Almost 5 years on from turning a small, family farm on the outskirts of Weston Coyney, Stoke-on-Trent, into a bustling, outdoor visual arts centre, Bolton Gate Arts CIC is a company continuing to grow and serve its communities with a unique cultural offering.
The Manège Outdoor Arts Space at Bolton Gate Farm (named in homage to its former life as a horse training arena) will once again play host to a series of live outdoor theatre shows, music events, seasonal markets, craft workshops and much more. The area, consisting of a large pop-up stretch tent, boasts stunning natural surroundings overlooking Park Hall Country Park, as the company aims to connect
audiences back to creativity and nature alike.
Live theatre returns to the venue, with 5 shows and something for all the family. This years lineup consists of; a reality tv inspired adaptation of Shakespeare’s Much Ado About Nothing from local company Lucid Spark; a comedic retelling of Romeo & Juliet by 440 Theatre; family friendly classic The Railway Children by West Midlands company Paperback Theatre; a one man memoir of the life of Patrick Hamilton, Silence of Snow written and performed by Mark Farrelly; and spamalot-style hilarity in King Arthur and the Holy Fail from touring company Three Inch Fools.
Bolton Gate Arts aims to make accessing theatre as simple and affordable as possible with its ‘pay-what-you-can’ ticket scheme which allows customers to choose the ticket option which best fits their budget, with tickets available from just £10!
To kickstart the launch of another bustling summer arts season, the company will be hosting a free to attend, family arts day called The Garden Gate on Saturday 2nd May. The event will consist of a series of arts and nature inspired workshops including DIY garden crafts, wellbeing walks, poetry and live music from local artists. The full schedule for the event can be found here - The Garden Gate summer event.
Other events include seasonal artisan markets, monthly open mic music nights- Gigz@theGate- and a series of craft arts workshops including fused glass, UV resin and prosecco & paint. You can find the full programme at www.boltongatefarm.co.uk/showsandevents
And finally, if you’re a school or community group looking to get out and about and be creative this summer, the company also offer bespoke workshops in the Manège Outdoor Arts Space lead by creative directors Joe and Emma. For more information please contact arts@boltongatefarm.co.uk
With its on-site artisan cafe, accessible ticket scheme and an entrance straight onto Park Hall Country Park, Bolton Gate is growing into a popular daytrip destination for families from miles around. It’s set to be another busy summer!
Audience / Community Comments:
“A fantastic asset to the local community”
“Really well organised and always so welcoming. It's a lovely set up...a proper little gem! We will be looking out for
more events.”
“[JARMAN] was an absolutely spell-binding performance... Our first time at Bolton Gate Arts & we’re certainly looking forward to visiting again. Such welcoming staff & a fab cafe too!”
“Fab way to spend an afternoon”
“Cool event, venue great, lovely to see people repurposing”
“Go and see one (or all) the shows there, you won’t be disappointed”
“[The Places That Make Us project] was a fantastic opportunity for the children, we would love to continue with work with Bolton Gate Arts and other local artists. It was great to see the children express themselves through art, whilst considering their local environment."
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