Heatwork - Live Audio Visuals and the Potteries

Heatwork was an Arts Council England funded large-scale live audio-visual event created and performed by local and international musicians. The project was dedicated to exploring the legacy and recent developments of the ceramics industry in the City of Stoke-on-Trent. To date there have been two performances, one at Middleport Potteries, Burslem, in November 2019, and a second at Zurich University of the Arts (ZHdK) in February 2020. The aims of the project were to…
1. widen participation in experimental music and audio-visual artforms,
2. engage with the local community, musicians and industrial partners and foster collaboration
3. celebrate and disseminate the cultural heritage of the potteries industry
These aims were addressed by creating an artistic interpretation of life in the potteries through a multi-media experience that conveyed some essence of local culture and how it has developed over the last century. The music was composed by Marc Estibeiro and performed (at Middleport) by the Acceler8 Band, a brass ensemble based in Crewe. Also taking part was international bass-clarinet soloist Matthias Mueller, performing on a sensor enhanced instrument. Visual elements, including footage of industrial sites and participant interviews, were projected to accompany the music and performed live by Dave Payling. Some original video source materials were provided by Staffordshire Film Archive and the British Ceramics Biennial Festival. Narrative elements, developed from original interviews, were transformed into electronic music and incorporated into the performances. The Zurich performance was undertaken with the soloist and electronic audio-visual elements and is viewable in the accompanying video. After the initial performance at Middleport Potteries a survey was taken of those involved in the project. Key feedback themes highlighted participants’ intention to further explore local heritage and to be more creative in their own musical practice. They were also keen to be involved in future projects.