The Portland Inn Project Fellowship is an alternative education and training programme, aimed at individuals not currently in work, education or training, and/or who experience barriers to educational and employment opportunities, who would like to gain creative skills, learn about social and community arts and expand creative employability skills.
Our fellowship is an opportunity to tailor a skills development project in response to the interests and experience of the fellow and the skills and training they hope to gain from the experience. Previous fellowships have included practical skills in ceramics, like hand-building, throwing, mould making and press moulding, as well as slip casting, glazing techniques.
As part of our first fellowship, two individuals were supported to work on the conception, development and delivery of a brand new ceramic product, and then work with the team to take that product into production, and to use newly developed marketing skills to launch the product. It has also included developing photography and fashion design portfolios, and most recently a project to develop the fellow’s keen interest in nutrition and healthy living.
Fellows receive one to one mentoring from PIP team and valuable training and sessions with industry professionals. These mentoring and hand on sessions support the fellow to set and reach their individual goals. We garner support from some of our partners and creative organisations across Stoke On Trent to help develop the fellow’s network, as well as their knowledge and understanding of the wider arts and community ecology in the city.