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 Student to Ceramics Market Pioneer: David Salisbury's Generator Journey
David Salisbury embodies the ripple effect of arts education. A sculpture student at The Generator from 1972-1975, he's now a successful ceramicist who founded Ceramics in Charnwood – a market that brings 90 potters to Loughborough annually. His story traces a direct line from those formative years in the building's industrial spaces to a lifelong commitment to nurturing creative community.
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.
"Bloody Hell, Come On, Get In Here!" Nenagh Watson on Art, space and Keeping It Real
Nenagh Watson doesn't mince words. A puppeteer and multimedia artist who spent 30 years pushing boundaries in Manchester, she's exactly the kind of creative The Generator was designed to serve. When the project was still in its consultation phase, Nenagh was one of the voices championing space for local artists – and she's got some strong opinions about what the venue should become.
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.
