By Jerome Whittingham
In a recent interview with community arts podcasters Siobhan Mcaleer and Ryan Ball for a Stoke Creates special commission, Isla Telford, one of three directors of Urban Wilderness CIC, shared the inspiring journey and impact of the organisation’s work in Longton, Stoke-on-Trent. Urban Wilderness, which Isla co-founded six years ago, has become a significant force in the local arts scene, with a mission to revitalise the area through community-based, participatory projects.
The vision for Urban Wilderness was rooted in the desire to transform neglected spaces in Stoke-on-Trent into vibrant community hubs. Initially focused on working with young people in brownfield sites and green spaces across the city, the pandemic prompted a strategic shift towards Longton. As Isla explained, the pandemic’s impact on already struggling areas like Longton was severe, exacerbating issues such as high street deprivation and the disbanding of volunteer groups. In response, Urban Wilderness decided to concentrate their efforts on regenerative work in Longton, turning their focus from storage to active community engagement.
A pivotal project in this transformation has been the “What If?” initiative, funded by Arts Council England. This year-long project aimed to explore how art could improve the lives of Longton residents. One of the standout outcomes was the revival of the Longton Carnival, inspired by a local heritage story about a pig being driven through town by the mayor in the 1880s. The carnival, which Isla describes as ‘a colourful, joyous celebration of Longton’, has seen remarkable success. It attracted 8,000 people in its first year and 20,000 in its second, highlighting the community’s enthusiasm and the event’s growing significance.
The carnival’s success is a testament to the power of community-led initiatives in reinvigorating local culture. Isla acknowledges that not all projects have been as well-received, but the carnival’s popularity has exceeded expectations, with locals embracing it as a symbol of pride and identity. This response emphasises a broader point Isla makes about the importance of grassroots, ground-up approaches in Stoke-on-Trent, a city characterised by its polycentric structure of six towns. Unlike other cities where large-scale cultural events are often driven by city councils, Stoke-on-Trent’s cultural scene thrives on community-led efforts, a dynamic that Urban Wilderness exemplifies.
Isla also reflects on her experiences visiting Hull and Bradford, cities that have undergone significant transformation as part of their City of Culture initiatives. While recognising the differences in scale – Stoke-on-Trent’s projects operate on a much smaller budget – Isla finds inspiration in the partnership work and the enduring impact these initiatives have had on local communities. She emphasises the need for Stoke-on-Trent’s arts organisations to be ambitious in seeking funding and building partnerships, despite the challenges of working in a city that lacks the centralised support seen in other cities.
One of the key takeaways from Isla’s work at Urban Wilderness is the importance of local empowerment. She advocates for shifting the focus from ‘inclusion’ to ‘empowerment’ in the arts, arguing that true diversity in the arts can only be achieved by sharing power and championing the work of those already making significant contributions in the community.
Urban Wilderness continues to be a beacon of creativity and resilience in Longton. Through projects like the Longton Carnival, the Urban Wilderness team are not just revitalising spaces, they are also building a sense of community pride and engagement that is crucial for the area’s future. As Isla aptly puts it, the work they do is about more than just art, it’s about making life better for everyone involved.
Website: Urban Wilderness CIC