Petit Fours
(30 January, 2026)
𧢠Free, outdoor art exhibition returns to Stoke-on-Trent in 2026
A new outdoor exhibition by local artist Charles William Brown will take over Bethesda Gardens as The National Galleryâs Art on Your Doorstep exhibition comes to an end. Stoke-on-Trent was the first place in the UK to host The Nationalâs outdoor exhibition as part of its centenary celebrations. It brought 15 masterpieces to the city for free viewing opposite The Potteries Museum & Art Gallery (PMAG). The specially designed outdoor display fittings will remain in place, however, and will be used to showcase work from the museumâs own collection - keeping world-class art accessible to residents and visitors in the heart of the city. The first of these will feature work by local artist Charles William Brown (1882-1961) - a miner and celebrated local artist from The Potteries. His evocative paintings capture the regionâs industrial and urban life, depicting miners at work, pottery decorators, lively streets, as well as cosy domestic scenes and scenes of natural beauty. The exhibition also provides access to local art and history while the PMAG is temporarily closed, for works as part of its multi-million-pound transformation.
𧢠âThe Ardennes Brothersâ are set to come of age this year
Launched in 2004, the Festival of Brotherhoods in the Ardennes has rapidly become one of the most popular events in the region. It was awarded the Ardennes tourism prize in 2014 and achieved âExcellenceâ status from the European Council of Oenogastronomic Brotherhoods in 2016. Each year, during the first weekend of May, it brings together around fifty French and Belgian brotherhoods and 20,000 visitors onto the Place Ducale - a masterpiece of 17th-century architecture - in Charleville-MĂŠzières. With free admission, the event helps to show what this region has to offer its visitors in terms of local food and drink. The 21st Brotherhood Festival, from 2 to 3 May, will once again promote typical Ardennes products, such as Arthurâs beer and Rimbaud pâtĂŠ which, together, create a tribute to the famous poet born in Charleville.
𧢠This weekâs âTop Pickâ @WeightmanPR: Ultra Warehouse hits the scene
Ultra Warehouse, a new high-capacity events venue, is set to redefine the cityâs live music, nightlife, and the cultural landscape of Derby. Located on the edge of the city centre, it brings together industrial architecture, cutting-edge production, and flexible event design to create one of the Midlandsâ most ambitious new spaces. Purpose-built for electronic music, live performances, brand activations, and large-scale cultural events, Ultra Warehouse offers multiple configurable spaces under one roof. The venueâs flagship warehouse space accommodates up to 2,700 people indoors, supported by a secondary indoor room of 500 capacity and an expansive external yard capable of hosting daytime and festival-style events of up to 6,000 people. Ultra Warehouse will put Derby firmly on the UKâs âgig-trippingâ map for a whole new audience of visitors, with its line-up of nationally and internationally recognised artists, promoters, and partners. The venue will also host daytime experiences, pop-ups, exhibitions, and food and drink festivals.
𧢠Plans take shape to bring Queenâs Theatre back to life in Burslemmy
Plans to transform the Queenâs Theatre in Burslem into a premier music and arts venue celebrating MotĂśrhead frontman Lemmy Kilmister have taken a major step forward. The Queenâs Theatre was completed in 1911 and served as a concert venue and theatre for Burslem. Spiralling repair costs forced closure to the public in 1998 and the building has remained vacant ever since. IFK Legacy CIC was originally set up to create a memorial to Ian Fraser âLemmyâ Kilmister in his hometown of Burslem. The new plans build on the momentum from the unveiling of the Lemmy statue in Burslemâs Market Place in May 2025. The statue - created by Andy Edwards, who also created the world famous Fab Four Beatles statue in Liverpool - has brought visitors from across the globe to Burslem. A spokesperson said: âThe Lemmy statue has shown that our local culture isnât about industrial history or traditional arts. Something as recent as MotĂśrhead can bring visitors from all over the world to the heart of the Mother Town. The best way to protect our cityâs heritage for future generations is to bring old buildings back to life with new usesâ.
