Creative Stoke newsfeed

^{New! 09.02.10}    
Are you a West Midlands playwright, screenwriter, poet, or prose writer? Would you like to develop a new piece of work for the stage, and see it presented in October 2010? The Theatre Writing Partnership is offering six writers/artists a supported process to help develop their ideas for new plays. With a bespoke team of creative mentors, directors, actors and other artists, they’ll help you develop the script and present a sharing of your work. Deadline for submissions: 12th February 2010. More details here.

^{New! 09.02.10}    
Theatre Writing Partnership and Writing West Midlands are collaborating to offer bursaries to two Midlands’ writers to create “theatre for the ear”. Soothing, titillating, terrifying and intimate, Ears Wide Open will offer you solitary and communal experiences, manipulating your mind by triggering your imagination. Deadline: 28th February 2010. Details of the bursaries are here.

^{New! 09.02.10}    
Lustre is a pre-Christmas craft sales event which is pitching itself as… “the Midlands’ premier selling opportunity for contemporary, innovative craft”. Lustre 2010 is now welcoming applications from crafts makers working in all forms and materials including metal, jewellery, ceramics, glass, wood and textiles. Application deadline: 19th March 2010. The selection panel meets on 24th March 2010. A stall for a standard exhibitor costs £350 (recently graduated students: £250).

^{New! 09.02.10}    
South Staffordshire’s British Glass Biennale is now calling for entries for the 2010 event. The Biennale is open to artists, designers and crafts makers, working in all areas of contemporary glass practice or using glass as a key design element. There’s £7,500 in prize money to be won, alongside the press coverage from participating the leading showcase for British makers. Deadline for submissions: 26th March 2010.

^{New! 09.02.10}    
A nation-wide UK Young Artists competition will take place later in 2010. Winners will represent the nation at the Biennale of Young Artists from Europe and the Mediterranean. Work should be new, and can be from any art form including fashion. Artists must be between 18 and 30. Sign up for the notification email service, to be informed when applications are being accepted.

^{New! 09.02.10}    
Skillset are offering bursaries of up to £800 towards ‘multiplatform’ skills training for freelancers working in TV and media production. Application deadline: 26th March 2010.

^{New! 08.02.10}    
The Buxton Festival’s fringe Film Festival (7th-23rd July 2010) is currently seeking shorts and documentaries. Contact them via the website form.

^{New! 08.02.10}    
Job:  Stoke-on-Trent’s FRONTLINEdance are now seeking up to four workshop assistants for four integrated after-school dance clubs. The application deadline for assistants is 10th Feb 2010. Weekly workshops will take place during term-time, starting the week beginning 1st March 2010 at the following venues:

  1. Mon @ Heathfield Special School, Chell Heath, Stoke-on-Trent
  2. Tue @ Blackfriars Special School, Newcastle-under-Lyme
  3. Weds @ Leek High School, Leek, Staffordshire Moorlands
  4. Thurs @ Kemball Special School, Fenton, Stoke-on-Trent

The fee for an assistant at each club is £15 (freelance): 3:30pm-5pm. Interested? Contact Rachael Lines at: rachael@frontlinedance.org.uk

^{New! 08.02.10}    
The Acoustic Festival of Britain comes to Uttoxeter Racecourse in May (21st-23rd May 2010). There’s also: a traditional Hurdy-Gurdy Festival (6th-9th May 2010) at Youlgrave in the nearby Peak District; and The Uttoxeter Mayfest featuring six morris dance teams + maypole dancers (2nd May 2010).

Having all these together in the same month seems like a prime opportunity for someone looking for a subject on which to make an audio documentary.

^{New! 08.02.10}    
Added to the Directory:  Animators Carse & Waterman. Formerly based in Hereford, the duo are now based in Stoke-on-Trent and have recently completed work for The Prodigy and Santander.

^{New! 08.02.10}    
Added to the Directory: Nemesis Now, based in Longton, Stoke-on-Trent. Nemesis make gothic / steampunk / pagan / fannish collectable figurines, and ceramic containers. Nemisis has a turnover of £3 million a year.

^{New! 07.02.10}    
The British Animations Awards films come to Staffordshire University (Stoke campus, just around the corner from the train station) over three nights: Prog 1: Mon 8th Feb / Prog 2: Weds 10th Feb / and Prog 3: Thur 11th Feb 2010. Includes the first cinema showings of Moonbird by the West Midlands duo the Brothers McLeod. Sure to be a good networking opportunity as well as entertaining. More details from: m.weston@staffs.ac.uk

^{New! 07.02.10}     The University of Manchester has launched a UK Schools Computer Animation Competition called Animation10. Children aged 7 to 19 are eligible. Films should be one minute or less. You’re limited to using Flash or education-ware such as Greenfoot, Alice, or Scratch. Deadline: 1st April 2010.

