Free Family-friendly Drop-in Activities for Half Term at Newcastle Common

Appetite and Kwanzaa Collective UK* are hosting a series of free family-friendly drop-in activities at Newcastle Common. As part of the ongoing Africa 54 programme, artists will be working in the Astley Walk space for you to go along, chat to them about their work and have a go yourself.

The workshops are on Monday 24 – Saturday 29 throughout the half-term school holiday. Every session is FREE, all materials will be provided and there is no need to book. Everybody is welcome to come join in and there is no lower (or upper!) age limit. We’ll see you there!

Monday 24 October   1pm -2.30pm  Drawing and Painting with Laura Mae

Join artist Laura Mae in this fun drawing and painting workshop aimed at families. No experience needed.

There is one 90-minute session, beginning at 1pm. To make the most of it, you should aim to arrive at the start, although you’ll still be welcomed if you drop by once it’s started.

Tuesday 25 October   1-2.30pm  Gumboot Dancing

Following the success of his African Drumming workshop in Hanley as part of the Big Feast 2022, Bruce Ncube invites you to join this free gumboot dancing workshop. Bring your brightest wellies! (If you want to …)

There is one 90-minute session, so please arrive by 1pm to make sure you can join in the warm-up.

Wednesday 26 October   11am-12pm  Anansi the Spider Tales

Performer Diana Abankwah will spin an incredible tale in this interactive session of storytelling, learning and craft themed around one of the greatest folk heroes in the world: Anansi the Spider. Taking the role of a cunning, wise trickster, Anansi is one of the most important characters of West African and Caribbean folklore.

There is one 60-minute session, beginning at 11am. To make the most of it, you should aim to arrive at the start, although you’ll still be welcomed if you drop by once it’s started.

Thursday 27 October   1-2.30pm  Sgraffito

Join artist-in-residence and TRIBES exhibitor Daby to create scratch art revealing beautiful African patterns. Either take your creations home or leave them to be shown in Astley Walk!

There is one 90-minute session, beginning at 1pm. To make the most of it, you should aim to arrive at the start, although you’ll still be welcomed if you drop by once it’s started.

Friday 28 October   12-3pm  Stone Sculpting

Zimbabwean sculpture Thomas will guide you to make your own piece of beautiful art in this free introduction to stone sculpting workshop. All materials and tools will be provided and you get to take your creations home. What will yours be?

There is one three-hour session beginning at 12pm and it is essential that you are there from the beginning. This session is for a maximum of 10 people and slots will be allocated on a first-come-first-serve basis. Please make sure that you can stay for the whole session when deciding to join.

Saturday 29 October   1-2.30pm  Zine Making

Join artist-in-residence William Attieku Ntiamoah as he shows you how to make a  zine (DIY magazine).  Make your own zine, or help William create his zine and be an official part of the TRIBES: Matabeleleand to Staffordshire exhibition!

There is one 90-minute session, beginning at 1pm. To make the most of it, you should aim to arrive at the start, although you’ll still be welcomed if you drop by once it’s started.

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Create your own clay ‘town folk’ with Sally Fitchard

Join artist-in-residence Sally Fitchard, who will be embarking upon an ambitious project involving local businesses and members of the public in our Newcastle Common space! Sally endeavours to re-create the town’s buildings through a series of cardboard structures that local businesses have been invited to contribute to, as well as creating and enabling members of the public to create, clay ‘town folk’ to populate the townscape.

We hope to present the final visualisation of the town, including its places as represented by embellished shoe boxes and its people in the form of handmade clay ‘buds’ within our Newcastle Common Astley Walk space on Saturday 15 October.

Sally will be available to work with members of the public every Thursday, Friday and Saturday 11am – 3pm within Newcastle Common, Astley Walk, Newcastle Under Lyme, ST5 2AH (just opposite The Old Bull’s Head Inn).

Come and say hello and create yourself in a simplified clay form to feature within this exciting project!

Featured image by Natalie Willatt

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Newcastle Common

Newcastle Common’s library offers an extension to Newcastle-under-Lyme Library with books by under represented authors featuring stories about people from every walk of life and exploring diversity.

Our lovely library space is the place to come and enjoy a read, explore fiction and non-fiction books for all ages and sign up to become a Staffordshire Libraries member. Books can be loaned for three week periods by new and existing Staffs Libraries members.

