Creative Stoke news update, 21st January 2014

21.01.14   
Are you a local film maker or producer with a completed feature script, completed documentary treatment, or completed film or series? Stoke Your Fires Marketplace gives you to the free opportunity to pitch your project one-to-one with experienced screen industry figures. Marketplace will happen in Stoke-on-Trent on 11th March 2014, and the application deadline is 24th January 2014. See the Web page for full details.

21.01.14   
Photographers from Staffordshire are invited to submit printed and framed entries for the Keele University Art Gallery’s Three Counties Open Photography Competition. Entries are via the 2014 entry form.

21.01.14   
Concept Collective now has a date for the first meeting, Thursday 30th January 2014 (2pm-4pm), to discuss the idea of creating a central hub for local designers and makers from Stoke-on-Trent and Staffordshire. The venue will be the Staffordshire Chambers of Commerce offices on Festival Park, Stoke-on-Trent [Google StreetView].

21.01.14   
Opportunities for artists are now available for the London Road Festival 2014, a major community-led summer festival held in Stoke town, Stoke-on-Trent. See the website for full details.

21.01.14   
Jobs: Six Dance Artists & six Emerging Dance Artists (and some voluntary dancers to shadow them) are required for a joint outdoors project with Cheshire Dance and the Just So Festival. Just So is the annual young children’s arts festival, held amid a wooded estate five miles north of Stoke-on-Trent.

21.01.14   
The Just So Festival is the young children’s arts festival, set in a woodland estate located five miles north of Stoke-on-Trent. The organisers are now calling for volunteers for the 2014 festival. They especially want local art students who can be involved in the visual design and dressing of the site.

Just So are also looking for non-food vendors for the festival, and have a paid position for a Site Manager.

21.01.14   
Stoke Film Theatre will host a free Arthur Berry: a celebration screen event on 22nd January 2014 (7.45pm) at Staffordshire University’s College Road campus in Stoke-on-Trent. The date will be the 20th anniversary of the last filmed record of Arthur Berry, reading his “Homage to the Oatcake”. The screening will show a compilation of Arthur caught on film from 1959 to 1994, featuring his painting, poetry, and plays.

Arthur Berry.

21.01.14   
Work:  Nearby Telford & Wrekin Council are planning a spectacular outdoor theatre experience in June 2014, with the theme of “A Midsummers Night’s Dream”. They would like to hire artists, creative teams and projects that are highly motivated and have experience of working in a community setting to deliver one of the following: art installations; fun arts activities and workshops for the public; and artists and makers to create spectacular and large scale puppets, sculptures or similar, that will be able to move around a park terrain. Deadline: 25th February 2014. Full details and briefs from Sarah Belcher via:  sarah.belcher@telford.gov.uk

21.01.14   
Jobs:  North Staffordshire’s Alton Towers is now recruiting its staff for the new £8m theme-park extension, BBC CBeebies Land. The five acre attraction is aimed at the many toddlers and preschool children of the UK’s ‘new baby boom’, and is set to open 24th May 2014.

21.01.14   
Rachael Lines and Clare Reynolds have volunteered to find out who is currently working in dance, and studying dance, in Stoke-on-Trent and Staffordshire and around the borders. They’re also interested in discovering who may be interested in joining a dance network, and in what capacity. They are also keen to hear from those who have trained/studied, but who are not working in dance, and those working in dance administration or management. Interested? In the first instace, please complete the online survey.

21.01.14   
RIBA West Midlands are looking for organisations, businesses and individuals who would like to contribute to its Love Architecture Festival 2014. They are holding an open meeting at their office on 29th January at 5.30pm, and would like to invite anyone interested to attend. If you have events or project ideas, please get in touch with RIBA West Midlands to RSVP for the meeting, via: riba.westmidlands@riba.org

21.01.14   
The Buxton Poetry Competition 2014 is now open. The closing date for entries is 7th April 2014. See the wesbite for full details.

21.01.14   
Down in South Staffordshire, the Bilston Craft Gallery is calling for contemporary crafts makers to exhibit as part of a “Beside The Sea” (seaside, coastal and nautical) springtime 2014 show. Application deadline: 3rd February 2014. See the Web page for full details. Further ahead, they are also seeking exhibitors for “A Glass Act: contemporary glassware for the table”, 28th June – 30th August 2014.