^{New! 06.02.10}    
The Light House in nearby Wolverhampton is offering a two-day workshop in Post Production for HD (22nd to 23rd Feb 2010, from 10am–4pm each day). This practical training workshop will cover aspects of high-definition video post production, including operation of Final Cut Pro and Avid HD suites. The cost is £105 + VAT. Lunch included. Applications for this workshop must be submitted by 12th Feb.

^{New! 05.02.10}    
The Unwanted Gift Shop at The New Art Gallery, Walsall, is seeking unwanted gifts or bad purchases tucked away at the back of your wardrobe. Donate an item to have it transformed into works of art! Just visit artist-in-residence Mitra Memarzia at The Unwanted Gift Shop (Monday – Saturday and Bank Holidays 10-5pm, Sunday 11-4pm, until 18th April 2010).

^{New! 05.02.10}    
Added to the Directory: Gallery@12, a new selling gallery located at Eccleshall (between Stafford and Stoke-on-Trent).

^{New! 05.02.10}    
This sounds deliciously likely to annoy museums that claim ‘copyright’ on Flickr pictures of their public-domain works: the month-long Britain Loves Wikipedia event…

“is a scavenger hunt and free-content photography contest running in museums and cultural institutions across the UK during February 2010. The aim is to increase the number of pictures available to illustrate Wikipedia articles, and to inspire new articles”

^{New! 04.02.10}    
The “Platinum Artist Development Scheme”, publicly funded via Arts Council England West Midlands, is being re-launched. It aims to… “develop your work, [and help you] make useful and helpful connections”. More details are online here. Application deadline: 5th March 2010.

^{New! 04.02.10}    Would you like help to employ a graduate for a four-week paid work placement? A new Graduate Advantage scheme gives your firm a graduate bursary of £800, paid through the local University, to which you would add £200. The business would then need to run the graduate through your payroll, at £250 per week for four weeks. At the end of the placement, there will be the possibility of converting to an unpaid internship through the West Midlands Graduate Internship scheme. The scheme is also available to public sector organisations &mdash the organisation would receive a bursary of £400, and would contribute £600. More information about local opportunities on this scheme can be had from:  jobzone@staffs.ac.uk

^{New! 04.02.10}    
Added to the Events listing: The Producers Forum is to hold a New Producer Training afternoon at Staffordshire University (Stoke Campus), on Monday 22nd February 2010 from 2pm until 5pm. This free event for local filmmakers will look at…

“the reality of working in the film industry, from four of the region’s most experienced producers who will talk about their career as film and television producers and they will be on hand to answer your questions.”

You can sign up for this free event using this form.

^{New! 04.02.10}    
Expressions of interest are invited from entrepreneurs who have recently established a social business/project. £15,000 is available, plus non-financial support for a year, from UnLtd. Your venture must be operational, and have an established track-record of meeting a clear social need. More details at the website.

^{New! 04.02.10}    
There are currently three funded Masters degree studentships on offer at Birmingham Institute of Art & Design (BIAD), located just north of Birmingham city centre and within walking distance of Birmingham New St. rail station…

Eligible Programmes for Professional Preparation Masters Awards: M.A. Design Management; M.A. Interior Design; M.A. Jewellery,
Silversmithing and Related Products; M.A. Product Design; M.A. Textiles, Fashion and Surface Design.

^{New! 04.02.10}    
Final-year B.A. students who stay on to take a taught Masters (M.A.) programme at Keele will be eligible for a £1,000 discount on their postgraduate tuition fees. The Keele Graduate Bursaries are available for all taught postgraduate courses, other than those where financial enticements are already available (such as healthcare, social work, education). All students graduating from a first degree programme this year at Keele are eligible, and there are no additional forms or paperwork. The £1,000 will be deducted from the second payment instalment of postgraduate tuition fees. More details from this Web page or from Helen Johnson at:  bursaries@acad.keele.ac.uk

^{New! 04.02.10}    
Are you a creative student at Keele University? There’s a newly-formed student society at Keele called MAD (Media, Art & Design). MAD caters for those engaged in all forms of creative production, and hopes to create opportunities for students via work placements, exhibitions, portfolio developement, etc. Interested? More details from Amy Moran (Treasurer, MAD) at:  madsoc.uk@googlemail.com

