Art / News
New artistic pilot programme begins at former swimming pool
A new artistic pilot programme has been launched as a former swimming pool continues its journey to be brought back into community use.
It comes as the Architectural Heritage Fund (AHF) has given a grant of £350,000 towards the restoration of Jacob’s Wells Baths in Hotwells.
Jacob’s Wells Bath custodians Trinity’s new programme, Art of the Possible, hopes to demonstrate “how creative practice can inform the reanimation of a historic building and offers early insight into how the baths may operate as a cultural hub once restoration is complete”.
The Trinity team say that early artistic responses “highlight how the space can support a wide variety of art forms even while repair work continues, giving audiences an early sense of the building’s future possibilities”.
The pilot programme has opened up the previously inaccessible former boiler room at the historic building on Jacob’s Wells Road as a “live testing space” for Bristol artists.
Muneera Pilgrim features in the first video, with other artists including Grove starring in more videos due to be released over the coming weeks, “offering early creative responses to the site even as restoration continues”.
Heritage learning and participation is due to run alongside the artistic programme for local residents, schools and community groups.
Trinity CEO Emma Harvey said: “The history of Jacob’s Wells Baths is rooted in everyday people making that which seemed impossible into a reality.
“And we know artists are the best people at bringing our imaginations and dreams to life.”
Main photo: Trinity
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