“Well isn't this exciting?

Having lived in Stoke on Trent for some time now I have longed for the day not only would there be dialogue and discussion around 'high end' art and public space but that such art programmes as this would be running in my city.

For many years I¿ve visited Manchester, Sheffield and Liverpool and been inspired by the forward thinking attitudes of the people when it comes to change and their environment.
The change has been rapid, bold and exciting.

It was only last year in Liverpool, that I was lucky enough to witness the huge Spider bring the capital of culture to a standstill for its final outing.
The beautiful arachnid, live music, huge water cannons and fireworks were witnessed by over 450,000 people from all over the country and the world.

This was about celebration, reflection and dialogue. I felt part of something, as did everyone there. Even the taxi driver on the way home commented on how he doesn¿t know if its ART but all he knows that its good for the city.
I was waiting for the "Why don¿t they spend the money on hospital beds instead?" tirade, but I was pleasantly surprised.

I then realised that it would be a long, long time before we came even close to anything like this in Stoke. But this is a start.

I have visited the artist¿s site (feelthefeeling.org.uk) and see that there is the full gambit of emotions there. Positive, angry, confused, excited etc.

I and agree that its all about balance, yes remember and acknowledge the past but do it with a united vision of where this City needs and deserves to be.

I don¿t know enough to comment about homes being bulldozed and people being forced out of their homes. So I wont.

To me the outside of the City Library has been crying out for something for ages these two pieces are positive, professional and a step towards where I want to see us heading.

As for 'man cant fly', I agree. How do I feel now? 'like taking flying lessons'”

“A great essay Malcolm... it does seem in your keenly written foray you've completely ignored the point of this piece - to get people talking - it's a 2 way thing, critical or positive. So in a sense you're contributing quite well to the conversation, however easy it is to keep on doom mongering. Sit back, relax and blame everyone else!!!

You betray your position as someone who sees the people only as 'unsuspecting' - completely passive and hopeless. What a shame. I'd advance that we could maybe credit the people around here with a little more intelligence, willpower and energy than you're suggesting?

You're trumpeting how hopeless you see things as being, can you then suggest any remedy to the kind of conspiracy theory you talk about?”

“This is an old mind game trick, given enough subliminal assists people can be made to regurgitate the right answer. Renewal, do me a favour, it is the corporatisation of the world and is the way that places become clones of Labour's capitalist society, the one that just hit the buffers.

This is nothing to do with regeneration because that word has to have hearts and minds as the fundamental level of interaction. Contrary to hearts and minds these bland economic enterprises are posited by vast commercial interests. The reduction they manage to produce in the life experience is viewable anywhere. Towns of concrete monstrosities with little or no soul equipped for utilitarian purposes rather than trying to form any sort of regional, historic or, God forbid, emotional response.

As long as multinationals are allowed to take councils by the nose and lead them to where they want to go then society as we have known it is dead.

We are beyond the sweetheart deal whereby a multinational would provide a road or a wall or a garden on a roundabout, now the winner is...the person who rebuilds the city.

This is also the thin end of the wedge. Anywhere can be turned from thriving to slum by the application of careful application of neglect. If you hear the words 'run down' you can be sure that some sort of middle distance plan is on the books for re-development. The use of disinterest is a marvellous way of easing people out especially if big bucks are at stake.

I regard myself as a capitalist; I like the idea of ideas and the consequence of people making money out of their creations. However, when capital comes before the general interest and people and their numbers are only looked upon as cash cow farming then something has to be done.

Hanley was once littered with a diverse number of specialised shops. Tunstall was once a thriving community. Burslem was once wonderful and the removal of Askey's marked the drift out of historic Potteries¿s town to insubstantial drift and loss of individualism.

When Supermarkets and other large multiples build there generally unedifying monstrosities their boundaries mark the limit of their interest. It is possible to have Sainsbury's in the middle of slum. People make come from far and wide to shop there but to the locals the store will be an imposition. That such modernity can be possible in the midst of unfortunate circumstances marks the retreat of local Government from its purpose to enliven local life through small focus and the rise on rise of the council that is, pure and simple, an enabler for gross Governmental projects to do with GDP rather that TLC.

This 'art' project is a mind game to insinuate the unpalatable into the minds of the unsuspecting, you have been warned, this council, this Government, this supermarket are not your friends. Think on beautiful thoughts and do not allow them under your skin.”

“I'm not against regeneration if it is a postive step forward. At the moment it remains to be seen. I also like things to be positive so I think the removal of the statue by Glebe Street bridge which informs us "Man Can't Fly" - should come down for starters. How restricting is that as a comment? Man won't fly if you don't let him. Onwards and upwards please.”

“Ian has completely hit the nail on the head.

It's not against forward thinking, but disgust in the vile way Renew has conducted themselves 'regenerating' Stoke. I see lots of rubble, I see ugly, unaffordable, rabbit hutch new homes.
This 'art' is thoroughly insulting.

If all the victims of Renew were to make their own artwork about Stoke, I doubt the result would ever be allowed in public.”