What's On
Nature in our Town: Discovery Walk from Retford Library - 5th April
Explore a local nature site, led by an expert guide. Discover ecosystems and wonder at the living w…
Published 3rd April 2025
Inspire: Culture, Learning and Libraries, who manage libraries on behalf of Nottinghamshire County Council, are one of nine library services in England to take part in an innovative collaboration to enhance digital engagement and accessibility in libraries.
Digital Spaces is an ambitious new programme in association with Arts Council England, BFI, awarding National Lottery funding and The Space. Launching in 2025, this forward-thinking initiative project will deliver an array of digital experiences in Mansfield, Worksop, Kirkby-in-Ashfield and Beeston - from awe-inspiring VR showcases and hands-on immersive filmmaking masterclasses, to opportunities for creating new digital content.
Inspire are also pleased to announce their participation in the new Libraries Digital Network, a groundbreaking collaboration with eight other library services, including Bradford, Cambridgeshire, Coventry, Leeds, Manchester, Newham, Somerset, and Sunderland. This innovative network is the first of its kind, uniquely combining local relevance with national impact. It aims to empower our local community and is supported by comprehensive training for colleagues, who will guide their networks on exciting digital journeys.
Programme highlights
The 18-month multi-strand Digital Spaces programme will feature:
National curated VR Tour 2025 - Watch VR experiences in a local library
With the support of the BFI, awarding funds from the National Lottery, the national tour will visit a selection of Nottinghamshire libraries twice throughout the year. The first will commence in just a handful of weeks, making its debut at Mansfield Central Library’s popular annual Hands on Heritage event.
The tour will showcase a collection of VR titles designed to appeal to a wide range of library users, including:
- Wallace & Gromit in the Grand Getaway: A narrative VR experience allowing fans to join a new immersive adventure with much-loved animation characters Wallace and Gromit.
- The Philharmonia's Lark Ascending: A spellbinding 360 performance by Philharmonia of Vaughan Williams's beloved piece, featuring Nicola Benedetti.
- Monoliths: An immersive XR experience by Pilot Theatre and One to One Development Trust, exploring England's northern landscape through the voices of three women.
Visitors can enjoy the virtual reality experiences in the following libraries:
Mansfield Central Library: Saturday 17 May, 10am – 2pm & Sunday 18 May, 12pm – 2pm
Worksop Library: Saturday 24 May, 10am – 3pm & Sunday 25 May, 12pm – 2pm
Kirkby-in-Ashfield Library: Wednesday 28 May, 10am – 3pm
Beeston Library: Friday 30 May, 10am – 3pm & Saturday 31 May, 10am – 3pm
A New Digital Commission for Inspire
Inspire and The Space will collaborate with local communities and partners to develop and create an innovative new digital project. Currently in development, the commission will take its lead from this year’s The Big Draw theme Drawn Together to highlight collaboration and creativity in the finished piece.
Immersive Filmmaking Masterclasses
180-degree immersive film production workshops will be delivered by Immersive filmmakers Neon8, to a targeted group of students from The Brunts Academy, Mansfield. Sixteen students will be given the chance to get hands-on with four days of sessions; firstly developing content ideas, then filming on location, and finally learning about the post-production process before getting to see a first edit of their finished film.
The content created during the masterclasses will be available to watch later in the year, when the VR Library tour visits for the second time. Films created by the other authorities will also be available to view.
Building on Proven Success
This programme builds on the success of Coventry Libraries' Digital Spaces Pilot programme (2020-2021), which brought communities, artists, and creative practitioners together to expand the library services' digital and cultural offerings. It provided opportunities for people of different backgrounds, interests, experiences, and ages to explore the creative possibilities of technology, art, and culture.
“We’re delighted to be part of the Libraries Digital Network, giving new and exciting
opportunities to the people of Nottinghamshire. At Inspire we’re always keen to
support our users in discovering new skills and technology, and it is my hope
that those young and old will be able to enjoy the opportunities Digital Spaces
present, marking the beginning of a fantastic new dawn for immersive technology
in our county’s libraries.”
“Libraries play a vital role in society so we’re delighted to
embark upon this programme which will turbocharge the library offering and
provide an abundance of digital creative opportunities for communities. We
intend Digital Spaces to be a catalyst
for culture, creativity and innovation within libraries, enriching the lives of
local communities by inspiring people to explore the creative possibilities of
technology, art and culture.”
“Coventry Libraries were thrilled to deliver Digital Spaces in
2021 - a groundbreaking programme aimed to test the idea that a Public Library could be a new
home for accessible Digital Culture by attracting audiences that would not
normally have the opportunity to access digital immersive experiences. We are
now excited to expand this premise with eight other Library Services, to
establish the Libraries Digital Network and offer new audiences even more ways
to engage with digital creative experiences.”
“The BFI National Lottery Audience Projects Fund aims to break down
barriers for audiences right across the UK to access a diverse range of screen
culture. We are delighted to support this project, which is a great example of
how, driven by demand from the library services themselves, new, young and
diverse audiences can engage in a programme of VR and immersive work in their local communities." “The BFI National Lottery Audience Projects Fund aims to break down
barriers for audiences right across the UK to access a diverse range of screen
culture. We are delighted to support this project, which is a great example of
how, driven by demand from the library services themselves, new, young and
diverse audiences can engage in a programme of VR and immersive work in their local communities.”
See what's in store on our Digital Spaces webpage.
