Residents invited to lend their heartbeats to light up Stoke-on-Trent park 

Residents are invited to lend their heartbeats to a special light installation celebrating the people and spirit of Stoke-on-Trent, as part of Appetite’s Light Up Winter series. 

The Matter of the Heart will feature as part of Light Up Middleport, taking place in Middleport Park on 21 and 22 January from 4pm to 8pm.

The artwork, created by award-winning studio idontloveyouranymore, is made up of 30 glowing boxes, each connected to a person’s live heartbeat and accompanied by a short description of their connection to Stoke-on-Trent. Together, they will form a portrait of the city’s beating heart.

Those selected to take part will be invited to a 15-minute session on either 17 or 19 January, between 10am and 4pm, at Middleport Matters’ Harper Street base. Participants will borrow a heart monitor to wear, download an app to transmit their heartbeat and share a few words about what Stoke-on-Trent means to them.

During the event, each light box will pulse in time with the participants’ live heartbeats, bringing the installation to life.

Organised by the creative organisation Appetite, Light Up Middleport launches a new series of free light events – Light Up Winter – which will also include Light Up Hanley (3 and 4 February, 5pm to 8pm) and Newcastle-under-Lights (4 March, 6pm to 9pm).

Assistant producer Emma Hobbs, of Appetite, said: “Each illuminated box flashes in time with a person’s real-life heartbeat. Audience members are invited to walk among the flashing ‘hearts’, each one representing a member of the local community.

“We’d like to invite people – especially Middleport residents – to lend their heartbeats and share their connection to Stoke-on-Trent. The process is very simple – you don’t need a mobile device  – and we would love you to come along and find your own heart.”

Anyone wishing to take part can apply at thematteroftheheart.com/takepart/apply, and 30 people will be selected in the New Year.