Paul Williams @paulwilliams207.bsky.social · 26/09/2026Re-reading Steve Leach’s excellent Twenty Football Towns: ‘Football is an important expression of a place-related collective identity, which operates as an important antidote to our increasingly atomised society.... at its best, it can become a thing of beauty, an art form ... let’s celebrate it!’ 020
Paul Williams @paulwilliams207.bsky.social · 25/09/2026Another insightful meeting with UNESCO UK National Commission’s Accreditations, Policy & Operations Manager to discuss Stoke-on-Trent’s progress in developing its UNESCO Creative City application, and how we’re promoting sustainable urban development through culture and creativity. 121
Paul Williams @paulwilliams207.bsky.social · 21/09/2026That the creative industries are a significant part of Stoke-on-Trent’s economic and cultural future was palpable at the University of Staffordshire Business Awards ceremony attended by more than 360 guests earlier this month. 032
Paul Williams @paulwilliams207.bsky.social · 21/09/2026There is now a renewed sense of pride, passion and optimism across the city and surrounding areas as we quietly and diligently lead our own creative renaissance. 021
Paul Williams @paulwilliams207.bsky.social · 18/09/2026Chair of @artscouncilengland.bsky.social Dawn Airey: “When I was at school you went on cultural trips. It was just accepted that you would go to your local gallery. You can have great art but if there is no access it might as well not be there. That is the challenge.”theguardian.com‘I want us to be loud’: Arts Council England’s new chair aims to reconnect young people with cultureIn first interview since starting job – and after visiting school where arts are central – Dawn Airey says she wants to fix ‘shocking’ lack of access 011
Paul Williams @paulwilliams207.bsky.social · 29/08/2026Priestley continued: ‘unless you are prepared to take a deep and lasting interest on what happens inside those ovens, it would be better for you to take the first train anywhere’. #PotBOD 031
Paul Williams @paulwilliams207.bsky.social · 29/08/2026It’s August 29th. It’s Potteries Bottle Oven Day. A reminder that J.B. Priestley on his English journey in 1933 proclaimed: ‘the pottery kilns and ovens ... without these great bottles of heat, there would be no Potteries. They represent the very heart and soul of the district.’ #PotBOD 072
Paul Williams @paulwilliams207.bsky.social · 22/08/2026Trentham’s historic and contemporary gardens will always be an important drawcard, but it’s how they embrace experiential tourism that will ensure Trentham Estate is propelled into becoming a leading destination for visitors who view the experience economy as a lifestyle choice. 010
Paul Williams @paulwilliams207.bsky.social · 12/08/2026“Nothing less than the rebirth of the advanced ceramics industry in the UK. We have defence needs, we have aerospace needs, we have space needs, and without this facility none of that can be manufactured in this country. It really is a new era for ceramics in the UK.” www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...bbc.co.ukNew £500m centre planned in Keele for advanced ceramics manufacturingThe new facility is being described bringing "a new era" for ceramics manufacturing in the UK. 041
Paul Williams @paulwilliams207.bsky.social · 08/08/2026It’s Saturday. It’s August 8th. It’s officially #OatcakeDay - a celebration of the food of the Gods, the epitome of culinary cultural capital. ‘The famous Staffordshire oatcake is nothing less than a food hero - it has achieved iconic status.’ 141
Paul Williams @paulwilliams207.bsky.social · 07/08/2026It’s Oatcake Day eve so it’s time once again for a little oatcake-inspired poetry from the acclaimed poet and North Staffordshire Polytechnic alumnus Ian McMillan. #OatcakeDay 032
Paul Williams @paulwilliams207.bsky.social · 28/07/2026As Sir Nick Serota revisits Stoke-on-Trent at the end of his tenure as @artscouncilengland.bsky.social chair, it’s pleasing he will hear first-hand how, through a spirit of co-operation, collaboration and co-creation, our cultural organisations are embracing ‘excellence, everywhere, for everyone.’ 021
Paul Williams @paulwilliams207.bsky.social · 30/06/2026Good to catch up with Staffordshire Chambers of Commerce CEO to discuss a myriad cultural, creative industries and heritage-related projects being progressed in Stoke-on-Trent with strategic partners and how these might align with our UNESCO Creative City application. #Future100 #HeritageEmergency 141