^{New! 04.02.10}     Job:  A small rural primary school, serving the villages of Hope and Hathersage in the nearby Peak District, is seeking a Creative Practitioner (theatre and drama, street dance, animation and filmmaking). They are seeking to show how creativity can help children understanding religious faith, and enable them to learn about new customs, traditions and beliefs. The project will be delivered between March and June 2010. More information from:  michelleworrell@hotmail.co.uk  or  notjilly@hotmail.com

^{New! 04.02.10}    
The Black Cat Theatre Company runs dance, drama and singing workshops for local children between the ages of 6 and 14. As part of their activities, the Black Cat project “Action” runs most school holidays in various venues across the Potteries. The company are all professionally-trained actors, choreographers, directors and musicians. If you’re in Staffordshire or South Cheshire and are interested in signing up for a half-term workshops, then please use the contact form on the Black Cat website.

Black Cat Theatre will also be holding weekly acting classes for young actors, following LAMDA examination procedures. These will be based in Stoke-on-Trent. Again, they would love to hear from you if you’re interested in these.

^{New! 25.01.10}    
Job:  British Waterways is seeking a creative community artist to design site-specific art pieces to be located along the two canals which run through the City Waterside and Middleport areas of the city of Stoke-on-Trent. Through a series of workshops, the successful artist would be required to involve, engage and consult the remaining members of the local community in these areas. Consultation and workshops would start in February / March 2010, with the finished design completed in May 2010. Artist Fee: £7,000 to include all development work, workshops, workshop materials, production of designs, installation supervision and expenses. Application deadline: 8th February 2010. Full details from: louise.north@britishwaterways.co.uk

^{New! 25.01.10}    
Job:  British Waterways is seeking a creative community artist to design site-specific art pieces to be located along the two canals which run through the City Waterside and Middleport areas of the city of Stoke-on-Trent. Through a series of workshops, the successful artist would be required to involve, engage and consult the remaining members of the local community in these areas. Consultation and workshops would start in February / March 2010, with the finished design completed in May 2010. Artist Fee: £7,000 to include all development work, workshops, workshop materials, production of designs, installation supervision and expenses. Application deadline: 8th February 2010. Full details from: louise.north@britishwaterways.co.uk

^{New! 25.01.10}    
Added to the Directory: Chris Hepburn is a talented young photographer from Staffordshire. He has a special talent for making stock images, and his work is for sale at iStockphoto and Getty Images.

^{New! 25.01.10}    
Added to the Directory: Staffordshire Moorlands photographer Chris Lees has a new website for his special boudoir photography services.

^{New! 25.01.10}    
Added to the Directory: Klair Scattergood is a local children’s artist and illustrator. Klair also has an Etsy shop selling her unique artwork, jewellery pieces, journals and cards. Klair can also teach workshops in creative bookmaking and bookbinding classes for adults, both online and in the classroom.

“Time for a brew” by Klair Scattergood.

^{New! 24.01.10}    
Job:  Over in the East Midlands, Nottingham Castle is offering a £9,000 Fellowship for a 6-month guest curator. This is timed to coincide with the re-hanging of the permanent collection at the Nottingham Castle Museum & Art Gallery. The Curatorial Fellow will work with the team to plan the new installation of the collection and devise a new exhibition for the Museum and Art Gallery for the 2011 programme. Application deadline: 8th February 2010. The start date is negotiable, but is anticipated to be in September 2010. More information from:  nationalprogrammes@contemporaryartsociety.org

^{New! 22.01.10}    
Want to do a professional Masters degree in a creative subject? There may be a rare funded opportunity at Lincoln. The Arts and Humanities Research Council are currently offering funding to universities which do not hold a Block Grant Partnership (BGPs are allocations of postgraduate studentships in specific subjects). The AHRC states that it…

“expects the majority of successful proposals to be in the area of Creative and Performing Arts, and that the awards will tend to be Professional Preparation Masters Schemes.”

The deadline is 6th May 2010, but there are likely to be internal application deadlines before that. All eligible universities have been capped on the number of submissions — many will only be allowed to submit five applications to the AHRC, making this scheme as fiercely competitive as other AHRC-funded funded studentships are. Currently, from the West and East Midlands only Lincoln University is known to be bidding. Lincoln is somewhat accessible (2hrs 50mins) via train from Stoke-on-Trent station — and the main Lincoln campus is right next to the train station.

