Bringing people together through shared experiences
How the Appetite programme is shaped
AUDIENCE DEVELOPMENT
Appetite’s core objective is to increase participation in arts and culture within the sections of our local landscape where engagement is typically below average. We proactively find local people and communities who are underrepresented at our events, and then support them to co-create and attend the wider programme.
COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT
Community engagement is at the heart of Appetite’s work. We work closely with local people, community groups, artists and partners to ensure our programme reflects the voices, ideas and experiences of the communities we serve. Through conversations, creative consultations and our community decision makers, we create meaningful opportunities for people to influence and shape the arts and cultural experiences happening in their local area.
INCLUSIVE PROGRAMMING
Appetite is committed to creating an inclusive and relevant programme. We work with and present professional artists from the broadest range of backgrounds including those from the South Asian diaspora, global majority, LGBTQ+, artists with disabilities and those with under-represented protected characteristics. Appetite programmes quality work across a wide range of artforms, we love to show our communities something new and different.
WHO WE WORK WITH
Lead Organisation:
New Vic Theatre
New Vic Theatre is Appetite’s lead organisation. The award-winning New Vic was the first purpose-built theatre-in-the-round in Europe and produces a year-round programme that includes up to nine in-house productions.
New Vic has deep roots in the community and uses participatory theatre to support the regeneration of our region by improving life expectations, raising aspiration and achievement, challenging prejudice, and improving the quality of life for disadvantaged people.
The Little Mermaid @ The New Vic 2025
Funders
Arts Council England &
National Lottery Good Causes
Arts Council England (ACE) is the national development body for arts and culture across England, working to enrich people’s lives. ACE support a range of activities across the arts, museums and libraries – from theatre to visual art, reading to dance, music to literature, and crafts to collections.
Creative People and Places is a national programme that focuses on parts of the country where involvement in creativity and culture is significantly below the national average. It funds consortium partners in eligible local authority areas to empower local people to decide what kind of creative activity they want to experience in their place. This programme is made possible thanks to National Lottery players, who raise £30 million for good causes each week.
Consortium
Partners in Creative Learning
Partners in Creative Learning (PiCL) is an organisation that specialises in making creative projects happen. They help people and organisations to make real change, based on powerful creative experiences.
6 Towns Radio
6Towns Radio is a volunteer-led, community radio station whose vision is to connect and give a voice to community groups to help spread their messages.
Keele University
Keele University and ArtsKeele are committed to playing a major role in local cultural life. They collaborate with Appetite on cultural events, creating opportunities for students in the local arts scene.
University of Staffordshire
University of Staffordshire campus is at the heart of the City of Stoke-on-Trent. Our partnership connects students with a range of project and collaboration opportunities to bring fresh art and artists to the area.
Other Partners
We partner with a broad range of organisations to deliver projects and events.
