Art / Spike island
Arts hub to celebrate 50th birthday
2026 marks 50 years of the Spike Island arts centre.
The space was founded as Bristol Artspace in 1976, when a group of artists repurposed a disused Victorian tea warehouse on Spike Island.
It now supports more than 300 artists and creative practitioners, as well as providing for over 250 students at the University of the West of England (UWE).
Spike Island host open studios to celebrate and champion local artists – photo: Dan Weill
The contemporary arts hub and exhibition space will be hosting a series of events programmes to honour its legacy in the city.
Starting in May 2026, the team will host an anniversary edition of their open studios, providing a window into more than 70 artists’ studios, UWE teaching spaces and print workshops.
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There will be a number of art fairs, including an homage to the centre’s Spike Print Studio and a winter makers’ market, and a summer party fundraiser.
The team hope that the events will reconnect artists who help keep Spike Island alive, as well as inviting supporters old and new to secure its future.
Deeming the celebratory year as “both a commemoration and a call to action”, Spike Island say they are aiming to “honour our past, highlight the experimental ethos at our core and look ahead to shaping the next 50 years.”
Main photo: Emily Jordan
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