21.01.14   
Stoke-on-Trent’s Denise O’Sullivan Ceramic and Design Ltd are creating a planets/ space themed commission with the Etruria-based Sculpted Steel, to be installed at Keele University. The commissioner would like to catalogue the processes, and is offering this out to students or recent graduates who would like experience or would like to use documenting this project as course work. Work would start from February 2014 onwards, for installation at the end of April 2014. Please contact Denise on Facebook if you are interested.

21.01.14   
Two actors are required as part of the 48 Hour Film Challenge at Staffordshire University, 24th-26th January 2014.

21.01.14   
Stoke-on-Trent’s Gladstone Pottery Museum is seeking crafts stallholders for their March Makers Market on Sunday 23rd March 2014. If you make toys, clothes, gifts or edible treats and are interested in having a stall then please email:  nerys.williams@stoke.gov.uk

21.01.14   
Staffordshire Living magazine is launching its own two-day lifestyle expo, Living Live 2014, in June 2014. This might be an event of interest for crafts makers and others looking for local selling opportunities.

21.01.14   
Cannonball Records is looking for individuals with screen-printing experience to make and design music-related merchandise, to run alongside their city-centre record-shop business selling rare vinyl. Interested? Contact Dave on 07704 300304, or call in the shop in Hanley, Stoke-on-Trent.

21.01.14   
There’s a new IndieGoGo crowdfunding project for Stalemate, a film about the fabled First World War Christmas football match. The makers aiming to raise £2,000 in funds, and plan to film in the Staffordshire Regiment Museum Trenches.

21.01.14   
Independent Cinema Network is a new arts programme that aims to connect independent cinemas in the West Midlands with children and young people. Film Ambassadors, aged 14-25, will be connected with their local independent cinema or screening venue. They will develop arts experience for other young people, experiences which go beyond both ‘gawp and popcorn’ blockbusters and ‘worthy and depressing’ art-house cinema. If you are an independent cinema or screening venue and would like to be involved in the Independent Cinema Network, please email Rebecca Hardy, Programme Developer (Film and Digital) at:  rebecca@edge21.co.uk

21.01.14   
The UK’s Creative & Cultural Skills (CCS) body is seeking to provide young people aged 13 to 18 with an insight into job roles and skills for working in cultural heritage. They now want to hear from museums and galleries interested in helping to deliver an event or school visit, as part of their initiative. There is no funding available, but CCS can provide event support and expertise, merchandise, and some out-of-pocket expenses. For more information email:  aine.markey@ccskills.org.uk

21.01.14   
The IPA (the UK’s professional body for advertising and marketing agencies) is looking for Midlands companies who are looking to take on a young apprentice in September 2014 in either Creative and Digital Media, Marketing, or Design. In the Midlands they’ve assigned Birmingham’s Creative Alliance to… “support [agencies] through the process, from job description to recruitment, including facilitating the interviews. As the training provider we will be working with you and the apprentice throughout the apprenticeship.” To take advantage of this opportunity contact Creative Alliance by Monday 27th January and register your interest. Interested? Email:  sophie@creativealliance.org.uk

21.01.14   
Interested in sourcing fashion supplies, fabrics, texiles, and accessories in the UK? Let’s Make it Here is a comprehensive industry-supported directory of UK fashion manufacturing.

Creative Stoke news update, 7th January 2014

07.01.14   
The airwaves of Stoke-on-Trent will have a brand new sound in January, as Internet-based 6 Towns Radio starts to broadcast on 87.7 FM. The community radio station starts to broadcast independently for a four week period on Monday 20th January 2014, until Sunday 16th February from its base in Queen Street, Burslem, Stoke-on-Trent.

