The PFC Trust backs a new project exploring the realities of motherhood in Hartlepool and Teesside.

Picture by Samuel Black

A major new community arts project, providing a voice to the often unseen and unspoken experiences of mothers and primary caregivers, is set to begin in Hartlepool and Stockton. The upcoming project, created by Rachel Stockdale in association with Stockton Arts Centre ARC, has been backed by The PFC Trust, which has placed its support at the heart of the initiative by donating £6,000 to the campaign beginning in March 2026.Mother? is a multi-layered community engagement programme involving a touring play, gallery exhibition and audio installation.

The project will use stories gathered from real mothers, adoptive parents and foster parents to create an honest and powerful portrait of modern caregiving .At the core is the lived experience of Rachel, a domestic abuse survivor whose artistic lens focuses on the vulnerability of pregnancy and motherhood. With support from Rape Crisis UK and ARC Adoption, Mother? aims to create a safe, nurturing space for participants while shining a light on these urgent issues.

Rachel said: “I applied for the grant from The PFC Trust. I explained the project and that I wanted to fund interviewing Hartlepool mothers and do workshops within the Hartlepool strand, and they were really enthusiastic about the idea, which is brilliant.“ I want to create a space where people can come together, feel comfortable and talk about parenthood in whatever capacity that is within their families.

I want people to feel safe and open up with things they’re struggling with, as you never know how we may be able to help each other. ”And The PFC Trust’s administrator Mike Walker said: “By funding this work, we’re helping create a safe, supportive space for families in Hartlepool to share their stories, access practical support and be part of a powerful creative programme. This project shines an important light on the realities of motherhood in our region, and we’re honoured to help bring it to life. ”Over six months, the project will run six group workshops at Hartlepool Town Hall Theatre.

Thirty primary caregivers - women, men and non-binary parents - will be invited to share their stories, write prose and support one another. Travel and refreshments will be offered to the participants as well as childcare. A unique creative element will see each participant receive a professional portrait, exploring identity after becoming a parent. These portraits, alongside a specially commissioned painting shaped by workshop input, will be displayed at both ARC and Hartlepool’s Middleton Grange Shopping Centre for six weeks. Organisers estimate around 40,000 visitors will view the exhibition in person or online. In addition to group workshops, the team will conduct 30 one-to-one interviews with mothers, each receiving a £20 voucher for their time.

These conversations will inform the verbatim script of Mother? ensuring authenticity remains at the forefront. Participants and their families will be invited to a sharing event at ARC Stockton, where they can offer feedback before the play enters rehearsals. The production will rehearse for three weeks at ARC ahead of a technical week and a six-show run. From there, the play will tour major venues, including Live Theatre Newcastle. A companion audio play, featuring the personal writing of 60 participants, will be accessible via QR codes linked from gallery walls, flyers and programmes. Rachel said: “It’s amazing that we have such a great backing.

In terms of funding, especially for a bigger project is really incredibly supportive. These workshops wouldn’t be happening without this funding, so it’s all very exciting. “Alex Ferris, the Chief Executive at the ARC, has been so supportive. He’s given us so much space to work with, even down to a room for the childcare and his support to help make this happen is amazing. And thank you to Mike and everyone at the PFC Trust for this opportunity to make a difference.”*Anyone who would like to get involved can email Rachel at rachelstockdale3@gmail.com and motheratarc@gmail.comFor more information on The PFC Trust, head to: https://www.thepfctrust.org/