We were hugely disappointed that the new TOURIST GUIDES for Stoke, the delightful Sandy and Mandy, had to take their lovely pop-up tourist kiosk home, days after launching in the town.  🙎🏻‍♀️🙎🏾‍♂️
But not wanting those super-trendy outfits, and Mandy's gorgeous glasses, to go unseen they've been busy preparing some entertainment for you online instead so that you can view from the safety of your home.
We hope this will brighten up your day in these difficult times.🤩🥳
The Tourist Guides are performed by Scratch & Sniff Theatre

Following the fun launch day of our Spring programme and the sudden developments to restrict social contact the Festival Stoke team members have been busy working out how we can still deliver the lovely events we had planned for the Spring.  Thankfully, the superb outdoor Art Street artworks were installed in time and you can see them around the town centre of Stoke.  
Sadly, the Tourist Guides are not able to go out and about with their pop-up tourist kiosk, but they are working on creating some online performances for you to enjoy at home.  
The brilliant Mapzine will not be available until people are able to go out and about in shops and public spaces, but we will keep them safe in their box, so you can pick up a copy later in the year.
Art Stop workshops are being rescheduled, hopefully beginning in August and running through to October.
Our showcase performance event Mysterious Moth thankfully can be rescheduled for the autumn, and the artists and performers will be busy working on make it a super-special event in the meantime.  (In a safe way of course).
Obviously this depends on how the coronavirus situation develops but we hope to bring you some more lovely, bright and fun arts activities before the year is out. 
And do keep your eye on our social media feeds for upbeat and positive content. @festivalstoke
Take care everyone and stay well.
The Festival Stoke Team 

Coronavirus – advice for participants in Festival Stoke projects and events (groups, staff, volunteers).
We are taking precautions to lower the risk of becoming infected with Coronavirus as much as we can during Festival Stoke activities and events. Planned activities will go ahead as scheduled but if we do have to cancel an event because of Coronavirus, then we will contact you in advance to let you know, where we can. Please check our Facebook Page, social media or website (https://www.festivalstoke.co.uk) for updates. 
 
We ask you to please help us in lowering this risk by observing these steps:

1. Please don’t attend a Festival Stoke activity or event if:

• You are feeling unwell or suspect that you may have Coronavirus symptoms, instead please visit https://111.nhs.uk/covid-19 and follow medical advice.
• You have recently visited an at-risk country and have not yet self-isolated. Information about international travel and self-isolation can be found at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/covid-19-specified-countries-and-areas/covid-19-specified-countries-and-areas-with-implications-for-returning-travellers-or-visitors-arriving-in-the-uk

1. If you have attended a Festival Stoke activity or event and then feel unwell afterwards, please visit the NHS111 link above and follow medical advice. 

 
If any of the above steps apply to you then it’s really important to let Festival Stoke know about the situation. Please contact us on info@festivalstoke.co.uk or 01782 714776.

Festival Stoke Spring Programme opens with the launch of Art Street on Saturday 14th March
11am - 3pm, Stoke town centre.

Art Street will feature multiple large artworks in the town centre and main streets of Stoke:
'Essence' celebrates the secret stars of the city with fantastic sculptures created from natural and upcycled materials.
'Surfaces' highlights the town's favourite buildings with bright hand-created graphic banners.
On the day there will be:
Mapzine guided walks around town including viewing the Art works with the zany 'Tourists' street theatre.
The Tourist Guides street performers will be on hand outside the library with lots of information and will take you on a guided tour of Art Street! 
Free Bean can decorating and planting at Art Stop with Rachel Ballard and Jess Byron and ‘Space to Connect’ Cafe at Bread in Common. (Both at 72 Hartshill Rd). 
​Artist Shiv will be doing a creative Moth activity in the market.

We are delighted to announce our partnership with EMR (East Midland Railway) for the Spring Events programme.  It's easy to travel to Stoke by train from one of the stops along the 50 mile route across North Staffordshire from Crewe to Derby, and you can book your tickets direct from our website, click here:

• Derby 
• Uttoxeter
• Tutbury & Hatton
• Blythe Bridge
• Stoke-on-Trent
• Longport
• Kidsgrove
• Alsager
• Crewe

Stoke town centre is only a five minute walk from the station which makes it a great option for visiting.

Artist Rebecca Davies was spotted out and about in Stoke's pubs last week sketching images for the Festival's alternative guide to Stoke.  
The Mapzine,as we are calling it, will be large alternative artist-designed tourist guide to Stoke - like a map, but like a zine too (that's a trendy magazine loved by artists in case you were wondering!).
They will be free to take home as a lovely work-of-art featuring some of the best things about the town of Stoke.

We've just received some beautiful charcoal drawings of moths from artist and ceramicist Denise O'Sullivan.  Plans are taking shape for something wonder-full and mysterious this May.  Keep a look out on our social media sites @festivalstoke for more news, and remember, to #bemoremoth.

Art Street artist Richard Redwin is looking for unwanted pallets, small items of furniture with interesting markings, rope and pieces of wood - during January and February 2020.

The items will be recycled and reused in the art installation ‘Essence’ which will feature the 12 Secret Stars chosen from your nominations.
If you can help please comment with details or send us a message on facebook or email info@festivalstoke.co.uk if you can help, thank you!

Festival Stoke is looking for 12 Secret Stars of Stoke-on-Trent to feature in a public art project in Stoke Town Centre in Spring 2020.  Is there someone you could nominate?  Watch the video and click the link to fill in the online form.  But hurry!  it ends 10am on Friday 6th December 2019.
Sorry but the nominations have now closed.  Thank you to everyone who nominated a potential 'secret star'.

Do you know someone from Stoke-on-Trent who volunteers, raises money for a good cause, supports somebody in need, does good things in their community or puts others before themselves?
This is your opportunity to nominate someone who is doing good things for others, but as yet, hasn't been publicly celebrated for what they do.

Festival Stoke are looking for twelve Secret Stars of Stoke-on-Trent who are doing some of the following:

• Making a positive contribution to their community
• Doing good for other people
• Always thinking about other people 

Those selected will feature in a Festival Stoke commissioned public art project in Stoke town centre in March 2020, which will create twelve temporary statues/portraits, celebrating those from Stoke-on-Trent who are doing positive things for others.  Nominating someone is easy and doesn’t take much time at all.
To nominate someone, complete this online nomination form by following this link https://forms.gle/v9YRkQ2jBoPkNrBG7 
Alternatively, you can download a nomination form via the link below and email your submission to info@festivalstoke.co.uk 
Deadline: 10am Fri 6 Dec 2019
If you have any questions about the project, please contact Festival Stoke on email: info@festivalstoke.co.uk 

​Please note: As we are committed to equality and diversity, we want to attract a wide range of nominations so that the project can include people from the diverse communities of Stoke-On-Trent