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The Generator: Stories & Memories
The Generator: Stories & Memories An oral history project supported by The National Lottery Heritage Fund
Stories & Memories 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
011 Yanina Temple
Four decades of drawing, chickens and camper vans
Yanina taught in the building twice, first in the early 1980s and then from 1991 until her retirement in 2020, spanning its move from Frederick Street to Epinal Way. She remembers a building that felt autonomous and a little wild: chickens kept on the roof for life drawing, projects set with a single word like "flight," and a mentor, Pat May, who had students spend four days on a single drawing until it was right. She's since visited The Generator's Heritage Open Days and hopes to see it become a broad, open hub for the whole town.
Interview date: 08.10.2025