Stop-by our library on Fridays and Saturdays from 11am to 3pm, where you’ll be greeted by our team of library volunteers. Browse our collection of stunning reads and enjoy in our comfy and relaxing space.

Featured image by Jenny Harper

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Featured; Capsule Collection from Three Counties Exhibition 2022

Featured; Capsule Collection from Three Counties Exhibition 2022

Appetite and ArtsKeele present Featured; Capsule Collection from Three Counties Exhibition 2022, a wonderful collection of artworks created by artists from across Staffordshire and Shropshire. Featured includes a range of paintings, photography, prints, textiles, collage and ceramic work.

Recently exhibited as part of the ArtsKeele Three Counties Exhibition at Burslem School of Art, this capsule collection gives people the chance to see works that were nominated by Appetite’s Supper Club, our community decision-makers, for the Audience Choice Award and further Three Counties Awards winners. Our Audience Choice Award was awarded after a public vote and the winner can be seen alongside all the entries.

The work on show explores a number of themes including the environment, portraiture, urban and rural landscapes and mental health. A diverse and exciting collection that fits perfectly with Newcastle Common’s ethos and approach to presenting art and culture to all!

‘Featured’ on display in Newcastle Common’s Astley Walk space (ST5 2AH, just opposite The Old Bull’s Head, Newcastle Under Lyme town centre) opens on Saturday 17 September and will be available for the public to view each Thursday, Friday and Saturday 11am – 3pm until Saturday 15 October 2022.

We will have one of the featured artists ‘in residence’ within our Astley Walk space, creating work and being available to chat about how and why they do so. More information to follow!

Why not have a go and get creative yourself, using one of our artist created activity sheets to be found in the space. Make the most of our lovely library when you visit too; take a seat and have a read or loan out some of our truly special books.

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Illustration Workshop with Emily Pithon

Join us at our Newcastle Common Library on Friday 2 September at 12pm and create your own illustrations in this workshop with illustrator Emily Pithon!

No need to sign-up, this is a free event and you can drop by anytime!

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There’s A Memory Somewhere at Newcastle Common Library

by Goofus Theatre

‘Connections can be found in the strangest of places…’

Stop-by our Newcastle Common Library on Friday 2 September at 11am and 2pm for this visual, non-verbal story with puppetry and music!

This is a free performance

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Big Feast ’22: Saturday’s Piccadilly Stage line-up

The Piccadilly Stage is back so get your boogie on and join us for live music, dancing and poetry!

Saturday 27 August

Stoke Sings – 11am to 12.30pm

Stoke Sings connect choirs, hold events, workshops and performances to enable everyone who wants to, to sing in their communities. We bring people together from the area in and around the city, to learn and share the joy of singing together!

This year 4 choirs will sing on the Piccadilly stage.

Listen, clap, dance and sing along!

Sign Songs With Us by dDeaflinks Silent Choir – 12.45pm to 1.20pm

dDeaflinks Silent Choir was created to help fundraise for the charity. The choir is made up of profoundly deaf members. To ensure they follow the music, they are led by the only hearing choir member.

Space Invaders by Helen Ascough – 1.40pm to 1.55pm

A light hearted spoken word set from an alien that explores how disabled people feel in new spaces, covering lockdown, public transport and busy places.

Kawanza Collective UK presents Africa54 – 2.05pm to 3.30pm

Stannley Music – 2.05pm to 2.25pm

Stanley Gadagah is a Zimbabwean born Stoke-on-Trent based singer song writer. He is a regular on the stage and a strong part of Staffordshire’s music scene.

Lola Adodo Dance Session – 2.30pm to 2.45pm & 3.15pm to 3.30pm

Join Lola Adodo of New Dance Scopes in this fun, free taster workshop based on her popular Erubo dance series. Expect afro-beats, laughter, and a fusion of moves that originate from different parts of Africa.

The moves can be done standing or seated and can be easily adapted to all levels and abilities.

Clive Martin Sax – 2.50pm to 3.10pm

Enjoy a live set with Clive Martin, Stoke-on-Trent’s most loved Saxophonist and musician. He’ll be brining smooth grooves, soulful music and Afro-beats to Big Feast 2022.

Lola Adodo Dance Session – 3.15pm to 3.30pm

Metamorphosis by Helen Ascough – 3.50pm to 4.05pm

The poetry set will be a series of poems discussing beauty, individuality, nature and change. Be a goth moth… not everyone can be a butterfly.

