Stoke Creates CASCADE project
CASCADE is our aspirational co-created project which aims to transform Stoke-on-Trent’s arts ecology.
Funded by significant initial investment from Arts Council England, and complemented by further financial input from the government’s Shared Prosperity Fund, the CASCADE initiative spans three years as the first phase of an emerging ten-year strategic plan. CASCADE launched in Autumn 2023.
The project’s aim is to nurture a skilled, connected, and sustainable arts sector that reaches and represents underrepresented communities, enhancing digital skills and increasing sector sustainability.
Four arts organisations are co-creating four ‘Cultural Action Zones’ (CAZs) across three high streets and one zone specifically designed for and with children and young people. The key purpose of each CAZ is to revitalise and transform the arts ecology in specific high-street areas and for targeted community groups. Each zone will have a unique theme and set of offerings, with insights and learnings shared and extended in subsequent phases – ‘cascaded’.
Our Cultural Action Zones
Stoke Town CAZ
Led by B arts, this zone will feature “The Secret Library: Tales from a Town,” focusing on blending the heritage of Stoke town with imaginative storytelling and creative expression. It aims to explore and value the heritage and potential futures of the town through innovative storytelling methods, involving local heritage, community, and cultural organisations in co-creation.
Longton Centre CAZ
Urban Wilderness will spearhead this zone, emphasising biodiversity and environmental engagement through creative means. Activities will include storytelling, sculpture, photography, and carnival pageantry, aiming to reimagine and enrich local green spaces and engage the community in biodiversity uplift narratives. This zone is particularly focused on involving the community in environmental sustainability through artistic expression.
City Centre CAZ
Appetite will lead a program named REMIX, aimed at young people and families. It seeks to transform the city centre – Hanley – into a digitally interactive environment, involving local partnerships, technologists, and artists to engage the community creatively.
CAZ for Children and Young People
This zone will engage children and young people in the arts, potentially through digital means and participatory events. This CAZ will be integrated with educational initiatives and designed to foster young creative talents and interests.
Co-created innovation
CASCADE’s innovative approach not only aims to enrich the local arts scene but also strives for inclusivity, engaging a significant portion of freelancers and aiming to touch the lives of thousands of local residents through various forms of participation and engagement.
Through the CAZs, the Stoke Creates CASCADE project seeks to make arts accessible where people live, addressing barriers to cultural engagement by working with local organisations that have proven expertise in co-creation.