Reposted by Paul WilliamsPaul Williams @paulwilliams207.bsky.social · 27/06/2026Crucially, the ‘Kaleidoscope: A year in motion’ exhibition at One Bethesda is an opportunity for Pinc College’s neurodiverse students to elevate the importance of their project work, created in response to live briefs, in a public space where the quality & authenticity of the art speaks for itself. 031
Reposted by Paul WilliamsDavid Higham @oldtrotter.bsky.social · 28/06/2026Well worth a visit. Discover the multiple ways in which working in the pottery industry would damage your health. Allowing the pot banks to cool too much cost money so workers were sent in when they were too hot, then there was the lead in the paint used for decoration and the dust from the clay. 44816
Reposted by Paul WilliamsIan R. Pearsall @ianrpearsall.bsky.social · 26/06/2026When we lived opposite the park we jokingly referred to it as our garden and walked it every day. Brass band on a Sunday after the Lottery Grant restoration.. ended in lockdown, where crowds came out for their ‘hour’ ..the centre-piece Pavillion building designed by Dan Gibson in 1896 is a beauty! 1417
Paul Williams @paulwilliams207.bsky.social · 27/06/2026Crucially, the ‘Kaleidoscope: A year in motion’ exhibition at One Bethesda is an opportunity for Pinc College’s neurodiverse students to elevate the importance of their project work, created in response to live briefs, in a public space where the quality & authenticity of the art speaks for itself. 031
Paul Williams @paulwilliams207.bsky.social · 26/06/2026If you’ve never visited, Gladstone is a preserved Victorian pottery which provides ‘a fascinating window into a time when British crafts were in huge demand’ and ‘its cobbled yard and huge bottle kilns create an atmospheric time warp which has no equal’. daily-focus.co.uk/2026/06/tv-f...daily-focus.co.ukTV-famous Gladstone Pottery Museum beats national giants in UK’s best museums list - Daily FocusStoke-on-Trent’s Gladstone Pottery Museum has been named one of the best museums to visit in the UK. 03210
Reposted by Paul WilliamsPaul Williams @paulwilliams207.bsky.social · 21/05/2026Noted with interest the SoT City Council Operating Plan 2026-28 includes: Regenerating our city mission: Achieve international recognition by securing UNESCO Creative City status. Culture and Heritage Key Priorities: Ensure readiness of high-quality submission for UNESCO Creative Cities status. 031
Paul Williams @paulwilliams207.bsky.social · 20/06/2026Another enjoyable visit to Willow at Trentham Gardens where Dudson continue to define dining. Always good to see the indelible mark of quality augment the menu. 110
Paul Williams @paulwilliams207.bsky.social · 14/06/2026“I am deeply committed to protecting and showcasing the craftsmanship and character that make Burleigh unique, while helping to shape its future as a distinctive and meaningful British design and ceramics house.” 010
Paul Williams @paulwilliams207.bsky.social · 14/06/2026Christopher Bailey, the man who transformed and redefined #Burberry leads consortium that has acquired Burleigh Pottery. “Burleigh has an extraordinary history, and what makes it so special today is the skill, care and creative spirit that continue to define the business. www.ft.com/content/fdd5...ft.comChristopher Bailey acquires Burleigh potteryThe former Burberry designer and CEO has rescued the Stoke-on-Trent site from administration 040
Paul Williams @paulwilliams207.bsky.social · 14/06/2026As a trustee and board member of YMCA North Staffordshire for 10 years, our young people never cease to amaze me. Listen in to their Young Leaders Podcast meeting with the chauffeuring @jonrouse.bsky.social #YoungVoicesHeard youtu.be/k9DzGU6yll0youtu.beWhat 3,000 Young People Told Stoke-on-Trent | Young Leaders PodcastYouTube video by YMCA North Staffordshire 011
Paul Williams @paulwilliams207.bsky.social · 06/06/2026Popped up on my timeline. A Great Pottery Throwback! As KBJ says: It starts with a ball of clay. That satisfying thump as you slap it down into the centre of the wheel. Is there a better sound in the world? 040
Paul Williams @paulwilliams207.bsky.social · 31/05/2026Traditional craftsmanship and intangible heritage anchors the Potteries’ sense of identity and continuity and remain the real mainspring as we grapple with the challenges of global economics and advances in automation technology which have impacted the local landscape in recent decades. 212
