Capsule were invited to curate a festival of new music and performance as part of Appetite in Stoke-on-Trent. We worked in partnership with the Hanford Residents Association to create a magical event. Appetite’s mission is to get more people in Stoke-on-Trent to experience and be inspired by the arts, working with a range of local and national artists and communities to deliver an expanding menu of artistic projects to develop the appetite for the arts.

Appetite is part of the Creative People and Places programme, initiated and funded by Arts Council England. Creative People and Places is about more people taking the lead in choosing, creating and taking part in art experiences in the places where they live.

Bringing an extraordinary afternoon of outdoor delights to Hanford Park with live music which included performances by cheeky progressive pop from a.P.A.t.T., The Crying Lion’s polyphonic harmonies, dark primal frequencies from Gum Takes Tooth, the junkyard aesthetics of Ashtray Navigations and soaring folk harmonies from Barefoot Howlers.

Workshops were delivered by Juneau Projects, Elizabeth Still and Barefoot Howlers throughout the day – create dazzling masks, instruments and shakers to join in the Grand Cross Procession.

Residents were invited to participate in the creation of a stupendous procession of unexplored rhythms, unsung songs, unexplainable creatures and un-mythical beings on a grande parade, led by artist David Hand.

In addition dance workshops were led by Folk Dance Remixed, providing a magical collision of traditional and Hip Hop dance and music to a live soundtrack of fiddle & beat boxing around a contemporary designed, bespoke ribboned, maypole.

Presiding over the event was our mistress of ceremonies the inimitably curious, Hanford Hare.

An array of street food, vintage stalls and more were laid on to entertain!

Capsule led on the ‘look and feel’, layout of the Fayre as well as the programme.