Cultural organisations team up to create Bristol Arts Channel

A month-long pilot season of online experiences from cultural organisations across Bristol begins on Friday with Messiah streamed from the stage of the Bristol Old Vic.

Bristol Arts Channel hopes to be a place “for audiences missing the buzz and community of Bristol’s vibrant arts scene”.

The pilot programme of work will feature everything from lockdown lullabies to mini-festivals, all curated with the aim of giving audiences “moments of togetherness” from the comfort of their own homes.

Upcoming highlights include:

• Bristol Old Vic’s streamed season of plays, including Messiah, A Monster Calls and The Grinning Man.
• Sunday evening watch parties with Come the Revolution featuring some of the best black film and television on Netflix.
• Colston Hall and Simple Things Festival will be broadcasting archive recordings of some of their most memorable gigs.
• Trinity will be working with their associate artist Roxana Vilk to collect lullabies from across Bristol in this time of quarantine for a digital exhibition later in the year.

• Paraorchestra will be hosting their first Zoom gig featuring solo performances from some of their musicians and collaborators.
• St George’s present an online version of their Thursday lunchtime concert series and host a Wednesday evening ‘Listening Room’.
• Join Watershed head chef Chris Warren for a cook-in of his famous nachos, plus a cooking Q&A and some ideas for some film-themed cocktails.
• Deaf Conversations about Cinema will move online, with Watershed’s monthly film discussion event featuring an online watching party of a specially selected film.
• Bristol Museums will present The World in Bristol, a festival of online activities celebrating Bristol as a global city.
• Colston Hall in partnership with other venues across the city will host Bristol Takeover Online Part 2 on June 20 with a lineup of fresh new talent alongside established names.

https://vimeo.com/422800004

Bristol Arts Channel curator, Katherine Jewkes, said: “Bristol Arts Channel feels wholeheartedly in line with the spirit of the city, with arts organisations coming together to support each other as they showcase and champion the vibrant creative scene in Bristol, offering new ways for our communities to engage with us online during lockdown.

“It is a joy to be curating this pilot programme from the rich and diverse offering of our cultural sector.

“There should be something for everyone – from experimental digital initiatives through to day-long music festivals, some of the best theatre offering to live cinema watch parties, living room raves to more intimate conversations. We’re excited to be presenting Bristol arts online.”

Main photo of The Nature of Why at Mayfest by Paul Blakemore

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