Bristol is known all over the UK (if not the world) for being a creative city. We wear our artistic nature on our sleeves and, quite literally, on our streets. There are, however, still big areas of the city that probably don’t get enough attention. In the likes of Brislington, Knowle and St Anne’s, you’ll find a thriving, yet often hidden creative community.
The BS4 Arts Trail returns for the second-ever time next month (June 15 & 16). You’ll find over 85 makers in nearly 30 venues, with many opening their homes and studios for the weekend throughout the area. There will also be a number of artists exhibiting work in some much loved, community spaces too – like St Anne’s House, The Langton Pub, St Luke’s Church Hall, Bocabar, Hop Union Brewery and brand new venue The Glass Loft.
Whether you’re after something to hang in your hallway or you’d like to have a go on a potter’s wheel yourself, there’s so much on do and see in BS4. Other activities include learning lino printing, creating collages and having a crack at cutting glass. What we love most about arts trails like this, however, is discovering that you’re neighbours aren’t grumpy old gits, but incredibly talented artists!
There are a number of awesome food and drink stops along the way this year =. Grab a beer at the award-winning Lost & Grounded Brewers or a spot of lunch from the sister-run coffee shop, Kin Cafe. So there’s know excuse not to BS4 Arts Trail, where you’ll meet and support local artists in this often overlooked area of Bristol.
The 2024 BS4 Arts Trail will take place on June 15 & 16, 10am to 4pm. If you’d like to learn more and see all the venues and artists involved head here.
BS4 Arts Trail workshops:
Collage Rainbows & Faces
Join artist Laura from Colourful Minds and get crafty making rainbows (11am – 12.30pm) and faces (2pm – 3.30pm) using different collage materials. The free drop-in sessions at St Anne’s House is suitable for all ages and are on both days.
Printmaking with Little Leaf Press
Upstairs at The Langton, Kate Miller of Little Leaf Press is welcoming all ages to fun and free drop-in Linocut stamp-making (Saturday, 11am – 4pm) and Lego printmaking (Sunday, 11am – 4pm) workshops.
Print Taster Workshops with Bristol Print Museum
You’ll find hourly sessions in two different venues, The Glass Loft and Hungerford Gardens, with a range of printing methods covered. Join a drop-in drawn monoprinting workshop; print your own meaningful posters; and check out the Print Museums’s RISO machine. To see all teh taster sessions head here.
Gelli Plate Printing Workshops
Outside of Kin Cafe on Sunday, June 16 (10-11am and 12-1pm), you can learn to create beautiful prints from foraged plants using gelli plates and ink. Pre-booking is required and it is £20 per person to join. You can learn more here.
Have a go on the Potter’s Wheel
Wendy Calder is offering “have a go on the wheel” pottery drop-in sessions on Saturday June 15 (10am to 4pm) at her home studio. It’s completely free to have a go, but will cost £5 to have your pot glazed and fired.
Linocut Ex-Libris Workshops.
At Iva’s home studio, you can create your own linocut Ex-Libris and leave with two prints. Pre-booking required and it’s £10 per person. There are two sessions (12-1pm and 3-4pm) on both days (June 15 & 16). To book head here.
Make Monster Heads
This free, drop in craft session at St Luke’s Church Hall (Saturday, June 15) let’s your little ones make fun monster heads out of cardboard boxes. Head down anytime between 11am and 3pm, with all ages welcome!