery

Every year Wirksworth town hosts a major East Midlands arts trail, with venues over the town hosting up to 100 artists and with a footfall of 3000 visitors. Agricola House has been lucky enough to host some amazing artists with its high ceilings, ample living space and generous natural lighting perfectly suited to show art at its best. As one artist commented ” I have hit the jackpot” with Agricola also right in the heart of the town and at the centre of the main arts trail events.

One quirky tradition is the clypping of the church where townsfolk and visitors alike  hold hands encircling the church; an ancient custom thought to gather luck for the year ahead. Agricola’s garden is adjacent to this ancient very English ceremony, as a prime location at the heart of everything this artsy town has to offer.

Wirksworth – an artistic and creative community

The small town of Wirksworth has reinvented itself  to become a unique and thriving artistic community with independent shops, cafes, art galleries and art workshops. Here are a few suggestions as creative activities and inspiration for your stay:     

• Pitch Blue holds art classes, workshops and can host creative experiences for Agricola Guests. 
• Go and look at the amazing fabric and interiors in the Wirksworth town centre showroom of Blackpop a leading UK interior design label. I just love these fabrics and wallpapers, spotted frequently in high end interior magazines and quintessentially British retail settings, such as Liberty of London.   
• A former bank in the heart of Wirksworth has been turned into an art gallery, hosting exhibitions, workshops and as a community space celebrating the towns creativity. Gallery M.I. 
• Hop on board the first class carriage at Eccelesbourne Valley Railway in Wirksworth for a Wild Roots Creative party celebration. A brilliant and memorable way to spend a few hours whjilst staying at Agricola.  

Wirksworth Arts Festival

The full festival is spread over a two week period in September with films, music events, plays, scultures, an artist in residence and so much more. Although Agricola is busy hosting artists during the trail weekend, it is still available to book throughout September and as the town hosts events throughout the month. Keep an eye on the Wirksworth Arts Festival events programme calendar.