It is recruiting 12 people to research the city's tile-making history and hopes to build an exhibition, uncovering stories from local people to include in the city's archives.
An artist is tracing the "forgotten stories" of the tile industry in Stoke-on-Trent after coming across a piece of the area's history while in New York City.
Inside, art enlivens the dark marble lobby by Singapore's LTW Designworks: guests are greeted by Australian artist Jane Cowie's 9.9-meter-tall glass tile installation depicting a koi pond and subtly etched scenes from China Merchant Group's 141-year-old history.