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Newcastle-under-Lyme

Incorporating the Belong Heritage Gallery as a dementia friendly facility at the heart of the village, Belong Newcastle-under-Lyme is a care setting with a difference. It links the past and the present through people, their memories and a shared exploration of our heritage, providing a unique dimension to enrich the lives of older people living in Belong. Pop in for a tour and enjoy a warm welcome.

Lower Street, Newcastle-under-Lyme, Staffordshire ST5 2RS

Sat nav postcode for parking: ST5 2SY (Stanier Street)

Reception telephone: 01782 986 300

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Belong Newcastle-under-Lyme - The Creative Studio

The Creative Studio

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Locally inspired

Belong is passionate about the arts and Belong Newcastle-under-Lyme is fortunate to have a dedicated space for creativity within the village heritage gallery. We have also hosted exhibitions created by local college art students and partnered with the New Vic Theatre on promenade performances at the gallery.

As we’re located in the potteries, we’re delighted to have a special needs potter’s wheel within our arts studio and we work with a partner ceramicist to glaze and fire our residents’ creations in a professional kiln.

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Arts partnerships

Our customers’ work has been exhibited nationally at the British Ceramics Biennial and we have worked with a range of local, national and international artists to create opportunities for our residents to express themselves through art.

We also aim that artistic inspiration and delight can be found throughout the village. Examples of these collaborations include working with installation artist Joyce Iwaszko to produce the mural in Samuel Bell’s Tea Room and with the visual artist Jo Löki on a giant mural created for the Live Age Festival and now displayed in the village.

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Strategic approach

Belong’s approach to embedding the arts in village life is part of a wider strategic approach to incorporating use of the arts to enrich the lives of our residents and promote wellbeing.

We engaged in a four-year research partnership with Liverpool’s contemporary arts gallery, The Bluecoat, to trial artist residencies in our villages and enable customers to work with nationally acclaimed artists. The partnership led to opportunities for residents to try a wide range of arts forms, including dance, storytelling, ceramics and painting. The benefits for people with dementia were profound.