Stoke-on-Trent awarded World Craft City status

Stoke-on-Trent has been named a World Craft City, a status granted to areas with excellent social, cultural and economic contributions from its communities. 

The scheme aims to emphasise expertise, boost potential for government support, promote innovation and tourism, and accelerate knowledge exchange among other World Craft cities, which include Kilkenny, Ireland; Bornholm, Denmark; and La Bisbal d’Empordà, Spain.

 Stoke-on-Trent’s award is based on its ceramic heritage and follows the city’s UK City of Culture bid for 2021, when Stoke Creates was formed as the Cultural Compact for the city, specifically to promote artistic, creative and cultural participation in the region. 
 
Leader of the city council, Councillor Jane Ashworth, said: “This is a tremendous achievement and one that culminates years of hard work by our cultural community.
 
“This recognition by the World Crafts Council has the potential to open so many doors for our city, not least when it comes to working alongside other cities and towns across the world who also have World Craft City status. 
 
“We are extremely excited by the possibilities and believe that this will have a significant impact when it comes to the social, cultural, and economic prestige of Stoke-on-Trent."