^{New! 22.01.10}    
As of this week, all of the DAZ 3D human base-models are now free. These are add-on packs for the free DAZ Studio 3.0. DAZ Studio has proven to be very useful human-figure reference software, used by figurative artists ranging from painters to graphic novelists.

^{New! 22.01.10}    
Added to the Directory: University of the Third Age branches in Alsager, Congleton, Crewe, and Leek — several of which offer many affordable (£1 per session) classes in crafts and creative activities. Sadly, there doesn’t appear to be a UTA branch in the Potteries?

^{New! 22.01.10}    
The best young crime writers in North Staffordshire are being sought in a national micro-story competition, organised by the Crime Writers’ Association. The competition is open to anyone aged 18. Deadline: 19th February 2010. Stories can be up to 1,000 words, and can be submitted via any of Stoke-on-Trent’s local libraries.

^{New! 21.01.10}    Crewe Amateur Dramatics Society is looking for young male actors (17 years and up) for a production of Hello Dolly (Crewe Lyceum, 16th-20th March 2010). Rehearsals are on Thursdays from 7.30pm, at St Michael’s Church Hall, Ford Lane, Crewe. More details from: 01270 763837 or 07850 185860.

^{New! 21.01.10}    
The Performing Rights Society “Awards to Promoters” scheme is now open for 2010 applications. You can apply for £3,000 if you: have at least one year’s track record of promoting events; will be promoting at least eight events over a 12 month period; and will be programming new British music of any genre. The first deadline is 12th February 2010. Full details are available at the website.

^{New! 21.01.10}    Job:  A musician or music industry professional is being sought to establish a pilot record company at a school in nearby Telford, Shropshire. This project involves a core team of 10 children and supporting staff, and will support school-based musicians to develop their understanding of the music business and also offer opportunities for career development. The position is paid at £220 per day, for an inital contract of up to 12 days (with the possibility of further days pending) between January and July 2010. For further information about the school and project contact either Felix Pepler (Creative Agent) on 01562 700400 / 07967 364315 or Andy Calderbank (Head of Music) on 01952 387400.

^{New! 21.01.10}     In the 2nd Annual Stoke-on-Trent Ceramics Lecture, Terry Woolliscroft will tell “The Tale of the Toilet”. Delving deep into the city’s archives, the talk will trace the milestones in the history of this vital element of bathroom product design, and the role of the Thomas Twyford’s famous factory at Cliffe Vale (Stoke-on-Trent) in inventing and designing the flushing toilet. The venue is Stoke-on-Trent City Archives (Hanley public library) on Weds 10th February 2010, 2pm. Further details from: natalie.baker@stoke.gov.uk   Tickets cost £4.

^{New! 20.01.10}    
PiCL (formerly Creative Partnerships Stoke-on-Trent) is offering a series of seven free learning events to local creative practitioners in Stoke-on-Trent and Staffordshire. More details from the web page above, or from Programme Coordinator Iain Perry at:   iain@picl.uk.com

^{New! 20.01.10}     Job:  An experienced West Midlands Film Producer is wanted for a short film to be made in association with Screen West Midlands and the UK Film Council. An award-winning Director and Cinematographer are attached to the £8,000-£10,000 budget project. The Producer fee is negotiable. You need to start as soon as possible, and be available until the film’s completion. Filming will take place in the West Midlands. More details from:  ryan.vernava@googlemail.com

^{New! 20.01.10}    Keele University is to provide up to 30 PhD studentships across the four research Institutes that make up the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences. Expressions of interest for these highly competitive awards are now invited, for research proposals in the following areas: cultural and social history from the local to the global; musicology since 1900; creative applications of music technologies; and interdisciplinary approaches to life-writing. Application deadline: 28th February 2010. Full information from:  h.farrell@ilpj.keele.ac.uk

^{New! 20.01.10}    
The Coalfields Regeneration Trust is inviting applications from local groups in North Staffordshire to apply for up to £30,000 capital or revenue funding. This is a one-off opportunity. Grants will be paid on 1st April 2010 and will run for a maximum of 12 months. Projects should address a need arising from the current recession. Applications deadline: 5th February 2010. Full details from: neil.topliss@coalfields-regen.org.uk

^{New! 20.01.10}    Keele University has launched a new graduate internship scheme in the West Midlands, called “Project Future Industry Training” (FIT). FIT will provide unemployed graduates with six-week work experience placements in local firms in the digital industries, professional services, and the ceramics industry. Formal applications are not yet being invited, since these industry placements will run from April and September 2010. But companies and graduates can register their interest now, by emailing:  internships@uso.keele.ac.uk

