where we've been
The Generator: Stories & Memories
The Generator: Stories and Memories An oral history project supported by The National Lottery Heritage Fund
The project captures the voices, recollections and experiences of those who studied, worked and created in the historic Packe Street building over the decades. Through these personal stories, we are preserving the building’s rich creative legacy while sharing it with new generations as The Generator begins its next chapter as a vibrant community arts venue. With thanks to Institute Loughborough for their continued generous support and for providing the filming location. Click on any picture below to read or watch the full interview.
From Greenham Common to The Generator: Evelyn Silver's Art of Resistance
Evelyn Silver is living proof that the most powerful art comes from the margins. A self-taught performance artist whose work spans from the peace camps of Greenham Common to the mezzanine of The Generator, she's now having a moment of recognition that's decades overdue. Her feminist anti-nuclear posters from 1981 are currently touring with Tate Britain's "Women in Revolt" exhibition – work that emerged from streets and protest camps, not art schools.
Cranes, Clocks and Creative Chaos: The Glory Days
In the heart of Loughborough stands The Generator – a 1930s Art Deco building that once powered much of Loughborough College. But from 1998 to 2006, it became something even more electrifying: home to Artspace Loughborough, a collective that had a lasting impact on the town's cultural landscape.
From Art Foundation to running away to the Circus: Sarah Smith's Creative Journey
Sarah Smith's creative journey has taken her from the top floor of the Generator building in Loughborough to the vibrant circus and festival scenes. In this interview, she reflects on her Foundation Art experience in 1994, her subsequent education at Cardiff Art College, and her current roles managing performances at major festivals. Sarah shares how her early art education shaped her thinking and career path, and her vision for what the Generator could become.
Art, Family, and Vision: Frances Ryan's Connection to the Generator
Frances Ryan, a painter and former educator, shares her personal connections to the Generator building, from her own pattern-cutting course in the late 1990s to her family's deep involvement with the arts centre's development. Frances offers unique insights into the vision of her late husband Kev Ryan, whose passion for creating a community arts space in Loughborough helped spark what would become the Generator project.
From Student to Professional Artist
In this interview, professional artist Jenny shares her formative experiences studying at the Frederick Street art college building from 1995-1997. Now a successful mixed media artist, Jenny reflects on how those early educational experiences at what is now becoming the Generator arts centre shaped her artistic journey.
