Exhibitions and Events

The Heritage Centre has an ongoing programme of exhibitions and events during 2019.  

The Centre is very happy to talk to artists with a view to taking bookings for future exhibitions.
  
If you would like to talk to us about this please contact Michael, the Centre Manager, by email or telephone. 


Works Photograph Archive Project:

The Heritage Centre currently has a large exhibition of photographs of former Spode works,
part of the Workers Photograph Archive Project. The Exhibition will be expanded further next year in a different location therefore if you have any
photos you can add please take copies along to the Centre and see if you can recognise yourself or fellow workmates in the Exhibition.

 
    


Flower Making Demonstrations:
 

Master flower maker, Rita Floyd will be demonstrating the Heritage Centre, dates to be advised.  

Creator of the Spode Rose and local artist, Rita has been making ceramic flowers since the early 1970s.  Watch her magic hands turn clay into beautiful flowers. 


 
 



Spode's Botanical Patterns:

If you love your garden or just love flowers generally then the Spode Museum Trust’s exhibition, ‘Spode’s Botanical Patterns’, is a feast for the eyes. 


The enthusiasm for gardens increased in Georgian times, with the demand for landscaped grounds at large country estates and cottage gardens where flowers could be grown to decorate the home and perhaps provide a pleasant room scent as well!  Josiah Spode undoubtedly saw the potential of developing botanical patterns for his tea, dinner and ornamental wares.   The lady of the house would be an eager customer, ownership allowing her to not only indulge her passion for flowers but mainly, to impress her guests!

 

 
The exhibition is appropriately held in the Daniel Room, named after Henry Daniel, an enameller, colourist and manager, who, from c.1805, ran the factory decorating shop, having at his call, some of the finest flower painters of the day. 


Copies of some of the original pattern book pages with superb watercolour flower paintings are seen alongside amazing wall plaques and hand painted and printed ceramic pieces from the Georgian and Victorian period right through to the late 20th century. 


Marvel at the extraordinary beauty of floral subjects created in the heart of  the smoke-filled atmosphere of 19th century Stoke-upon- Trent.