Reposted by Paul WilliamsIan R. Pearsall @ianrpearsall.bsky.social · 30/05/2026Following on .. the tail end of another great day that's Stoke-On-Trent flavoured .. The Canal Festival .. stoke.nub.news/news/local-n... More tomorrow.. 2344
Paul Williams @paulwilliams207.bsky.social · 21/05/2026Noted with interest the SoT City Council Operating Plan 2026-28 includes: Regenerating our city mission: Achieve international recognition by securing UNESCO Creative City status. Culture and Heritage Key Priorities: Ensure readiness of high-quality submission for UNESCO Creative Cities status. 031
Paul Williams @paulwilliams207.bsky.social · 21/05/2026Great to see @mayorofwy.bsky.social at #UKREiiF highlighting the importance of making a credible culture pitch when looking to attract new investment. A strong heritage, cultural and creativity offer is often the driving force for regeneration and breathing new life into towns and cities. 000
Paul Williams @paulwilliams207.bsky.social · 21/05/2026Stoke-on-Trent City Council Leader: “This report makes clear that ceramics isn’t just part of our past but our future too.” 100
Paul Williams @paulwilliams207.bsky.social · 21/05/2026“With the right support, the Stoke-on-Trent and North Staffordshire ceramics sector can prosper as a highly dynamic internationally respected foundational sector that creates excellent local jobs driving economic renewal and regional pride.”bbc.co.ukNorth Staffordshire's ceramics sector could prosper - reportA report says the industry could be a "highly dynamic" sector with the right government support. 021
Paul Williams @paulwilliams207.bsky.social · 19/05/2026I hope those attending are primed to make a credible culture pitch particularly as it’s well documented that a strong cultural and creativity offer is often the driving force for regeneration and breathing new life into towns and cities. #UKREiiF 031
Paul Williams @paulwilliams207.bsky.social · 19/05/2026Delighted to see Stoke-on-Trent City Council are joining the county-wide We Are Staffordshire-led delegation attending this year’s #UKREiiF and will be promoting the new city centre masterplan as one of its proposals to investors. 010
Paul Williams @paulwilliams207.bsky.social · 15/05/2026Interesting to read that Longton Exchange is ‘bringing visitor information services back to the city, when Visit Stoke is the ‘official tourist board of Stoke-on-Trent.’daily-focus.co.ukLongton Exchange launches city’s sole visitor information centre - Daily FocusStoke-on-Trent’s only dedicated tourism office will officially open on Monday, bringing visitor information services back to the city. 000
Reposted by Paul WilliamsPaul Williams @paulwilliams207.bsky.social · 03/05/2026Staffordshire Day has passed but a House of Commons marketplace exhibition and themed roundtables, launch of the Staffy public art trail and a new ‘Made in Staffordshire’ quality scheme show our creative county’s cultural and social-economic credentials extend far beyond its magic-making theme park. 041
Reposted by Paul WilliamsNigel Howle @howler123.bsky.social · 13/05/2026Back in the day Mike Lloyd records was one of those places where you queued up to buy concert tickets, sometimes very early in the morning. You would often be able to book on a coach to get to somewhere like Bingley Hall and back, Online put paid to all that 011
Paul Williams @paulwilliams207.bsky.social · 13/05/2026Mike Lloyd - The Music Man who showed people there was a ‘plethora of music not just in the city, but around the world they could have access to.” A wonderful way to honour Stoke-on-Trent’s adopted son who helped to transform the city’s cultural landscape. www.bbc.co.uk/news/article... 151
Paul Williams @paulwilliams207.bsky.social · 09/05/2026As a YMCA North Staffordshire board member, I’m delighted that @jonrouse.bsky.social has recorded an episode of the Young Leaders Podcast. As well as speaking about the youth consultation findings, they also discussed why supporting young people is so important for the future of the city. 000
Reposted by Paul WilliamsChris Wayman @staffswayman.bsky.social · 03/05/2026Well said @paulwilliams207.bsky.social. It is so important to celebrate places and people through historical achievements and great aspirations. 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼 #staffordshire 💙 141
