We're delighted to introduce the four artists chosen to work with us on Allotment Gallery during this summer. The are, clockwise from top left:
Blythe Taylor, Sally Fitchard, Francesca Buxton, Natalie Willatt. You can find out more about them as artists and their proposed project for Allotment Gallery over on the web page. Each artist will be working for one month to create their project alongside festival artists Anne and Rachel. They will host workshops for local groups individuals, including working with the local school - these will mostly be based at the allotment on Richmond Street, but at times in Stoke Market or at our base in Art Stop. We are excited to see what wonderful art they bring into the allotment. At the end of their 'month' there will be an exhibition open to the public at the allotment with a joint Allotment Gallery celebration in September. So keep an eye on our Insta and Facebook pages for dates and more details. Allotment GalleryCheck out the Artist Commissions on the Allotment Gallery page. Open until 15th March 2024 With the support of James (breaking pallets ) and Wonder Women (sawing) at Plot 33, Festival Stoke have been working at Queens Hospital in Burton with patients and staff to create a series of giant upcycled pallet birch leaves. Working at bedsides Anne & Rachel have been chatting to patients & encouraging them to draw images from photos taken in the hospital’s Badger Wood. The images will be transferred to the leaves and the leaves installed on the fencing of the recently created hospital ground’s sanctuary for patients, visitors and staff ‘The Halo Garden’. We'll post photos of the finished fence!
We are delighted to announce that we have been awarded Arts Council England funding for our ‘Allotment Gallery’ project. Anne and Rachel have been working hard on Plot 33, Richmond Street allotments for three years now, to nurture and grow produce and flowers and bring their unique creative touches around the site. They first took-on the allotment in January 2021 and quickly improved the site and began creating growing spaces. We were fortunate to secure the plot right next door to the large community hut, garden and orchard. These spaces have been a brilliant space for us to host creative and gardening activities. You can read about the early years at the Greening Stoke blog site (link), and see photos of how the allotment has been transformed over the years. During the past couple of years Festival Stoke has supported the allotment committee to secure funding from Stoke on Trent City Council to pay for improvements to the community hut, including better accessibility, solar panels and a compost toilet. These upgrades mean that more people are able to join in the activities at the site. The Arts Council funded project ‘Allotment Gallery’ brings together our enthusiasm for gardening and nature together with our skills in getting local children and adults involved in creating art for the community spaces of Stoke. As with our previous projects there’ll be opportunities to get creative alongside our artists at free workshops. The Allotment Gallery activities will begin in May this year and run through until the end of September so keep your eye on our social media (Facebook and Instagram) for updates on how you can get involved. We are delighted to announce that we have been awarded Arts Council England funding for our ‘Allotment Gallery’ project. Anne and Rachel have been working hard on Plot 33, Richmond Street allotments for three years now, to nurture and grow produce and flowers and bring their unique creative touches around the site. They first took-on the allotment in January 2021 and quickly improved the site and began creating growing spaces. We were fortunate to secure the plot right next door to the large community hut, garden and orchard. These spaces have been a brilliant space for us to host creative and gardening activities. You can read about the early years at the Greening Stoke blog site (link), and see photos of how the allotment has been transformed over the years. During the past couple of years Festival Stoke has supported the allotment committee to secure funding from Stoke on Trent City Council to pay for improvements to the community hut, including better accessibility, solar panels and a compost toilet. These upgrades mean that more people are able to join in the activities at the site. The Arts Council funded project ‘Allotment Gallery’ brings together our enthusiasm for gardening and nature together with our skills in getting local children and adults involved in creating art for the community spaces of Stoke. As with our previous projects there’ll be opportunities to get creative alongside our artists at free workshops. The Allotment Gallery activities will begin in May this year and run through until the end of September so keep your eye on our social media (Facebook and Instagram) for updates on how you can get involved. Festival Stoke are delighted to once more be involved in the Hi!Stoke* festival weekend in Stoke town centre at the end of September. There's lots of heritage-themed creative activities taking place for you to join in with. Festival Stoke's artists will be hosting moth-themed activities at Stoke Minster. Join them to get creative and learn more about the pepper moth in the city.
Friday 29th 6.30 - 7.30pm - Join Festival Stoke artists to help create a sheet moth trap. Warm drinks will be available. Saturday 30th 11am - 3pm - Drop-in to the moth-making workshop to create origami and collage moths from upcycled materials. Both events are suitable for children and adults and are free to join in. * Hi!Stoke is an event for the Heritage Stoke Action Zone We recently worked with patients & staff on Ward 4 at Harplands Hospital ( an assessment ward for older people with dementia) to begin to add colour to their garden area. As well as planting up planters, the patients created collaged decorative flowers and bunting while using reminiscence to prompt individuals to talk about and share their life stories.
It's been great to have some of the enthusiastic gardening volunteers from Hanley Park helping us with the planters at St Marks in Shelton. We're 'Greening St Marks' as part of the Under One Roof project. It's looking lovely!
We are delighted with the striking mural of Plot 33's resident fox created by artist Ben McManus. Ben involved people from the groups we support in workshops at the allotment, to create the stunning design. The fox is well loved by allotment holders and the people who visit our communty allotment.
Have you seen the gorgeous marigold display at Stoke Market? We installed the marigold plate images earlier in spring and local people helped to plant seeds in the planters. Look what's happened! How beautiful the marigolds look now!
Greening St Marks is well under way now and artists Anne and Rachel led a session in late May with children from the local school.
The year 1s and year 5s brought across the pots they planted up with seeds a few weeks ago …carrots, lettuces, spinach and herbs, planting them out into the planters that form the community garden and also planted some potatoes and tomatoes. They made signage and some fabulous windmills so we can start site vibing the garden. It was a very busy but fun afternoon! |
AboutFestival Stoke is a collaborative of creative people working together to make good things happen. Archives
April 2024
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