07.01.14   
Stoke-on-Trent’s Make It Your Business and the Factory programme have ten places on offer on a new year-round mentoring opportunity. The opportunity is open to creative and digital professionals in North Staffordshire. Successful applicants will have advice, support, and a bespoke action plan for getting their projects funded, made and out there. The support will be led by the team behind the Sheffield Doc/Fest, who will devise an individual mentoring plan for 2014 consisting of a total of 12 hours one-to-one mentoring. A series of workshops and activities will also enhance the mentoring experience. Interested? Email:  miyourbusiness@stoke.gov.uk with the following information:

* One page on what you hope to achieve from the mentoring, especially the goals you hope to achieve as part of it
* One page of biographical information (not a C.V.)
* Any supporting visual materials

Deadline for all applications is: 5pm on Friday 24th January 2014.

07.01.14   
The Leek Arts Festival organisers want to know about your planned events a bit earlier than usual, for 2014. Programme content deadline: 31st January 2014.

07.01.14   
Staffordshire University has Paid Graduate Internship Programme for 2013/14, providing employers with the opportunity to recruit talent from their graduates from summer 2013. Employers will be able to use the University’s in-house recruitment agency, Unitemps, which covers: advertising vacancies; sourcing talent; pre-selection; and payroll. The University will also payroll graduate interns for you, at a much discounted rate, for 12 weeks. Thereafter you have the option a free conversion to your own permanent payroll. Interested? Please contact Carol Bragg, Recruitment Consultant at:  internships@staffs.ac.uk

07.01.14   
Cheshire Dance is seeking a temporary Dance Development Artist for Cheshire East Borough. This is for a fixed term of 9 months, as maternity cover — with a possible extension to 12 months. For an application pack, please contact Evelyn Thomas at:  evelyn@cheshiredance.org

07.01.14   
The Heritage Lottery’s Start-up grants scheme is seeking individuals who are… “thinking about creating a new organisation to engage people with heritage”. Applications can be submitted at any time, and grants of between £3,000 to £10,000 are available.

07.01.14   
Staffordshire Chambers of Commerce are able to offer two training workshops free of charge to local SME firms who are also Chamber members, thanks to ERDF funding. Training days available include:

* 15th January 2014: Increasing Sales to Grow the Business.
* 29th January 2014: Spring Clean Your Marketing.
* 19th February 2014: Powerful P.R.
* 27th March 2014: Getting Started with Project Management.

Free attendance will be allocated on a “first come, first served” basis. Interested? Contact Linda McQuade at:  linda.mcquade@staffordshirechambers.co.uk

07.01.14   
Do you work in local museums or similar cultural heritage institutions? Museum staff and volunteers are invited to various free ‘Winter Warmer’ information events in early 2014 at the Shire Hall Gallery, Stafford town centre…

* “Making the Most of Donations and Gift Aid”, 16th January, 10am – 12 noon.
* “Getting a Helping Hand with Volunteering and Give and Gain”, 20th February, 10am – 12 noon.
* “Getting Involved in National Initiatives (Museums at Night, Takeover Day and Heritage Open Days)”, 13th March, 10am – 12 noon.

They say… “there is no need to book a place at any of the sessions, please just drop in and see us!”

07.01.14   
The Stoke-on-Trent creatives behind the Blood and Bone China video series have a new horror music video online, Cardinal, “I’ll Be Damned”, directed by Chris Stone.

07.01.14   
Assistant Writers are needed for the Write On! Writing Squads across the West Midlands region. These voluntary roles will involve working alongside the Lead Writers at some of their Writing Squads for 8 to 16 year olds. The Assistants provide additional support; help with mentoring and providing advice and creative writing exercises for the children and young people taking part. They also shadow the Lead Writers to learn new skills with the opportunity for career development. Writing West Midlands is able to cover travel expenses. Deadline for applications: 1st February 2014.

07.01.14   
BBC Radio 3 is inviting applications for the 2014 edition of New Generation Thinkers. Specifically they want to hear from early-career university researchers… “with a focus on arts and humanities topics”. Successful applications will have the opportunity to develop radio programme ideas and to appear on air. They are especially keen to hear from people with an interest that encompasses biomedical and humanities. Full details at the Web page.

07.01.14   
You wait for years for some creative website neighbours, and then three come along at once! Say “hi!” to: Creative Walsall; Cannock Chase Creative Hub; and Lichfield Arts.