Paul Williams @paulwilliams207.bsky.social · 03/05/2026Staffordshire Day has passed but a House of Commons marketplace exhibition and themed roundtables, launch of the Staffy public art trail and a new ‘Made in Staffordshire’ quality scheme show our creative county’s cultural and social-economic credentials extend far beyond its magic-making theme park. 041
Reposted by Paul WilliamsIan R. Pearsall @ianrpearsall.bsky.social · 03/05/2026'Thomas Doody is said to still walk the hills of the long black vale, a ghost wandering in the raging fires and billowing smoke of Stoke-On-Trent's history' - Leigh G. Banks - www.ianrpearsall.co.uk/post/out-of-... 2307
Paul Williams @paulwilliams207.bsky.social · 01/05/2026With a nod to the county’s motto, ‘The Knot Unites’, at the centre of #StaffordshireDay26 is ‘Staffy’ a new mascot inspired by the Staffordshire bull terrier, the ‘nanny dog’. Characterised as active, adventurous, fun, loyal, hardworking and strong - everything that Staffordshire people are. 010
Paul Williams @paulwilliams207.bsky.social · 01/05/2026Happy Staffordshire Day! The annual county-wide celebration on May 1, the date chosen by public poll to commemorate the founding of Josiah Wedgwood’s eponymous pottery in 1759 and the recognition of Staffordshire in the Magna Carta. 121
Paul Williams @paulwilliams207.bsky.social · 12/04/2026 @jonrouse.bsky.social on Saving Britain's Ceramic Heritage Before It's Too Late. It was good to hear Jon also talk about Stoke-on-Trent’s ambitions to become a designated UNESCO Creative City and to be recognised nationally as an International Centre for Ceramics. youtu.be/_DAViY_UGpoyoutu.beJon Rouse on Saving Britain's Ceramic Heritage Before It's Too LateYouTube video by Potteries Author - David W. Smith, OBE 113
Paul Williams @paulwilliams207.bsky.social · 10/04/2026With support from the National Lottery Heritage Fund, the Our Time, Our Place, Our Heritage project led by Stoke Creates in partnership with the British Ceramics Biennial will explore what it means to be a World Craft City today and help shape the future of Stoke-on-Trent’s living heritage.britishceramicsbiennial.comHeritage Fund Award Secured to Support the Safeguarding of Stoke-on-Trent’s Ceramic Skills - British Ceramics BiennialStoke-on-Trent has secured £131,514 from The National Lottery Heritage Fund for Stoke 100: Our Time, Our Place, Our Heritage – a major intergenerational project... 041
Paul Williams @paulwilliams207.bsky.social · 10/04/2026Extract from Tristram Hunt’s #TheRadicalPotter: The backstamp still retains great popular appeal within the Potteries. A Stoke-on-Trent native is easily identified by their natural, instinctive desire to turn over any piece of pottery to see where it was made. #BackstampClub #TurnoverClub 032
Paul Williams @paulwilliams207.bsky.social · 06/04/2026The democratic design of theatre-in-the-round allied to the sense of inclusiveness, belonging and North Staffordshire’s notable friendliness is, according to Theresa Heskins, a key factor in why the New Vic Theatre has ‘found its home here and suits this audience so much.’ 110
Paul Williams @paulwilliams207.bsky.social · 04/04/2026Murals have gone from being subversive and underground to being more mainstream. A lot of murals are there to add a bit of colour and life to the streets. @artukdotorg.bsky.socialtheguardian.comWriting on the wall: Art UK digitises thousands of murals as street artworks go mainstreamFrom medieval church wall paintings to Liam Gallagher’s viral X post, charity has catalogued more than 6,600 pieces 000
Paul Williams @paulwilliams207.bsky.social · 26/03/2026Lisa Nandy: “I refuse to sit back while communities are forgotten in our national story. Change must start today. That change begins with a culture sector that is proud and unafraid to tell the whole story of our nation.” Looking forward to seeing hyper-localised Arts Council decision making.gov.ukReformed Arts Council to better ensure the arts are no longer the preserve of the privileged fewGovernment publishes formal response to independent review of Arts Council England 000
Paul Williams @paulwilliams207.bsky.social · 25/03/2026Good to catch up with We Are Staffordshire’s Head of Place Marketing, Louisa Shaw, to discuss key topic areas for inclusion in the forthcoming House of Commons Culture Roundtable as part of this year’s #StaffordshireDay tenth anniversary celebrations. 010
Paul Williams @paulwilliams207.bsky.social · 16/03/2026“Stoke-on-Trent should be an international jewel. We’re the world capital of ceramics, a World Craft City with ambitions to become a UNESCO Creative City and the birthplace of a global industry.” 042