Stoke-on-Trent under the spotlight at Centenary Heritage Festival

A ceramic symposium, a Northern Soul exhibition and new heritage events will feature in a jam-packed festival which will shine a spotlight on Stoke-on-Trent’s past, present and future.

The Stoke-on-Trent 100: Heritage Festival for the Centenary, which is being jointly organised by the city council and key partners, is launching in 2025 – as the city celebrates 100 years since receiving official city status.

It follows a successful bid for £186,000 from The National Lottery Heritage Fund.

Between now and March 2026, 17 heritage projects will be taking place which will highlight Stoke-on-Trent’s World Craft City status, showcase the work which has been delivered through the Living Heritage City initiative, and outline the city’s ambitions for heritage in the future.

Councillor Lyn Sharpe, Stoke-on-Trent City Council’s heritage champion, said: “Anyone who knows me knows I love Stoke-on-Trent - so it’s great to be able to celebrate our heritage during our Centenary year and beyond.

“There’s loads of different events taking place across the city throughout 2025 and there’s something for everyone.

“So, keep your eyes peeled for more information about the events in the coming months.”

Projects include:

• A two-day Ceramic Symposium curated by Professor Neil Brownsword and Dr Alasdair Brooks of Re-Form Heritage at Jubilee Hall
• A photographic exhibition showcasing the city and its people over the last century with a series of historical walking tours at Stoke Minster
• An audio documentary exhibition at Stoke-on-Trent Railway Station highlighting the city’s role in the Northern Soul movement
• The creation of new heritage based performance pieces and
• The development of new family-friendly workshops at Ford Green Hall

Lynne Ball, Chair of the Heritage Network for Stoke-on-Trent, said: “The Heritage Network for Stoke-on-Trent brings together heritage groups and the owners of heritage sites across the city to work together and learn from each other.

“The Heritage Open Days festival in September provides a unique opportunity to highlight the heritage of The Potteries and provide free access to historic sites and special events.

“Thanks to The National Lottery Heritage Fund and National Lottery players for this support, which will build significantly upon our local success, involving more organisations, hosting more events and attracting more visitors to help celebrate our city’s centenary year.”

For more information about the city’s Centenary celebrations, visit www.sot100.org.

The full list of events which are taking place as part of the Stoke-on-Trent 100: A Heritage Festival for the Centenary are:

• A two-day Ceramic Symposium curated by Professor Neil Brownsword and Dr Alasdair Brooks at Jubilee Hall. This will be linked to a co-curated exhibition on ceramic collections from Jingdezhen (China) and Spode Museum.
• A recollecting of canal heritage through the creation of an original piece of promenade theatre, devised and researched together with community groups, and performed in a heritage venue.
• A reshowing of Sam Ivin’s ‘Settling Project’, which navigates the topic of human migration to Stoke-on-Trent
• An event at the Victoria Hall showcasing the musical work of schools celebrating the heritage of their communities
• A commemoration of the Abolition of the Slave Trade and impact for inland populations with Kwanzaa Collective
• A photographic exhibition showcasing the city and its people over the last century, aligned with a series of historical walking tours around Stoke Minster and the surrounding area.
• An exhibition at Stoke-on-Trent Railway Station, relating to the city’s role in the Northern Soul movement
• The creation of new performance pieces animating the route of the new Living Heritage City Pilot Route by FRONTLINE Dance
• The development of a series of podcasts celebrating Stoke-on-Trent’s Centenary by All the Small Things CIC
• The development of new family history workshops at Ford Green Hall – documenting the Hall’s historical connections to the surrounding nature reserves
• An event at Etruria Industrial Museum, exploring the changes in energy use across the last century
• A new space for exhibitions within The Dudson Museum/Centre for the Arnold Bennett Society.
• Events, open days and workshops devised by Re-Form Heritage, showcasing the current Heritage Development programme across the city and the part Middleport Pottery has played in Stoke-on-Trent’s history. Including open days at Bethesda Methodist Chapel.
• Operational support for the Heritage Open Days programme
• Walks and paddling events devised by Canal and River Trust at Harecastle Tunnel, celebrating the role of canals in Stoke-on-Trent, encouraging community use and raising environmental awareness
• Celebratory events at Gladstone Pottery Museum