A neglected heritage site to Photography studio?

In every city there are buildings left to slowly die, just like here in Stoke. There is constant renovation through newer buildings and infrastructure yet heritage sites are left home to only the story of what they once were.  

But not with our heritage site!

We are Kiln Studios, situated in a grade 2 listed heritage pottery factory with one of the largest remaining bottle kilns. Let me tell you how this site is going to become the home of creativity in the midlands. 

Stoke on Trent is one of the 20% most deprived districts in the UK, articles speak of how its depressed... squalid... an excuse of a city. We see potential.

The pottery heritage society organisation that has a programme identifying suffering heritage sites has acknowledged how we are loosing the battle on saving old heritage pottery factories. Yet, Stoke was renounced for its pottery- even now a local still operating factory dedicated a specific piece to King Charles coronation! Although these heritage buildings are being left to die which were once such crucial soldiers to the local economy - but keep that though as they still can be. 

Fighting for funding off the council is a slow and rigorous process, do they even want to save these special buildings?

So here is where we are currently at. We are 24 months into an ongoing process to regenerate and house a creative business within our large factory, a huge space to rejuvenate. We are a new Photography Studio offering an abundance of opportunity for events and the creative industry with large scale potential. This may look something like photoshoots to business meetings or podcasts to concerts, all here in one forgotten building. We love to work with a number of creative individuals to help them grow their local business. We now want to plant the seed for a relationship with local colleges and universities so that young people don't have to travel to the larger cities to follow their creative passion. 

Although with this space having so much more to give we have reached a financial wall. 

At Kiln Studios we are ran by three like minded, driven individuals that have gotten to the point we are at now through envisioning a dream. Zach, Liam and Emily are a mix of full time jobs and a full time student. This means progress has been down to personal investment and 18 hour working days. Including hard labour, creative insight and ideas that have made Kiln Studios what it is now. 

Due to the cost of developing a site this huge and starting a brand new business, although expected for 24 long months we haven't taken a penny home - just constant reinvestment. 

We have worked so hard and the vision is SO EXCITING but we have nothing financially left to give - WE NEED YOUR HELP!

Save this building, help us be the creative space for local people this city needs, don't let it return to neglect. Your support will allow us to keep this creative space beating. You will allow us to grow and flower so that we can give back and make this site awesome for creatives. Your contribution means the world to us and we want to show you, that's why we are unleashing our own series on YouTube called 'THAT STUDIO SHOW' here you can personally witness the behind the scenes and running of Kiln Studios!

We appreciate your time to hear our story, we hope this is only the beginning!

Find us on Instagram @the.kiln.studio or Facebook Kiln Studios 

Contact us if you would like to view the kiln!