Festival Walking Tours

© Trent Parke

Would you like to be guided from venue-to-venue while learning more about the programme? Each week we will host walking tours led by the festival’s core team (Ben, Alex, Safia & Ilayda). They will leave from a city-centre venue, taking in a handful of exhibitions. The tours are a great chance to engage with the festival while meeting like minded people. Upcoming tours include: 

  • Friday 1st November – 11am (bring your baby tour) – BOOK HERE
  • Saturday 2nd November – 11am (all ages) – BOOK HERE
  • Saturday 9th – 11am (all ages) – BOOK HERE
  • Friday 15th – (bring your baby tour) – BOOK HERE
  • Saturday 16th – 11am (all ages) – BOOK HERE

Tours are a maximum of two hours in length, with opportunities to rest in between exhibitions. Group size will be kept to a maximum of 12 participants. The ‘bring your baby’ sessions are bested suited to parents and carers with babies under 1 and a half.

Artist Workshop with Kirsty Mackay

© Kirsty Mackay

On Saturday 16th November, artist Kirsty Mackay will lead a one-day workshop exploring the intersections of politics, social justice and storytelling. Through a series of activities and discussions, participants will explore how to tell stories that directly address key social issues, focussing on ideas including:

  • Social class
  • The collective voice
  • Storytelling with communities
  • The role of activism within art
  • How to resolve a long-term project

You might be a photographer already working on your own projects, looking for new input and support. Alternatively, you might be interested in social justice and want to learn more about the relationship between activism and photography. It doesn’t matter what experience you have, all are welcome to attend. 

About Kirsty 

As part of Bristol Photo Festival, Kirsty Mackay is currently exhibiting The Magic Money Tree (on display at Bricks St. Anne’s House). Working collaboratively with communities across England, Mackay documented the impact of the cost-of-living crisis and the realities of poverty in the world’s 6th largest economy. The resulting project looks at how systematic inequality is manifested via government policy, access to resources, geographies of exclusion, and multigenerational experiences of trauma. 

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Born in Glasgow and based in Bristol, Kirsty Mackay is a photographic artist, educator, activist and filmmaker. Her research-led documentary practice examines issues of gender, class and discrimination. Her last book, The Fish That Never Swam (2021) was an elegy to her hometown of Glasgow, and the fallout of 1970s housing developments that led to the fragmentation of working-class communities and neighbourhoods. 

Her work has been exhibited both nationally & internationally, including in the recent survey exhibition Facing Britain (2022, international touring) alongside works by Martin Parr, Anna Fox & David Hurn. As a working-class artist Kirsty’s own experiences allow her empathy, connection and incite into the stories of the people and communities she photographs.

Practical Details

The workshop will take place on Saturday 16th November at Bricks St. Anne’s House (BS4 4AB) from 10am – 5pm, with 45 minutes for lunch. It is limited to a total of 12 places. No equipment is required to participate. 

Ticket Pricing

Tickets are available on a sliding scale: 

  • Full Price – £25 – pay this amount if you feel financially secure. For example, you live in secure housing, manage to save some money each month and are able to take time off to go on holiday. 
  • Middle Price – £15 – Pay this amount if you have some financial concerns but still manage to meet your monthly outgoings. For example, you might be employed but in a lower income job, living in relatively secure rental accommodation and with some expendable income. 
  • Low Price – £5 – Pay this amount if you currently have very little financial security. For example, you might be out of work or currently looking for somewhere to live, with very little expendable income. 

Tickets can be booked HERE via headfirst.

Parallel Programme: from Skateparks to Expanded Film

The Parallel Programme highlights photography activity happening across Bristol during the period of the festival. Please see individual events and exhibitions below for details, including dates and opening times.

Exhibition: Point & Shoot by James Allen

Campus Pool Skatepark, Whitchurch Ln, Bishopsworth, Bristol BS13 7RW – 5th October – 5th December  (10:00 – 20:00 – Tuesday-Sunday) 

Point & Shoot is a collaborative project devised by photographer James Allen with the aim of introducing young people to contemporary photography. The project has included free workshops, skate sessions and talks by local artists and photographers, including Chris Hoare and James Griffiths. The exhibition will display a selection of Allen’s images – large format portraits of local community members – across the skatepark. 

The project has been devised in collaboration with Campus Skateparks and Bath Spa University.

Founded in 2011 – with diversity and inclusivity at the core – Campus Skateparks is a Bristol based, skater-owned, not-for-profit organisation that uses the positive energy and influence of skateboarding to engage with children and young people.

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Exhibition: Liquid Now by Bristol Experimental & Expanded Photography

Kit Form, Jamaica Street, Stokes Croft, BS2 8JP – 14th – 17th November, 12-6pm (opening night Wed 13th Nov)

Artists: Melanie Clifford, Sarah Rose Currie, Katie Davies, Melissa Edwards, Sam Francis, David Hopkinson, Claudia Pilsl, Mars Saude, Sophie Sherwood and Deborah Weinreb. 

