This is where we list all upcoming local training, talks, workshop, networking and conference events of interest to local creative professionals.

Please note: this page is not a standard "WHAT'S ON?" events service.   Most normal arts exhibitions, theatre shows, carnivals and craft fairs are not listed - since these are already covered by local newspaper & radio listings, and that is where they are most effectively publicised. We do, however, list some local art exhibitions where the launch event should be a good networking opportunity for local creatives to meet others.

 
    _{FORTHCOMING EVENTS:}

     _{OLDER EVENTS:}

  Older events are archived here.

     _{CRAFTS FAIRS:}

We don't list general crafts fairs, but these are some of the local organisers:

::  North Staffordshire Guild of Craftsmen. Established for 25 years, the Guild holds regular high-quality fairs offering British crafts.

::  Cheshire Fayre - organisers of regular craft fairs in Staffordshire and Cheshire.

::  Staffordshire County Showground - puts on occasional crafts fairs.

::  Staffordshire Moorlands Council's 'Make It Contemporary' scheme organises a crafts walking-trail around Leek.

::  Antiques & Crafts Fairs at Trentham Gardens.

::  The nearby Buxton Pavilion organises a Contemporary Designers and Artists Fair, each Autumn.

::  Studio Potters Events listing is a good UK listing of shows and events for craft ceramics makers.

     _{ORGANISERS OF ANNUAL SHOWS & EVENTS:}

::  Keele University Art Gallery. Early each year Keele holds the Three Counties Open Photography show; an 'all-for-sale' prints exhibition, featuring the results of a competitive Open for local photographers in the counties of Staffordshire, Cheshire and Shropshire. (The Open is generously sponsored by architects Hulme Upright Manning, of Festival Park, Stoke.)

::  Burslem Carnival & Arts Festival is in early May each year, and has a variety of arts-oriented events at the Burslem School of Art, Stoke.

::  Penkhull Festival of Music & Art, Stoke. This has been one of the main annual cultural events in Stoke for nearly 40 years.

::  Sanity Fair - annual free mental-health carnival festival held in Hanley, Stoke-on-Trent. Expanding to be a two-day event & conference in Summer 2004.

::  Newcastle-under-Lyme Carnival.

::  Nantwich Folk & Roots Music Festival.

::  The Abbotsholme Arts Society - programme of classical, medieval and other fine music at Uttoxeter.

 Live & Local is Staffordshire's Community Performance Scheme, helping seventy village halls and remote venues to book professional entertainers.

     _{EVENTS LISTINGS SITES:}

::  BBC Radio Stoke's regularly-updated festival and event listings.

::  The Potteries Museum and Art Gallery, Stoke-on-Trent, has its listings online.

::  Staffordshire Museums & Arts Service, has event and listings online for the county gallery.

::  Events in the Staffordshire Moorlands & area, - an up-to-date listing, including many arts & "photographer's opportunity" events.

::  BBC Shropshire Folk Diary - awesome diary which lists all folk music events in the Midlands, plus selected gigs as far south as Oxfordshire and as far north as Manchester.

::  IEE North West Midlands - often has local events of interest to technically-minded media production professionals, such as talks on Mobile Computing or Interactive TV.

::  Midlands Amateur Theatre Preview - a comprehensive list of forthcoming shows and auditions in the region.

::  Mercia Pagans - White Dragon's comprehensive listing of earth spirituality events in the West Midlands. Often lists workshops in woodland crafts, coracle making, charcoal making, spiritual dance, storytelling, stone carving, etc.

The National Art Collections Fund - Staffordshire Region (01785 780517) apparently.... "runs regular lectures, generally at county buildings, as well as organising visits."