Public Art Protocol in Stoke on Trent

Important action is being taken to make sure Stoke on Trent’s most well-loved public works of art are preserved for generations to come.

The City Council has developed a brand-new Public Art Protocol which will support the protection of heritage assets – including statues, war memorials, murals, fountains and architectural features – on public land across the city.

The protocol has been developed following the accidental removal of the ‘Capo’ statue in earlier in the year.

Council leader Jane Ashworth said: “We want to ensure that what happened to Capo will not happen again. I am confident that our new Public Art Protocol will support our efforts to safeguard our city’s heritage now and in the future.

“This piece of work is just one of a number of significant steps we are taking to protect our heritage assets in consultation with our local communities and stakeholders.

The City Council are also committed to developing a Public Art Strategy in the future, to help them continue to support and manage public art in Stoke-on-Trent going forward. The authority has listed an inventory of 72 public art installations across the city, and this list will be developed further following a public engagement exercise which is due to be launched later this month.