Artwork inspired by Spode's world famous Blue Italian pottery will adorn the gates of a former factory, under new plans.

The proposed temporary art installation at the Church Street entrance to the Spode site in Stoke would feature ceramic tiles decorated in the characteristic Spode style.

According to plans submitted to Stoke-on-Trent City Council, the project will be part of the £2 million Stoke Town High Street Heritage Action Zone (HSHAZ) scheme, which aims to promote 'the refurbishment and visual improvement of town centre properties and the environmental appearance' of the area. The installation would include a triangular central plinth within the entrance courtyard, covered in a tile mural. Murals would also be mounted to the gate posts, with a floor mural applied to the ground.

Visuals submitted as part of the application show the murals depicting famous Stoke-on-Trent figures such as author Arnold Bennett, Spitfire designer Reginald Mitchell and Edward Smith, captain of the Titanic, along with local sites like bottle kilns and the River Trent. Artist and ceramist Jasmine Simpson is working with B Arts on the Cobalt Chronicles project, and in December she invited people in a connection to Stoke to get involved by sharing their stories and memories of the town.

The project will be part of the £2 million Stoke Town High Street Heritage Action Zone (Nub News).

The plans state: "This application seeks approval for the installation of a temporary piece of artwork designed by Jasmine Simpson, and inspired by the famous Spode 'Blue Italian' pottery which was first manufactured at the Spode Works in 1770 and is still produced by the Portmeirion Group in Stoke town centre, today.

"The addition of this temporary intervention in the context of these important Listed and historic buildings, within the iconic Church Street frontage and entrance courtyard, will help to increase the profile, encourage additional interest and further inspire public perception of the Spode site."

The HSHAZ project, funded by Historic England and the city council, has been running in Stoke since 2022, and has seen improvements made to a number of town centre buildings.

Cobalt Chronicles is the fourth commission in B Arts' 'Hi! Stoke Wow' series, funded through the HSHAZ. Previous projects have been Tom Edwards' mural in Glebe Street, the Let's Talk Market window artwork at Stoke Library by Pickle Illustration, and Four Landscapes for Stoke, by Kaye Song, in Campbell Place.

In introducing the latest project, B Arts said the mural 'will weave together iconic symbols and landmarks from town's heritage with future facing designs'.

The statement on the B Arts website says: "From the iconic bottle kilns to the flowing waters of the Trent and the intricate detailing of traditional pottery, each tile will tell a story, creating a vibrant narrative that celebrates the city's resilience, creativity, and the enduring legacy of its pottery heritage."

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