Restoke

In the third episode of “A Culture of Possibility,” Francois Matarasso and Arlene Goldbard meet Clare Reynolds, one of the founders of Restoke, a group who make performances and events that tackle social issues affecting their communities.

Based in the British city of Stoke-on-Trent, where the founders grew up, Restoke’s work pursues an ambitious agenda in both its artistic and social purpose.

In the conversation Clare describes their work, with particular reference to two recent works: You Are Here and Man Up. She talks about what they do and why they do it and equally importantly, how they do it.

She also discusses The Ballroom, a project that began in December 2020 when “we received a capital grant from Arts Council England to restore and reopen the Ballroom at Fenton Town Hall as a brand new community arts venue for Stoke-on-Trent!”.