It's that time of year again, when over 100 of the leading artistic talents in Bristol open the doors to their studios and welcome visitors into their lives to witness them in their element working at close quarters. It can only be the North Bristol Arts Trail 2012.
The group was formed back in 2002 by a small group of local artists who wanted to share their art with the wider Bristol community, without having to pay for an exhibition space or charge people for the privilege. And so the North Bristol Artists were born with the intention of making their art accessible to the public.
The NBA Arts trail has its origins in 1998 when founding members Sarah Cooper and Cath Read decided to exhibit their work from their homes in St. Andrews. The following year more artists joined them to create what was then known as 'Art on the Block' which became a regular Christmas event for the next 3 years.
Things have come a long way since those early days. Back in 2001 there was a total of thirty artists exhibiting from just seven venue; but last year saw over one hundred artists exhibiting their work mainly from their own homes, truly capturing the essence of what makes the trail so popular with families and individuals alike.
The trail ran from 10am through to 6pm Saturday and Sunday (November 24th & 25th) with a special Friday night preview at certain venues between 7pm and 9pm. Maps for the Arts trail, detailing all participant artists can be found at a number of Bristol venues, including: the Arnolfini, Tobacco Factory, Centrespace, Create, Watershed and many libraries.
A lot of thought is put into the trail each year, with artists being selected as much for their medium as for their reputation and experience. The organisers are acutely aware of the need to showcase the full remit of mediums used by local artists, and this year saw the most diverse catalogue ever, with media ranging from glass and jewellery to pottery and photography to print.
The Bristol Arts Trail is yet another glowing indication of the breadth and depth of artistic ability in Bristol, but also shows a real sense of community spirit in the artists' willingness to welcome strangers into their homes to share their work with them, whilst expecting nothing in return.
So next time you're planning a get-away for a week or even a couple of days, why not drop in on this great city and find out just what it has to offer. With year round events, festivals, markets and performances, there will always be something going on to inspire and excite, and always like minded people to meet and feel inspired by.
The group was formed back in 2002 by a small group of local artists who wanted to share their art with the wider Bristol community, without having to pay for an exhibition space or charge people for the privilege. And so the North Bristol Artists were born with the intention of making their art accessible to the public.
The NBA Arts trail has its origins in 1998 when founding members Sarah Cooper and Cath Read decided to exhibit their work from their homes in St. Andrews. The following year more artists joined them to create what was then known as 'Art on the Block' which became a regular Christmas event for the next 3 years.
Things have come a long way since those early days. Back in 2001 there was a total of thirty artists exhibiting from just seven venue; but last year saw over one hundred artists exhibiting their work mainly from their own homes, truly capturing the essence of what makes the trail so popular with families and individuals alike.
The trail ran from 10am through to 6pm Saturday and Sunday (November 24th & 25th) with a special Friday night preview at certain venues between 7pm and 9pm. Maps for the Arts trail, detailing all participant artists can be found at a number of Bristol venues, including: the Arnolfini, Tobacco Factory, Centrespace, Create, Watershed and many libraries.
A lot of thought is put into the trail each year, with artists being selected as much for their medium as for their reputation and experience. The organisers are acutely aware of the need to showcase the full remit of mediums used by local artists, and this year saw the most diverse catalogue ever, with media ranging from glass and jewellery to pottery and photography to print.
The Bristol Arts Trail is yet another glowing indication of the breadth and depth of artistic ability in Bristol, but also shows a real sense of community spirit in the artists' willingness to welcome strangers into their homes to share their work with them, whilst expecting nothing in return.
So next time you're planning a get-away for a week or even a couple of days, why not drop in on this great city and find out just what it has to offer. With year round events, festivals, markets and performances, there will always be something going on to inspire and excite, and always like minded people to meet and feel inspired by.
About the Author:
Hashim Javier writes regularly about all things Bristol for his site serviced flats bristol Past examples of his writing can be found here serviced apartments bristol
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