A Canalside Arcana

We asked the people of Etruria how they felt about where they live …

Appetite were appointed creative producers by Canal & River Trust – who were awarded funding by the Stoke-on-Trent UK Shared Prosperity Fund – to deliver what has become A Canalside Arcana in the Etruria area. The project aims to celebrate this stretch of the Caldon Canal, engaging with the community to form something lasting on this historic part of the waterway and to raise awareness that the canal is a shared local resource to be used.

To make sure that any art produced truly reflected the people who live along that stretch of canal, we simply asked them!

We created a mailing that was sent to over 3,000 homes in the Etruria area. People were asked to write down what they like about living there, and what they thought Etruria would be if it were a colour and a plant. We placed a giant yellow postbox in the area, asked people to post their responses into it and waited for their ideas.

In tandem with this our team reached out to community groups, bringing them to the canal for walks or sessions and gaining their thoughts and ideas too about the area and what they might want to see appear to celebrate this place. We attended the Etruria Canal Festival, to also ask the many people who attended for their thoughts.

How do you turn great feedback into great art?

Having spoken to lots of people and gathered comments though the postbox, we came up with a vision shaped by it all. Nature was a constant theme in the feedback. The nature of the historic waterway meant that a trail would be sympathetic to the setting and would also give a reason to take a stroll along the canal, connecting Etruria to Hanley Park, another local greenspace resource and encouraging everyone to make more use of it.

Using Appetite’s knowledge and expertise Anna Francis, a local artist whose work focusses on nature and who recently delivered the project Nature Recovery along the Kidsgrove stretch of canal, was approached to come up with an idea. Anna designed and has now created A Canalside Arcana.

Community engagement has been a constant throughout this whole project with community members helping to create two of the final plaques.

What exactly is A Canalside Arcana?

arcana (noun)

secrets or mysteries
either of the two groups of cards in a tarot pack

A Canalside Arcana is a series of eight ceramic plaques lining the canal path from Etruria to Hanley Park that celebrate the nature that can be found in each spot. There is also a pack of beautifully hand-drawn cards filled with interesting information about the trees and plants you encounter along the way. Anna’s arcana cards highlight the characteristics associated with the flora and fauna included on the panels as well as delving into some interesting local folklore!

Did you know that artist Anna Francis even created the handwritten font used on the cards?

You can take the walk by yourself!

Follow the map to discover the plaques along the route. You can find the text for screen readers on the Arcana Plaques page or download a large print PDF of the plaque info with the text and map.

The text for the Arcana cards with information on the nature found on the canal path including whether it is edible or poisonous, any associated folklore, and general uses and info, are available on the Arcana Cards page, and you can also download a large print PDF of the Arcana cards text with drawings.

If you are interested in any future guided walks or activities along the A Canalside Arcana trail, or for queries relating to the project, contact Julianne Joyce for Canal & River Trust on Julianne.Joyce@canalrivertrust.org.uk

A Canalside Arcana has been been made possible with funds from Stoke-on-Trent City Council‘s UK Shared Prosperity Fund.

Credits:

Photography by Glen Stoker. Thank you to everybody who took part in the consultation process including photographer Natalie Willat, Walk Talk Action, Staffordshire Sight Loss, Stoke-on-Trent College, University of Staffordshire, Appetite and Canal & River Trust volunteers, and of course, the community of Etruria.