Bharatanatyam with Supritha Aithal – 4.20pm to 5pm

Access and Useful info

• Listen to the audio introduction to Space Invaders here
• Content Warning: Space Invaders includes conversations around loneliness and bullying
• Listen to the audio introduction to Metamorphosis here
• Content Warning: Metamorphosis includes conversations around global warming and loneliness
• View full Big Feast access guidance here
• View the Big Feast map and brochure here

About the Big Feast

We are so proud to bring you the next serving of The Big Feast! Join us on Friday 26 and Saturday 27 August as we showcase the very best local and national talent in Stoke-on-Trent City Centre (Hanley)!

The Big Feast is delivered by Appetite and supported by Stoke-on-Trent BID (Business Improvement District), Stoke-on-Trent City Council and The Without Walls Touring Network Partnership.

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Big Feast ’22: Friday’s Piccadilly Stage line-up

The Piccadilly Stage is back so get your boogie on and join us for live music, dancing and poetry!

Friday 26 August

Boat Band – 11am to 12pm

Kawanza Collective UK presents Africa54 – 12.15pm to 1.50pm

Akante David Oladele – 12.15pm to 12.45pm

Our Africa54 Young People’s Spotlight set brings Akande David, a soloist guitar player from Nigeria to the stage. Currently at Staffs Uni, Akande David will play solos to popular afrobeats and music from a vast array of African countries

Drumming Circles led by Bruce Ncube – 1pm to 1.20pm & 1.30pm to 1.50pm

Beginners and more experienced players are welcome to these two drumming circles with tasters in playing traditional Southern and West African rhythms. Expect to be embraced by the music, in a space where everyone is part of the team, supported and encouraged to create some drumming joy on the streets of the city centre.

Invisible Umbrellas by Odd Socks Collective – 2.15pm to 3pm

Invisible Umbrellas is a joyous and bitter-sweet journey through the storm of life. Poetry and storytelling from Odd Socks Collective, featuring Shaun Fallows, Helena Ascough and Natasha Tingle.

Ghetto Fabulous – 3.20pm to 4.20pm

Ghetto Fabulous is an arts company whose main aim is to spread JOY. Through all the work Ghetto Fabulous does whether it is theatre, dance or visual arts we want to excite, entertain and bring the PARTY !!!!!!

Six Town Tappers – 4.35pm to 4.45pm

The Six Town Tappers from Stoke were formed in March this year to take part in the Tappin’ in project which brought together over 130 people from nine towns and cities from the Midlands who then all performed at the Birmingham International Dance Festival. The tappers were all beginners and worked once a week over 12 weeks to create a piece on the theme of arrival, home and celebration. They rehearsed at Fenton Town Hall – the home of Restoke Company – and are now carrying on as a group creating new pieces. The group is open to everyone and is free to attend. They are currently working on a Charleston piece which will celebrate the 100 year anniversary of the building of the cenotaph in Fenton in 1922, dedicated to those who lost their lives in World War 1.

Access and Useful info

• Listen to the audio introduction to Odd Socks here
• Content Warning: the performance of Odd Socks mentions loneliness, refugees and bombs
• View full Big Feast access guidance here
• View the Big Feast map and brochure here

About the Big Feast

We are so proud to bring you the next serving of The Big Feast! Join us on Friday 26 and Saturday 27 August as we showcase the very best local and national talent in Stoke-on-Trent City Centre (Hanley)!

The Big Feast is delivered by Appetite and supported by Stoke-on-Trent BID (Business Improvement District), Stoke-on-Trent City Council and The Without Walls Touring Network Partnership.

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Venue

Address

Big Feast ’22: Capoeira & Drumming Drop-in

by Art Brasil

Get ready to MOVE & GROOVE with the team from ART BRASIL! Explore the movements and music of CAPOEIRA, the unique Brazilian fusion of martial art and dance.

Sat 27 Aug:

11.45am to 1.45pm – Smithfield (map pin: 13)

Access and Useful info

• View full Big Feast access guidance here
• View the Big Feast map and brochure here

About the Big Feast

We are so proud to bring you the next serving of The Big Feast! Join us on Friday 26 and Saturday 27 August as we showcase the very best local and national talent in Stoke-on-Trent City Centre (Hanley)!

The Big Feast is delivered by Appetite and supported by Stoke-on-Trent BID (Business Improvement District), Stoke-on-Trent City Council and The Without Walls Touring Network Partnership.

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