Appetite are so excited to present Newcastle Common; a new programme focused on the changing Newcastle-under-Lyme town centre and transforming empty shops into places of art and creativity!
Running over the next three years, we are pleased to have on-board various artists-in-residences, who will be creating brand new artwork inspired by Newcastle-under-Lyme today and its vibrant history. They will be looking for inspiration from Newcastle residents and sharing updates of their work on our social media in the run up to the opening of the first Newcastle Common shop.
Current artists-in-residence:
Siobhan Grace
Depository of the Dull (DEPOD) by Siobhan Grace is a brand new place for your stories and objects. DEPOD will be working with Newcastle Common and Brampton Museum & Art Gallery to collect your stories and objects about Newcastle-under-Lyme.
Learn more about Siobhan and DEPOD here.
Previous artists-in-residence:
Rita Floyd
Floral ceramic artist and designer Rita Floyd has been specially selected by Keith Brymer Jones to be Artist-in-Residence at Newcastle Common during his Life, Clay and Everything exhibition. She will be working in the exhibition space and responding to his work.
Find out more about Rita and when she’ll be at Newcastle Common here.
Dan Thompson
Dan is artist-in-residence from Monday 1 – Sunday 14 November and will be launching his lifelong project ‘Peace’.
Peace takes inspiration from Newcastle-under-Lyme born Vera Brittain. A pacifist, author and campaigner Brittain’s family owned a papermaking business, with mills in Hanley and Cheddleton. Dan’s residency will be exploring Vera’s story through her connection with the town and remembering her paper-making ancestry. Dan will be holding talks and workshops for people to attend
A programme of events runs during the two-week residency. For all the details and to learn more about Dan’s residency click here.
Ladybird Su
Ladybird Su is an eco-artist based in North Staffordshire and Cheshire East. Su creates pop-up gardens for events and festivals, using her preferred materials of scrounged junk, repurposed furniture and living plants. Visit Su at her Newcastle Market stall or at her Newcastle Common garden. Get involved by planting seeds and making flower pots, plus share your stories, memories and gardening tips and tricks.
Learn more about Su here.
Shelley Jayne Crawford
Shelley Jayne Crawford is a Newcastle-born illustrator. Exploring the vibrancy of circus history and finding unique ways to incorporate circus stories, her project will culminate in a town trail that celebrates heritage as well as modern day details.
Learn more about Shelley here.
Ian Mood
Ian is a contemporary artist with an international reputation and works full time from his studio in Burslem. Ian will be out and about in Newcastle with his sketchbook scribbling away while you shop, before setting up studio in our shopfront producing a new body of large paintings and sketches documenting the places and faces that make Newcastle such a special place to live.
Learn more about Ian here.
Holly Johnson
Holly is a local hatmaker, trading under the name Hojo Hattery. Holly’s residency will be focused on the history of hat making in Newcastle-under-Lyme, inspired by the memories and photographs shared by residents. In the final week of her residency, Holly will demonstrate the hat making process live from an empty shop whilst sharing the memories and stories shared by audience member.
Learn more about Holly here.
Newcastle Common will sit alongside our other projects in development for the same period in Newcastle-under-Lyme: The Newcastle Map by Chloe Breeze Illustration; Familiar Faces by Adina Lawrence in partnership with GRAIN; and Every Other Seat with Dust Rising.
Appetite is an Arts Council England-funded Creative People and Places programme, led by New Vic Theatre in partnership with Partners in Creative Learning, 6Towns Radio, Staffordshire University, Newcastle BID (Business Improvement District), Keele University and Go Kidsgrove.
