My Bristol favourites: John Nation

John Nation is a key figure in the development of Bristol’s world-famous graffiti scene. As a youth worker at Barton Hill Youth Centre in the mid-1980s, John encouraged young artists like Inkie, Nick Walker, Cheo and later Banksy to paint onto the centre’s walls. Later, in the mid-1990s, John and Bunjy of Bristol band Laid Blak ran the Bristol Exposure rave nights and record label. Nowadays, he’s the tour guide for Where the Wall, Bristol’s hugely popular street art walking tours, which this week launched their own YouTube channel.

Here are John’s top-five Bristol favourites:     

Barton Hill Youth Centre (aka The Dug Out)
“A place of fond memories for me. I worked there as a youth worker and, being from Barton Hill myself, it’s a special place for many reasons. It’s also a historic place for Bristol’s graffiti and street art scene – reputations were built here, and many of the city’s artists grew and nurtured their style on the Dug Out walls. It inspired the likes of Banksy, Inkie, Nick Walker, Jody and Cheo, to name just a few – and the generations of street artists that followed. A place that shaped Bristol’s world-famous graffiti culture.” 

Bristol’s painted buildings
“I love the bright, diverse paintings that adorn many of our buildings and streets. Every weekend our street art tours are fully booked, with visitors coming from all around the world to take in the sights and sounds of creative Bristol – and its beating heart, the street art scene. Graffiti and street art bring a lot of attention, tourism and money to Bristol. No other UK city is so heavily painted, or so much visited for this art form.”

The harbourside
“Bristol’s harbourside has so much to offer. It’s a great mix of attractions and places to eat and drink with so much history and culture – At-Bristol, Arnolfini, M Shed, Watershed, ss Great Britain. Of course it comes into its own in the summer – buzzing with people, with the dockside steam train running back and forth. A great space for Bristolians and visitors alike.”

Trinity
“I love this venue on so many levels. Like many others, I’ve enjoyed some cracking concerts and club nights over many decades here – and I love its setting, a former church with an amazing vibe. I also promoted my own parties here in the 1990s under the Bristol Exposure name, with my partner DJ Bunjy. Again, some memorable nights. This year I’m returning there for mine and Cath’s wedding reception. It holds a special place in my life.”

The people of Bristol
“Bristolians make this a great city. So many creative people live and work in the city, and I love the laid-back attitude. I also like the Bristol accent, its vocabulary and its sound. Some people like to knock Bristol, but I’m not one of them. It’s a great city and we should rejoice in its many gifts.”