š§¢ Welcome to The French Ardennes
WeightmanPR welcomed a former client back into the fold at the start of 2025. A favourite client of Ian Weightman Media Services from as long ago as 2005, all the way through to 2018, The French Ardennes has requested some specialist travel PR assistance in once again raising its profile amongst the UK travel media during the coming year. And what a year it promises to be! One of the āgreenestā regions in the whole of France, it will be promoting its āGreat Outdoorsā through a series of new - and sustainable - activities; it will be hosting the 2025 World Puppet Festival in September; and it will be aiming to host some press visits for UK travel media keen to explore this often-overlooked part of France. Watch this space for further details.
š§¢ This weekās āTop Pickā @WeightmanPR: Derby
The Museum of Makingās āSpecial Commendationā in the 2024 European Museum of the Year awards made it a great start to an exceptional year for Derby in 2024ā¦ And it now stands on the cusp of becoming one of the UKās newest shortbreak destinations. Already given a namecheck in CondĆ© Nast Traveller magazineās list of some of the āBest Places to Goā in 2025 and featured in the VisitEngland āHotlist for 2025ā, the new Ā£45.8 million entertainment and conference venue, Becketwell Live opens for business this Spring, as does Derbyās new-look Market Hall following itsĀ£35.1-million facelift. Elsewhere, Electric Daisy is on the threshold of becoming a nationally known blueprint for a greener environment. And while the city is nicely poised to play a lead role in the celebration of 200 anniversary of the birth of the Railway, a new book by Dr Bendor Grosvenor will put Wright of Derby in the frame during Turnerās 250th birthday. Look out, too for the UKās leading international contemporary festival of photograph, FORMAT25, being staged in Derby from 13 March.
š§¢ Ceramics in the spotlight
Studio pottery - ceramics made by independent artist-potters - emerged as a distinct art form in the 1910s and '20s. An new exhibition, British Studio Pottery and the V&A, running through to 28 September in London, explores the V&Aās collecting and exhibiting of studio pottery from the movement's beginnings to the present day. This will help to turn the spotlight on British ceramics in a year which also sees the British Ceramics Biennial return to Stoke-on-Trent between 6 September and 19 October. Channel 4ās current series of The Great Pottery Throw Down, filmed at Gladstone Pottery Museum in Stoke-on-Trent, is also helping to make 2025 the unofficial Year of Ceramics.
š§¢ France pulls the strings to hosts 2025 World Puppet Festival
Once named one of the āTop 20 Events to Travel Forā, the 2025 World Puppet Festival will be held in Charleville-MĆ©ziĆØres, from 19 to 28 September. The worldās biggest puppet festival is held every two years in The French Ardennes, with this being its 23rd edition. A key event in the life of the region for nearly 65 years, the Festival is set to bring together puppet companies from all corners and every continent of the world who will then work their magic to transforms this quiet, historic town into a densely populated and highly atmospheric world capital for 'Les Petits ComĆ©diens'. The occasion has grown dramatically since its inception in 1961, and has developed to the point where more than 170,000 visitors now flock to see the event. Charleville-MĆ©ziĆØres is three hours' drive time from Calais, and linked from the UK with the high speed TGV trains (via Paris).
