What an absolute pleasure to be able to launch Light Night Stoke-on-Trent at Burslem’s old town hall, alongside the new #SoTCulture hashtag. Read my speech from the launch event below, with coverage from Radio Stoke also.
Light Night Stoke-on-Trent launch
Good morning everyone, and welcome to the fantastic Burslem old Town Hall. Big thanks to Haywood Academy and Sixth Form for hosting us here for the launch of Light Night Stoke-on-Trent.
I’m Cllr Abi Brown, Deputy Leader of Stoke-on-Trent City Council, and Chair of the Stoke-on-Trent bid to be U.K. City of Culture in 2021.
Just under a year ago, I was stood on the side of the Stage at The Dock in Hull, hearing that we weren’t going to City of Culture in 2021. I was pretty upset. It’s about 3 hours on the train to Hull, a journey I took many times last year, and a bit long by road. We came back that night on a minibus, through the night. It was cold, dark and pretty miserable. On the way back, I received a text from a good friend. They told me not to be sad, because - whilst we hadn’t won - we had changed the narrative of the city. Bidding to be U.K. City of Culture was an opportunity to regalvanise and look to the future of Stoke-on-Trent, and what it could be.
And they were right. All that work and effort that was put into the bid hasn’t been wasted. It’s coming through in various ways;
- over 100,000 more tourists visited the city in 2016, and we are optimistic that figure will continue to grow
- Over 3m journeys were started or finished at Stoke station last year, another growing figure
- There’s been a 25% increase in footfall at the Potteries Museum and Art Gallery over the last year, making it one of the most popular free attractions in the West Midlands, and
- Over 100,000 people saw the Poppies: Weeping Window at Middleport over the summer, and yesterday I had the pleasure of receiving the Enjoy Staffordshire award for Best Tourism Experience on behalf of the City Council and Middleport Pottery
There is so much happening across our city at the moment; we had a super summer with the poppies, Summer in Stoke events, Voila Station at Central Forest Park, the Big Feast, everything Philip Ashley, Restoke’s Man Up, and the start of Stoke-on-Trent Remembers. And we’re now having an amazing autumn - Paper Peace in the city last week, Hot Lane at Spode, Stoking Curiosity brought to use by Keele and Staffordshire universities, Christmas light switch ons, not to mention the usual selection of high quality plays, shows, and events that happen at theatres and venues across the city.
Right across our city, things are happening with spaces coming alive, and the narrative of the city is changing to match our aspirations and ambitions.
It’s important thought to reflect on what’s happened in the last 2 years, during and after the City of Culture bidding process. There is a feeling of growing momentum, of self organising groups talking, the increasing strength of the Cultural Forum and Cultural Education Partnership, and the impetus supplied by our fab cultural champions, a number of whom are in the room today, working hard to increase the profile of our city.
A few weeks ago, the Cultural Strategy was endorsed by the City Council’s cabinet; it talks about ‘making the creative city’, bringing together the energy, enthusiasm and optimism of the City of Culture bid, and how Culture is at the core of the city’s identity and future. Culture matters here and we know how much.
It outlines a high level action plan that cuts across the city and we want everyone to engage with it. The success of #sot2021 demonstrated that we know everyone loves and embraces a good hashtag, so today we are also launching the #SOTCulture campaign, as an opportunity to promote the amazing cultural offer in our city. So whether you’re watching it, listening to it, taking part in it or making it, make sure you’re talking about it using #SOTCulture .
Plan? Check.
Hashtag? Check.
Enthusiasm? Double check.
I know you won’t be searching long for culture to promote, but I thought we would put a date in your diary of a new event that typifies the aspiration and ambition I know you all share with me for our city.
We all know that Burslem is such a beautiful town, but it’s time to think about this architectural beauty reimagined through light and projection, onto both the landmarks and also lesser known buildings themselves.
Light Night Stoke-on-Trent is an ambitious 3 evening event lighting up Burslem town centre with a programme of animated projections, glowing artworks and illuminated performances. It brings nationally and internationally acclaimed artists to the city, alongside platforming some of our own homegrown talent, for 3 nights where audiences can explore Burslem on foot in ways they never imagined! A totally free event, we believe this will be an experience that shines a light on Stoke-on-Trent and our USP.
It will include large scale animated projections by acclaimed projection experts Illuminos, whose work we can see a clip of now;
[Clip from Restoke’s Man Up, followed by ‘Anna’ from Chatsworth House]
Imagine projections similar to those, accompanied by a local choir, bringing to life a beautiful story of the last and future of the city.
Over 2 of the evenings, Sense of Unity by Dundu and Worldbeaters Music will bring a night time procession, led by giant illuminated puppets through the town with an LED-lit percussion ensemble.
We are also bringing back Walk the Plank’s handcrafted fire sculptures, last seen in Hanley Park several years ago.
Alongside a number of new commissions featuring local artists, Light Night - presented by Appetite and Stoke-on-Trent City Council and the Cultural Forum - promises to be a magical event to really light up our city.
So how can you be involved? In the city of artists, we are calling upon residents to work with Up For Arts, a partnership between Voluntary Arts and BBC Radio Stoke, to create a Light Night Challenge. Counting down to Light Night in January, we’re encouraging the whole city to light up windows and streets. There will be a series of hands on workshops for local residents, businesses, and groups to make their own piece of illuminated art; also creating free DIY packs for people to make at home. We are hoping to get the whole city glowing!
Please help us to promote the event using #LightNightSoT
So hopefully, we have whetted your appetite for Light Night. There is a huge sense of excitement building already and the team are keen to talk to anyone with questions or ideas; and all are available to speak to afterwards.
But, for now, please save the date - 31 January, 1and 2 February.
Use #LightNightSoT and #SoTCulture to share news of the launch.
Tell your friends and family, and follow us on social media.
Take part in the Light Night Challenge, and keep your eyes peeled for future announcements.
