Factory Nights in Hanley, Stoke-on-Trent

Had a great afternoon on Saturday 3rd December in Hanley with the Rednile team and a selection of artists who went ready to be inspired by those sometimes overlooked spaces.  What a great idea.  You put artists together in an urban place - in this case the 1970s Hanley bus station and a converted car showroom called Peppers Garage - and see what comes out of it.

HANLEY BUS STATION

Photographs, film, music, textiles, collaborations, dance, installations.  All these (and more) are possible.  The secret is that until it happens nobody knows exactly what will come of it.  The only certainty is that something will.  These events, called Factory Nights, have come about through the hard work and inspiration of the Rednile working artists.

SHOW'S OVER

I was quite taken with the despairing graffiti.  We chatted to Carole from the coffee bar and Peter the newsagent.

There's an entirely understandable love/ hate relationships with the place.  It must once have been so hopeful.  Now they're building a new bus palace across the road & time is running out for the old one. 

I was invited to come up with a piece of writing... watch that space.  It could be graffiti.