Spode site hailed as driver of Stoke-on-Trent’s creative and digital future
Spode site hailed as driver of Stoke-on-Trent’s creative and digital future
Businesses at Stoke-on-Trent’s historic Spode unveiled sector-leading hi-tech plans for the future during a visit by Minister of State for Creative Industries, Arts and Tourism, Chris Bryant MP.
The visit highlighted how the city’s creative industries are powering regeneration and positioning Stoke-on-Trent to secure new opportunities, including a bid for formal Creative Cluster status which aims to lever in millions of pounds worth of investment in skills and research.
Mr Bryant toured the site where preparations are underway for the globally significant British Ceramics Biennial (BCB) – the UK’s leading contemporary ceramics festival.
He also visited Claybody Theatre, the award-winning company telling Stoke-on-Trent’s stories through new writing and met with developers Dog & Bone, who have transformed dilapidated pottery factory buildings into a thriving creative and hospitality community on the site.
He also met businesses in the city’s growing Createch cluster, which fuses creativity with digital innovation to drive skills, enterprise and jobs.
Gareth Snell, MP for Stoke-on-Trent Central, who hosted the visit, said: “The Spode site is more than a historic landmark – it’s a catalyst for creativity. From Claybody Theatre telling the stories of our city, to the British Ceramics Biennial putting Stoke-on-Trent on the world stage, to our emerging Createch community driving digital transformation, this is where our heritage and our future come together.
“The work taking place here shows that Stoke-on-Trent can be at the forefront of the UK’s creative and digital economy. Spode has the potential to power regeneration, create opportunities for local people, and put our city right at the heart of Britain’s digital transformation.”
Andy Jackson, founder of award-winning digital agency i-creation and a lead partner in the Createch cluster, told the minister how the city’s creative businesses were serving a global client list through fast-moving research and development including gaming tech and harnessing capabilities of artificial intelligence.
He said: “Our partnership with Staffordshire University and Stoke-on-Trent City Council means we are now in a strong position to bid for formal Creative Cluster status.
“Achieving this would bring significant benefits to the city – unlocking new investment, strengthening research and innovation, and helping local businesses scale and compete nationally and internationally.”
The Minister’s visit reinforced the national importance of Stoke-on-Trent’s cultural and digital assets, with the Spode site central to the city’s ambition to grow as a hub of creativity, innovation and investment.