The Portland Pigeon Flatback, British Ceramics Biennial 2019

A creative arts project for a community in Stoke-on-Trent that aims to achieve community cohesion, economic, social and cultural development by involving the community in the development of a pioneering community space, cultural hub and social enterprise. We deliver a collaborative programme with residents. Our project advocates for people led change, our programme aims to create a counter narrative for our neighbourhood. This is a collaborative delivery led by artists Anna Francis and Rebecca Davies and is supported by Creative Civic Change, AirSpace Gallery, Appetite, My Community Matters, Arts Council England and Stoke City Council.

A key part of The Portland Inn Project programme involves skills development for and with the community of Portland St. Stoke-on-Trent.
As part of that process Anna Francis and Rebecca Davies with resident, Kerry Aubrey took part in the British Ceramics Biennial Cultural Icons Production Line project, in order to learn new skills, to be shared on the street. New products were modelled, before moulds were made in order to make multiples for display.

The Portland Pigeon display was shown alongside The Cultural Icons Exhibition at The Potteries Museum and Art Gallery as part of The British Ceramics Biennial, 2019.

Text from the exhibition:
In the Summer of 2019, Kerry, Anna and Rebecca from The Portland Inn Project (an artist and community led initiative to drive positive change for an area of Hanley via creative works) took part in the British Ceramics Biennial Cultural Icons project, where workshop participants learned new skills in the production of traditional Staffordshire Flatbacks.
They returned to Portland Street to share these new skills, which included using press moulds, fettling and glazing, to create a new edition of The Portland Pigeon. A development on from the first iteration of The Portland Pigeon, which is an architectural feature, the pieces seen here are a decorative, domestic scale product – A Pigeon Flatback.
Families and children took part in workshops to create the flatbacks, and three Portland Pigeon moulds were made, which will continue to be used over the next few years on Portland Street, as we develop our skills programme for the community.
More info: theportlandinnproject.tumblr.com