Upcoming Events and Workshops
There is still time to get involved in Who Is Molly Leigh!
Join us this weekend as we kick off our workshops and rehearsals:
Friday 11th July, 4–8pm - Meet the team, hear about all the ways you can take part, and sign up
Saturday 12th July, 10.30am–1pm - Creative writing workshop with former Birmingham poet Laureate @jasminegardosi
Saturday 12th July, 1-5pm - Rehearsals & making
Sunday 13th July, 10am-5pm - Rehearsals & making
There are lots of ways to get involved:
Join the choir (open to women & gender-diverse people)
Perform with the acting team
Be a puppeteer
Help make sets & props
Play music or sing
Volunteer behind the scenes (front of house, stewarding)
…and more!
Our intensive workshop and rehearsal period is 11th–22nd July*
Performances are 23rd–27th July 2025*
*You do not have to be available for all rehearsal/workshop dates and you do not have to do every single show
Lunch & refreshments are provided
Travel expenses are available
Age 18+
To get involved, email kath.stanway@b-arts.org.uk or text/call 07544 814720
Find out more - https://www.b-arts.org.uk/who-is-molly-leigh
Bread in Common Cafe and Community Pantry, every Friday 12-2pm
Pay as you feel Cafe. All dishes made using surplus waste food. 3 course meal, you decide what to pay.
Suggested donation £5, drinks charged separately.
Community pantry with surplus food through supermarket fareshare scheme - no referral needed.
A chance to meet people and connect with B arts
Have you spotted the new mural on Hartshill Road yet?
As part of our Pockets of Paradise project, we were really excited to commission a new piece of street art to be the centre piece of the garden planned for this corner site in Stoke, by the brilliant artist @eloisegillow
The piece was inspired by a section of the nearby Hartshill Park - we wanted the artwork to celebrate the beautitful nature spots on our doorstep. We also wanted to celebrate the joy of being outside and playing in nature. To help us with this some local children and young people took part in a photoshoot with Eloise to test out ideas and inspire the final piece. Thank you so much to the intrepid young people who joined us!
We've been following Eloise's fantastic work for sometime and looking for the right wall for her phenomonal talent (thanks to the private landlord who agreed to let us use this one). Eloise who is orginally from Stone, Staffordshire, has work across Europe and we're so excited to have this mural right here in Stoke.
Do check out https://www.eloisegillow.com for more of her fantastic work and look out for the next step of the project where we'll be adding a garden to the site designed by artist and horticulturalist Su Hurrell.
The Pockets of Paradise project is part of the Stoke High Street Accelerator programme funded by the UK Government and Stoke-on-Trent City Council.
To find out more about the Pockets of Paradise project-bringing neglected sites back into use and how to get involved visit
https://www.b-arts.org.uk/pockets-of-paradise or contact Rebecca.frankenberg@b-arts.org.uk
Men Who Make Things
A weekly creative making and well-being space for men with B arts Studio Artists Dan and Rich
Wednesday evenings 6-8pm
Sessions continue from Wednesday 16th July 2025.
From carpentry, to metal work, to foam prop making, the B arts studio team will run various making sessions but they also want to hear from you, and what you’re interested in!
Find out more - b-arts.org.uk/b-arts-studio
B arts Studio, B arts, 72 Hartshill Road, Stoke, ST4 7RB
There is a bus stop right outside our building
Any questions, and to let us know you’re coming please email - menwhomakethings@b-arts.org.uk
Help Make a Centenary Canals Show
Performer and Writer Workshop
Saturday 28th June 10am-4.30pm
At B. ARTS 72 Hartshill Road Stoke, ST4 7RB
ALARUM PRODUCTIONS & B. ARTS are working on a NEW performance about the CANALS in Stoke-On-Trent. In the workshop you will find out more about the show, explore local stories and archive material, help bring these to life through performance. Everyone welcome - no experience needed. Lunch and refreshments provided and travel expenses available.
To find out more and get involved as a volunteer performer contact Rebecca at B. ARTS on 07557 797695 // Rebecca.frankenberg@b-arts.org.uk
Thank you to National Lottery Heritage Fund for supporting the show
Who Is Molly Leigh?
A new community opera exploring the legend of accused witch Molly Leigh at B.ARTS in Stoke in July 2025
Through immersive music and storytelling, we will explore local history from the perspective of women and those excluded by society for being 'different' to find out, "Who is Molly Leigh?"
Composed and Written by Francesca Le Lohe and Gareth Mattey, the opera is creatively produced by B.ARTS and co-created with members of the local community.
B.ARTS, 64-72 Hartshill Road, Stoke, ST4 7RB
Tickets are "Pay what you can".
Get your tickets now - ticketsource.co.uk/b-arts
This is an immersive, promenade piece where audiences choose their own route through the opera.
Recommended 12+
Youth Cabaret
B.ARTS and The Ford Green Team present...
YOUTH CABARET
A 6 week project for YOUNG PEOPLE aged 11-18 exploring the hidden histories of Stoke, and turning those stories into a unique, surrealist CABARET
To be performed at the end of the 6 weeks.
As part of our ongoing work in Smallthorne this summer holidays
Join us from Thursday 24th July, every week throughout the holidays,
1.30pm - 4pm
St Werburgh
High Lane, Burslem ST6 7AH.
For more info and to sign your young person up
contact martin.gooding@b-arts.org.uk
ABBEY HULTON
B.ARTS have teamed up again with the amazing Sutton Trust Community Group
To bring you TWO amazing activities for young people TOTALLY FREE at The Betty Rushton Community Garden
Saturday 19th July - 11am - 3pm stuntman and parkour wizard Tom Jackson returns with flips, vaults and cartwheels aplenty.
Saturday 2nd August - 11am - 3pm Stoke Sideshow heroes Circus in a Box make their garden debut to put us through our paces...
For more info contact Martin Gooding
martin.gooding@b-arts.org.uk
Pockets of Paradise
Save the date for our next event with Felipe Molina from Birmingham Mother Garden Network
Getting Started with Climate Resilient and Perennial Crops
Saturday 2nd August 2-4pm
B. ARTS, 72 Hartshill Road, Stoke, ST4 7RB
Thank you to everyone who came to our first event - an introduction to Mother Garden's back on 13th May we've included some pictures of the session and the wonderful visual notes taken by James Fox Creative.
To let us know you're coming and stay up to date you can join the next event here: https://www.facebook.com/events/1253475529479244
The event is part of a series of talks and events to support individual and community growing projects in Stoke.
To find out more about the wider Pockets of Paradise project and how to get involved visit
https://www.b-arts.org.uk/pockets-of-paradise or contact Rebecca.frankenberg@b-arts.org.uk