The Appetite arts project has been awarded a grant of £1.75 million to expand its work into Newcastle.
Appetite has been running in Stoke-on-Trent since 2013, and has seen 460,000 people get involved in a programme of events in the city’s parks, town centres, markets and hospitals. It has featured local, national and international artists and has included The Enchanted Chandelier, a floating concert in the sky over Central Forest Park, and Museum of the Moon, an epic lunar installation in the Kings Hall.
The project has also delivered the Homecoming circus event in Newcastle (pictured above) in partnership with Newcastle Business Improvement District (BID). The funding from the Arts Council’s Creative People and Places Programme now means that Newcastle will see a whole host of Appetite-led arts events over the next four years.
Newcastle BID is one of the Appetite project’s consortium partners, along with the New Vic Theatre, Keele University, Staffordshire University, Partners in Creative Learning, Six Towns Radio and Go Kidsgrove.
Exciting projects
Amy Williams, Newcastle BID manager, said: “The Homecoming events over the last few years have showcased just what Appetite can deliver, so I’m delighted that the funding bid has been successful and that their work in Newcastle will be expanded. This is fantastic news and I look forward to working with Appetite on some very exciting projects over the next few years.”
Gemma Thomas, Appetite director, said: “Our six years working with people in Stoke-on-Trent has proven that local people have an appetite for art that is relevant to them and their families. We love working with our partners and local people to come up with events and projects and look forward to doing so with people in Newcastle-under-Lyme. We’re looking forward to expanding our work for the next four years with our Newcastle partners whilst continuing our work in Stoke-on-Trent.”
