About Us

Inspire: Culture, Learning and Libraries is a charitable community benefit society delivering a range of cultural and learning services across Nottinghamshire. The society is owned and controlled by its members. Members are drawn from the community, and all staff become members of the society when appointed. The society is governed by a board of 12 elected and nominated board directors.

All members act in the interest of the society to uphold its objects for the benefit of the public of the Midlands;

(a) the provision or assistance in the provision of facilities for recreation or other leisure time occupation in the interest of social welfare and with the object of improving the conditions of life for the public at large and for persons who by youth, age, infirmity or disablement, poverty or social or economic circumstances may have need for such facilities;

(b) to advance the education of people who live, work or study in or who visit the area of benefit

Find out more about our governance and see our full charitable objects.

Inspire delivers the following services:

• Adult Learning
• Archives and Heritage (includes Nottingham City)
  
• Arts and Cultural Programmes (Arts Council funded)
• Education Library Service (includes Nottingham, Derby and Derbyshire)
  
• Instrumental Music Teaching Service for Schools
  
• Public Library Service
• Records Management Service for Nottinghamshire County Council
  
• Young Peoples College
• Youth Arts Service
  

We're an Arts Council England National Portfolio Organisation, which means funding thanks to taxpayers and National Lottery players plays a huge part in supporting our work. Inspire became a National Portfolio Organisation (NPO) in 2018 to deliver a cultural programme through the library service. Inspire are delighted to remain part of the National Portfolio for 2023 - 2026.

Since August 2024 Inspire is the Music Hub Lead Organisation (HLO) for the Nottingham and Nottinghamshire Music Hub.

Inspire is also the host organisation for the Cultural Education Partnership (CEP) for Ashfield and Mansfield. 

We deliver services from 70 buildings across Nottinghamshire through 4 vehicles, have over 720 people working for us and have an annual turnover of £23M. 

Our Forward Plan 2022-26 outlines the challenges and development we need to focus on over the coming years. The plan identifies the priorities, outcomes and enabling work we need to achieve to ensure Inspire continues to be successful and sustainable. The highlights of the plan and our most recent annual review can be found under the about-us tab.

Our staff and volunteers are core to the success of the society; to work for Inspire is to work for a charity, membership body and social enterprise. We aim to be professional and friendly. We have at our heart a passion for culture, heritage and learning.

Culture, Learning and Libraries (Midlands), trading as Inspire, is a Community Benefit Society registered under the Co-operative and Community Benefit Societies Act 2014. The Society’s register number is 7139.