Month: February 2025

FRONTLINE Arts Festival – “What’s All the FAF About? Event! (#FAF2025)

FRIDAY EVENT: Join us at the wonderful Potteries Museum & Arts Gallery (PMAG) in Stoke-on-Trent for an exciting day of performances, panel discussions, and connecting with international, national and regional disabled and neurodivergent artists.

Featured artists include: Kris Halpin (https://dyskinetic.net), Dave Steele (https://www.theblindpoet.net), Cat McGill (catmcgill.uk), Kayleigh Price, Amy Harrison.

🗓️ Date: Friday 28th February 2025

⏰ Time: Arrive for refreshments from 10am, with the event starting promptly at 10.30am. The event lasts until 4:30pm

📍 Location: The Potteries Museum & Arts Gallery. Bethesda St, Hanley, Stoke-on-Trent. Staffordshire. ST1 3DW.

Cost: The festival is ‘pay as you can’, meaning you can select your chosen donation amount when booking. Suggested £2.50 – £50. CARERS are FREE please email hello@frontlinedance.co.uk with the name and number of FREE careers tickets that you require.

Lunch: A FREE vegan lunch will be provided. Please select at checkout if you would like it. In an effort to reduce our environmental impact, we’d like to ask all attendees to bring their own hot and cold drinks cup/bottle. Thank You.

Tickets can be booked at: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/frontline-arts-festival-legacy-event-faf2025-tickets-1224711819019?aff=oddtdtcreator

Showcasing the talent of UK d/DEAF, disabled and neurodivergent artists, #FAF2025 event will include a range of performances, arts and sound installations, including spoken word, dance, music, poetry, film, sculptures, photographs, drawings and paintings. It will premiere two FRONTLINEdance commissions and one commission by Appetite.

There will also be the chance to connect with local d/Deaf, disabled and neurodivergent charities, hear from our featured artists, connect with others in a speed networking session, and engage in a panel discussion.

The whole programme including Saturday and Sunday activities, can be found below. It includes performances for disabled children and their families, DJ Soca Haze, and meet the commissioned artists on Sunday. Throughout the weekend, FAF exhibition will be in the Sculpture Court. You only need to book for Friday and Saturday’s Explorers in Training show.

Accessibility
👉  The Potteries Museum & Art Gallery is fully wheelchair accessible, on the ground floor, and has disabled parking close by*
👉  BSL interpretation
👉  Audio description (please select as a ticket add-on when booking so we can ensure we have enough headsets)
👉  Chill out room
👉  Bean bags to sit or lie down
👉  Sighted Guiders
👉  Touch tours & visual tours (times and more information to follow)
👉  Easy Read Information and Visual Stories

*Parking ……. We’ll give you a number to call a little nearer to the time if you experience any issues parking on the day.

Entry to the PMAG can be made via the main doors on Bethesda Street or via a buzzer system next to the spitfire gallery which has glass windows near to the blue badge spaces. FRONTLINE Arts Volunteers will be on the door, to support and guide anyone who needs it.

Parking: *There are FREE blue badge spaces at the PMAG. You need to access them from Warners Street. As you enter the one way system on Warner Street, drive past the PMAG on your left, and then take your first left into the car park…drive straight then turn left until you reach the marked bays. Blue Badge parking can also be located on Warner Street, and Broad Street.

There are a number of car parks, close by. The ones on broad street are the closest and are reasonably priced. The museum is a short walk from Hanley Bus Station, or a 20-minute walk / 12 minute bus journey from Stoke Train Station. You can plan your train journey at Trainline.

If you require any further access information or support, please email hello@frontlinedance.co.uk so we can put it in place for you ahead of the festival.

#FAF2025 is open to all, and is set to be an exciting opportunity to experience new work and join in discussions about creativity and the arts. We look forward to seeing you there! We’d be grateful if you could share our event with anyone who you think might be interested. You can also share and tag us on social media using the handle @frontlinedance1

Volunteering at #FAF2025

We’re looking for volunteers to get involved!
Roles will include stewarding and event support, to help make sure the day is enjoyable and engaging for everyone. We’re also interested in hearing from volunteers who’d like to help creatively document the day, whether snapping photos, penning poetry, or filming the action.

If you’re interested in volunteering, please drop us an email at hello@frontlinedance.co.uk to have a chat about how you can get involved.

FRONTLINEdance welcomes donations so we can continue commissioning d/DEAF, disabled and neurodivergent artists and putting on events like this. You can make a donation here: https://www.peoplesfundraising.com/wall/frontlinedance or you can select your chosen donation amount when booking.

FRONTLINEdance is appreciative to be working in partnership with Appetite, StokeCreates and Potteries Museum & Arts Gallery to make FRONTLINE Arts Festival – “What’s all the FAF about?” happen again this year. FRONTLINEdance is an Arts Council England National Portfolio Organisation, funding thanks to taxpayers plays a huge part in supporting our work.