^{New! 20.01.10}    There’s to be a second Pecha Kucha night at Fat Cats bar in Hanley, Stoke-on-Trent (7-10pm, 11th March). Each participant will give a short presentation (20 slides in just over 6 minutes). If you’re interested, please email: stokepechakucha@yahoo.co.uk

^{New! 20.01.10}    
Stoke-based Anna Francis is inviting all photographers to obtain one of her “There is Beauty In The City” magnetic labels, and to photograph your magnet in a beautiful location in Stoke-on-Trent or any other city you may visit. Send the photo in to thereisbeautyinthecity@yahoo.co.uk (as a normal .jpg file, no more than 2Mb). You can get your magnet by emailing your postal address to the artist Anna Francis, and she will send you one; alternatively, you can download the template from her blog and print out your own ‘There is Beauty’ sign. In 2010 the project aims to exhibit in the UK and beyond, and is also considering a publication.

^{New! 19.01.10}    
The Crafts Council is undertaking a major national research project ahead of the 2010 General Election, to help make the case for public-funding of crafts in the UK. The project is titled Making Value : the economic and social contribution of craft makers, and for it the Council is now seeking to profile: independent crafts makers who have a portfolio practice; makers who apply their craft skills in community arts activities and workshops; crafts makers in industry (e.g.: ceramics, architecture); and back-stage crafts workers engaged in set-design, model-making or prop-making for films and TV. They also want to hear from people working in ways that are ‘off the radar’ of official bodies. A key element of the research will be short telephone interviews. Research documentation, including case studies, will be launched at a Crafts Council conference on 22nd June 2010. Interested? Please contact research@craftscouncil.org.uk by 15th February 2010.

^{New! 18.01.10}    
“The Art of Microbudget Filmmaking” is a rare West Midlands event on the topic. The day of screenings and seminars will be held at The Electric Cinema in Birmingham city-centre (at the back of New St. station) on 25th January 2010, from 9.30am until 4pm. Members of Birmingham’s Producers Forum get a free ticket, and for everyone else the cost is £80 + VAT for the day. More details from:  info@producersforum.org.uk

^{New! 18.01.10}    
The first national conference for Creative Partnerships schools, of which there are many in North and Mid Staffordshire, will be held on 3rd March 2010, at the ICC in Birmingham city-centre. The registration form is here.

^{New! 18.01.10}    
The Victoria Mill Art Centre is a new arts centre in Congleton. The Centre is now seeking tenants for the few final remaining studio-spaces, before the opening day. The new centre will be launched as part of Cheshire East Council’s Artsweek (from 20th February 2010).

^{New! 16.01.10}    
Job:  Moorlands Radio, based in Leek, Staffordshire, require a full-time Station Manager to lead the team of paid and voluntary staff. The successful candidate will be an experienced radio professional and will have worked within community radio, commercial radio or the BBC. A good knowledge of the Staffordshire Moorlands is essential, as well as good editorial judgement. Deadline: 24th January 2010.

^{New! 16.01.10}    
Local product designers may be interested in the “How To Design and Market your Electronic Product” seminar. This is an IET event in March 2010, at the Ruxton Technology Centre, Beaconside Stafford Campus, Staffordshire University. More details from:  s.o.wane@staffs.ac.uk

^{New! 16.01.10}    
It’s short notice, but there’s a Therapeutic Creative Writing course at Hartington Hall in the nearby Peak District, from 20th January 2010. Local writer Kath Morris is offering workshops as part of a “Wonderous Stories” retreat in the beautiful setting of Hartington Hall. Workshop price includes lunch and refreshments. The retreat price of £160 includes full board, with three-course dinner in the award-winning restaurant. More details from: kathmorris100@tiscali.co.uk

^{New! 16.01.10}    
Added to the Directory: Rising Brook Writers. The group is based at the Rising Brook Library in Stafford.

^{New! 16.01.10}    
Added to the Directory: Moorlands Radio, based in Leek, Staffordshire.

^{New! 16.01.10}    
Added to the Directory: No Redemption, a gothic / industrial-metal band from Stoke-on-Trent who have recently written and recorded the music for the Philip Gardiner/Warner Brothers’ film The Stone. Their MySpace page has links to recent press coverage and to the BBC Radio Stoke interview. The band also have a YouTube Channel.

^{New! 14.01.10}    
Job:  Artists are invited to submit an expression of interest in relation to a Research Residency in nearby Derby. This is intended to lead to a commission of temporary art to celebrate the regeneration of Derby city centre. Fee: £6,000. Deadline: 27th January 2010. The full brief is here.