Mitchell Arts Centre is in Stoke-on-Trent, England. Formerly known as the Mitchell Memorial Youth Theatre and Mitchell Memorial Youth Arts Centre and referred to locally as The Mitch.

Venue: Mitchell Arts Centre
Town: Stoke-on-Trent, GB

Mitchell Arts Centre is in Stoke-on-Trent, England. Formerly known as the Mitchell Memorial Youth Theatre and Mitchell Memorial Youth Arts Centre and referred to locally as The Mitch. It was opened by Group-Captain Douglas Bader on 28 October 1957, 14 years after Lord Mayor Councillor Charles Austin Brook launched a public appeal in February 1943 with the support of Florence Mitchell, Reginald Mitchell's widow. Charles Austin Brook was the lord mayor of Stoke-on-Trent between 1942 and 1943. He had, along with the whole of the country witnessed the Battle of Britain, the fight that took place in the skies against the German Luftwaffe in the summer of 1940. It was here that the Spitfire came into its own and on 12 October 1940 Hitler halted his invasion of Britain It was while Brook was mayor of Stoke-on-Trent he suggested that the city should construct a building that would be a lasting memorial to Reginald Mitchell, the Stoke-on-Trent born designer of the Spitfire. The suggestion was greeted with great enthusiasm. Many suggestions were made, the most impressive from Mr J.F. Carr, the director of education, being to build a Youth Centre. Charles Austin Brook said of the appeal: Britain and the world owe Reginald Mitchell a debt that cannot be repaid. We can, however, honour his memory by erecting a temple a temple wherein youth may gaze with confidence towards the future; where physical fitness goes hand in hand with learning and reaches the goal of true citizenship. Initially the vision for the Youth Arts Centre was huge, the City wanted to raise £100,000 and building work was to commence immediately after the war. The plan was for the Youth Centre to have a games room, gym with full-sized boxing ring, photographic studios, and theatre as well as art and music rooms. The Spitfire Mitchell Memorial Fund was launched nationwide in June 1944 in London. The fund had already raised £40,000 locally. In 1957 the Evening Sentinel Supplement stated that the fund's Executive