News: Mother @ ARC Stockton

Award‑winning North East artist Rachel Stockdale is inviting parents, mothers and primary caregivers to help shape her new play Mother? through a series of free, relaxed workshops at ARC Stockton this spring. Running from 31st March to 12th May, the weekly sessions offer a welcoming space for people to share the realities of parenting today — the pressures, the contradictions, the joys, and the messy middle that rarely gets talked about. These lived experiences will feed directly into the development of the stage play, an accompanying radio piece, and a portrait exhibition that will open alongside the show’s premiere in June.

Stockdale, known for her sharp, honest and often very funny work, is keen to centre real voices from Teesside and beyond. Lunch is provided, babies are welcome, and childcare is available for older children, making the sessions as accessible as possible. Parents and caregivers can simply drop into ARC’s Culture Kitchen café on the day, with no booking required, while those unable to attend in person can contribute remotely.

Mother? premieres at ARC Stockton from 17–19th June 2026, promising a candid, heartfelt and often hilarious look at modern family life, shaped by the people living it every day.

To find out more, visit the ARC website.