The latest update

Latest additions. See the What’s New page on the Creative Stoke website [ http://www.creativestoke.org.uk/whatsnew.html ] for full links and images…

New! 22.04.09 Matt Bishop, already established with his Inspire Music Recording Studio (formerly Gorsty Hill Studio), writes to say he’s launched a new business called Inspire Music — a music school offering tuition in guitar, bass, drums, piano, sax and vocals. Inspire Music also has two band-rehearsal rooms and the Inspire recording studio, all conveniently in the same building.

New! 22.04.09 Burslem School of Art is hosting a business advice event, “How Not To Get Ripped Off”, on 29th April 09, from 6pm. This free seminar with David Miller (Associate with Knights Solicitors LLP) will offer a basic guide to Intellectual Property law, covering the steps any creative professional should take in order to stop somebody else commercially using your work without your permission (including copyright, patenting, trade marks, licensing and design rights.) Attendees must first book via this events form.

New! 22.04.09 As part of the Disability Film Festival in nearby Wolverhampton (just a short hop on the train from Stoke station), there will be a free talk about genetics, art and sci-art: “The Art of Genetics” at Wolverhampton Art Gallery on Friday 24th April 09, from 6pm. Admission free. Featuring Simon McKeown (producer of Motion Disabled), Professor Rob Bunton, and Dr Paul Darke. Followed by a film screening at the nearby Light House cinema.

New! 22.04.09 The Brewhouse at Burton-upon-Trent is inviting entries for “The Art of Paper” exhibition. Deadline: 5th May 09. The show will be open from 4th July until 8th August 09. Work will be needed by Friday 26th June and returned by Friday 21st August. You’ll be an artist…

“working with paper to produce interesting and original artwork, and in practice we are looking for work that can be placed upon the wall of the gallery.”

Interested? More details from: Paul Challacombe: paul.challacombe _at_ eaststaffsbc.gov.uk

New! 22.04.09 Have a worthy photography project in mind, one that could use £5,000 of support? The organisers of the Nikon Photo Project awards are now inviting applications.

New! 22.04.09 It’s that time of year again, when the early summer festivals and fairs are taking bookings for stalls from crafts makers. The Buxton Festival is organising for 2009, as is the Leek Arts Festival (2nd – 30th May, including an Open Photographic Competition), the Etruria Canals Festival (30th May 09), the Burslem Festival (2nd May), and the 3rd Chillington Food and Country Fair (Chillington Hall, situated between Brewood and Codsall – 01785 713419 or email anneg _at_ musicmakers.demon.co.uk) are among the many now inviting bookings for stalls.

New! 22.04.09 Fancy having your band opening as a support for the veteran rock act Hawkwind? Sky Studios are staging a one-day festival on 12th July 09. SkyFest will be at Biddulph Grange Country Park, featuring Hawkwind, Forever Never and Crave. Sky Studios are also keen to get a fourth local band. Could that be you? Turn up at Knypersley Sports Club on 25th April, 22nd May and 20th June 09 (PA, drums and backline supplied), and play for 20 minutes. The top three acts from each night will…

“get free beer and food on the festival day and will play again on the main stage to battle it out in the final … The eventual winners will open the evening event in front of a 1500 capacity crowd as 4th support to Hawkwind. Votes will be by text from your fans and will be held open for three weeks after each event and for the day on the festival day.”

There’s no mention of a per-band entry fee, and hopefully the per-vote cost of voting by phone won’t be too much of a burden on your fans’ pocket-money.

New! 22.04.09 Added to the directory: Stoke-on-Trent graphic designer Mike Messina.

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New! 22.04.09 Added to the directory: Stoke-on-Trent painter in oils, Eddy Donkin, whose website has local scenes of the Potteries and the region’s mining industries.

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New! 22.04.09 Added to the directory: Stoke-on-Writing (SToW) is a new writers’ group based in the Bentilee Community Centre in the city. The aim is to…

“…support and help writers to improve and get published. We meet monthly, usually on the second Saturday of the month. For further details contact stokeonwriting _at_ gmail.com”

New! 22.04.09 The organisation Creative Partnerships Stoke-on-Trent has been renamed. It has been titled “Partners in Creative Learning” since 1st April 2009, and has a new website address. Email addresses have apparently also changed…

Rachel Billington (Acting Director) rachel _at_ picl.uk.com / Iain Perry (Programme Coordinator) – iain _at_ picl.uk.com / Erica Love (Operations Manager) – erica _at_ picl.uk.com / Our new information email for general enquiries is info _at_ picl.uk.com

New! 04.04.09 Stoke-on-Trent’s local news blog Radical Press has announced a merger with another new blog called Pits’n’Pots, to form a new combined blog giving an alternative take on local news. The Sentinel and BBC Radio Stoke do a sterling job, but there’s always room for more news-gathering capacity in the area. The new combo blog is called, naturally enough, “Pits’n’Pots – The Radical Press”.

New! 04.04.09 All of Creative Stoke’s ‘Directory’ external web links have been checked for viability. The following dead/domain-jacked links have been removed from the Directory:- Modern Engraving, KDM Events Management, Peter Rose Inc., PMS Associates Marketing & Design, Fired Up Marketing, Sponge Marketing, Rural Education & Arts Project, Staffordshire Cash for Culture, Barbara Chainey, Woodspinners, Soul Mekanik, Urban Lizard, The Country Gallery, Churnet Contemporary Arts, Marina Designs, Paul Pickard, Angel Photography, Jon Braley, Derek Shapiro, New Dawn Art. If anyone knows the new online whereabouts of these websites, please contact Creative Stoke.

New items on the What’s New page

Latest additions. See the What’s New page on the Creative Stoke website [ http://www.creativestoke.org.uk/whatsnew.html ] for full links and images…

New! 04.04.09 Bookings are now being taken for the 8th annual Burslem Arts & Crafts Festival, to be held on Saturday 2nd May 09. As well as stalls, street performers are also needed. Interested? Email: julie_newbold _at_ hotmail.co.uk

New! 04.04.09 The Royal Birmingham Society of Artists has two exhibitions coming up. For the first, entry-forms will be available from this coming Monday (6th April 09) with a deadline of 20th May 09, for a major show from 28th May – 27th June 09.

The second show is their Open Ceramics Exhibition from 29th July – 5th Sept 09, with sponsorship from the Ceramic Review and several ceramics firms. Entry forms are available now, and the deadline is 15th May 09.

New! 04.04.09 Fancy getting knotted? The Etruria Industrial Museum, Stoke-on-Trent, is the new venue for a group of fancy knot-workers in the North Midlands and North West. They’ll be having their first meeting there on Sunday 14th June 09.

New! 02.04.09 Speight of the Art Foundation is holding a North Staffordshire event on 5th of April 09, at McDonalds in Newcastle-under-Lyme (10am – 12 noon). 40 free places are being offered to local children and teenagers (between 4 and 18 years old) The places may all have been filled, but contact Speight of the Art to see if there are any spare.