Stoke-on-Trent City Centre Business Improvement District (BID) has recently awarded their fourth round of CREATE Funds awarding 10 local organizations, community groups and individuals with £3000 each towards business ideas, initiatives, and events within the City Centre. Depending on the nature of the application, awards are provided from either the CREATE Art or CREATE Business fund.
The CREATE Funds are designed for applicants who already have a strongly developed idea for a City Centre business idea but need a small amount of revenue funding to develop, test and launch their initiative.
All projects submitted had to align with the BID’s strategic aims and were assessed against the following:
• Increase footfall within the BID area
• Raise awareness of the City Centre’s unique offerings
• Enhance and improve the experience of those visiting the BID area
• Deliver a strong marketing offer to highlight Stoke-on-Trent City Centre’s hidden gems
• Increase the safety of those visiting the BID area
• Provide a cleaner and greener environment to attract visitors
• Reduce anti-social behavior and crime within the BID area
• Enhance and improve the streetscape of the BID area
Paul Williams, Lead Director for the BID's Place Marketing priority commented:
"Over the past few years Stoke-on-Trent City Centre BID’s Create Fund has enabled arts, cultural and community-based organisations to bring some exciting events and pop-up installations to the City Centre. In line with our place marketing ambitions, I am delighted that this year’s Create Art Fund is once again helping local groups to create activities and experiences to entice more people to the City Centre, dwell longer and explore what’s happening in our shops, hospitality venues and public spaces".
Saturday 25 June, FRONTLINEdance performed "Soundness of Heart" - the finale, one of the events benefiting from the BIDS CREATE Art Fund.
A cast of professional and community dancers and musicians took to the streets to perform a one off show to celebrate the Queen's Platinum Jubilee inspired by the thoughts and advice the Queen has given over the years whilst drawing parallels with FRONTLNEdance’s own ethos and being.
FRONTLINEdance is an artist-led company based in Stoke-on-Trent, placing disabled people and those with long-term health conditions at the core of their organization as leaders, dancers, artists, and audiences. They do this with heart, skill, and inclusive practice, producing participatory and performance programs in the community and in health care settings.
Rachel, Artistic Director from FRONTLinedance said:
"We were really excited to bring all of our groups together and welcome new participants and audience members to FRONTLINEdance. This project was a special one as we celebrate our 20th Birthday. It was a great opportunity for us to celebrate FRONTLINEdance and all that we have achieved together with an intergenerational cast, with a public performance that animates our City Centre. We very much appreciate the support of the SOT BID team and the CREATE Fund."
Altar, Hair & Beauty Salon on Piccadilly has also been awarded with £3000 CREATE business funding. Altar already houses some fantastic new independent businesses (That Laser Place, The Loft Makeup and Beauty Studio) with a wide range of treatments that include, Luxury facials, Pregnancy massage, Laser hair removal, Luxury manicures and Pedicures.
The salon is currently undergoing renovations with plans to expand the space creating a City Centre one stop beauty hub. Additional funding from the BID’s Create Fund is being used to complete the final part of the salon renovations and transforming of an additional room. The expansion will not only bring more visitors to the Cultural Quarter but will also boast new employment opportunities for the City Centre
Sara Williams, CEO of Staffordshire Chambers and Lead Director for the BID’s Business Community Support priority added:
“The CREATE Funds are a chance for the BID to give a real helping hand to those who are keen to make a positive difference within the City Centre.
Along with the rest of the BID Board, I am wholly in favour of any initiative that can be of benefit to potential entrepreneurs and creatives, and I am excited to see positive contributions made to the lives of those living, working and visiting the City Centre through the business ideas and initiatives that this fund will help deliver”
Awards have also been awarded to the following:
- Dust Rising – A visual arts project based in Stoke-on-Trent is applying funding towards 'DR22' - a pop up art exhibition aimed to explore and highlight the role that the arts and creative people have in regeneration and the development of a thriving business sector post Covid 19. The exhibition will showcase work from commissioned artists living or associated with the City and will open in September 2022
- Artists Rob Fenton and Tom Edwards from We Are Culla are commissioning a mixture of local & national artists to create four large scale artworks at key gateways into the City Centre. We Are Culla’s application featured a clear intention to further the offer of public art for anyone visiting the BID area, as well as enticing new visitors into the City Centre. Work is on track to be completed towards the end of July.
- Longrest Board Game Bar on Cheapside has been awarded the fund to help expand their offering and finance a new coffee machine.
- Singing Teacher Loren Searcy opened the doors to ‘The Song Loft’ in February 2022, a brand-new music school situated on Broad Street, Hanley. The school aims to provide professional music tuition with a modern approach from their stylish New York Loft inspired space in the City Centre. The school creates a hub of creativity and additional funding from The BID has allowed Loren to purchase a new stage, PA system, soundproofing, and Website.
- AIRSPACE Gallery, project space and studios will be creating a new analogue print resource for creatives in the City. Owners, David Bethell and Andrew Brandscombe are keen to create a self-sustaining business housed in their gallery which is situated on Broad Street in the City Centre. The space will centre around a new Risograph machine, a flatbed etching press and Adana letterpresses. The beginning of a new journey which the owners hope will conclude in an ensuring creative resource - a unique offering to the City Centre.
- Katrina Wilde in partnership with Natalia Kasprzycka and Jessica Mason Ceramics will be running a selection of workshops Soil - Clay - Cloth throughout the year. The workshops are built around seasonal activities encouraging participants to experience connection with the natural world around them.
- Etruria Artists were awarded £3000 to support the event “Animal Apocalypse’ at Bethesda Chapel on July 3rd. - Animal Apocalypse is a musical look at the plight of our planet. Words will be performed by renowned, international actor Sean O`Callaghan with music from The Clay Chorus community choir
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