Liquid Now brings together artists working with experimental and expanded photography processes – from cyanotypes to moving image – exploring what it means to be alive within liquid times, a period where stability and order have been replaced by impermanence and continuous change. 

Highlights include Katie Davies’ installation ‘Speaker’ which reflects on a North Korean propaganda village; Claudia Pilsi’s cyanotypes, created from her father’s images of a family gathering; and Deborah Weinreb’s screen works of early 80’s China. 

Events include: 

  • Thursday 14th, 1-4pm – Phytogram Workshop with Sophie Sherwood
  • Friday 15th, 10.30am-1pm – Abstract Film Documents Workshop: create a short film with a photographic approach with Deborah Weinreb

Photo Weston: Celebration, Talks & Book Singing

Photo Weston 24 is a photography programme that cultivates collaborations between local community groups and internationally celebrated photographers. Through our partnership they aim to support the development of new works to be exhibited in Weston-super-Mare.

An exhibition of work with incarcerated people at San Quentin State prison by Nigel Poor will be shown alongside works in progress from The Prison Mobile Library.

16.10—7.11
The Gallery
5 St. Margarets Terrace
Weston-super-Mare

Open Night 26.10 @ 5PM

An exhibition of new work created by participants from Refugees Welcome & Race Equality North Somerset in collaboration with Michal Iwanowski.

26.10—15.11
Grove Park
Weston-super-Mare

Open Night 26.10 @ 4PM

Working with people using the Refugees Welcome & Race Equality services Iwanowski supported skills development around photography and visual language, and facilitated the production of personal stories.

26.10 @ 6pm
Loves Cafe
9 West St
Weston-super-Mare

The final exhibition of Estuary will be curated by Jem Southam – one of the most critically respected British photographers – who has been documenting the landscape in the south of England for the past 40 years.

27.10 @ 4pm
Loves Cafe
9 West St
Weston-super-Mare

Estuary is a community focussed photographic collaboration looking at the Severn Estuary designed around a series of walks along the coast of Weston-super-Mare.

9.11—22.11
The Gallery
5 St. Margarets Terrace
Weston-super-Mare

Open Night 9.11 @ 6pm

Festival Playlist: i-Sha & Nahda

© Amak Mahmoodian

On Wednesday 16th October, the festival kicks off, with exhibition openings by Amak Mahmoodian and Ariella Aïsha Azoulay. Following the openings we have invited Bristol stalwarts i-Sha and Nahda to play at Old Market Assembly (9pm onwards):

  • i-sha is a Bristol-based DJ, resident at Noods Radio and one of the organisers behind the party and imprint Accidental Meetings. In recent years she has honed a unique style that combines brooding dub soundscapes with moments of frenetic energy.
  • Nahda is a Bristol-based DJ and resident at Noods Radio who draws together sounds from across the MENA region.

In preparation, Nahda has kindly picked out some recent records to keep you entertained until the festival kicks off:

  • Jabu – Final Day ft. Memotone – Listen here.
  • DJ Gawad – Bandana ft. Jurum – Listen here.
  • Prophän – Live By Steel Die By Steel / اللي نافخو الحديد افشوا الحديد – Listen here.
  • Oiseaux Tempête – Black Elephant – Listen here
  • Polido – Met the Moment – Listen here.
  • Sanam – Ya Nass (O People) يا ناس – Listen here.
  • Susu Laroche – Taba’an – Listen here.
  • Sout El Leil – Wea Mashi – Listen here.
  • BILLY TSTRK x BENT 7AZINE – 3CHIREH / بلي تسترك, بنت حزينة – عشيرة — Listen here.
  • Kol Maghanni ft. Mariana Jouzova – Qow – Listen here.

The afterparty is free entry. Please come along to celebrate the opening of the festival. Full details can be found via headfirst.

Venue Hopping: Opening Week Shuttle Bus

© Rainbow Village British theme park, Japan, 1993 © Martin Parr / Magnum Photos

On Thursday 17th October, we will be celebrating the launch of exhibitions across the South-East of the city, including:

5pm – 7pm – Bricks St. Anne’s House Opening Night – exhibitions include: The Magic Money Tree by Kirsty Mackay and Not a Home Without Fire by Bandia Ribeira.

  • Address: Bricks St. Anne’s House – St Anne’s Rd, Brislington, Bristol, BS4 4AB

6.30pm – 8.30pm – Paintworks Opening Night – exhibitions include: Monument by Trent Parke (Martin Parr Foundation) and  Realms of Memory by Billy H.C. Kwok, Jay Lau & Lau Wai (Royal Photographic Society)

  • Address: Martin Parr Foundation and Royal Photographic Society (both Paintworks, Bristol, BS4 3AR – the venues are directly opposite one another)

Thursday Shuttle Bus Information

We will be running a bus service from Bricks St. Anne’s House to Paintworks, enabling you to attend both openings. Buses will leave Bricks St. Anne’s House at 6.45pm & 7.15pm. For those who live in St. Anne’s, there will also be a return service. Book a spot on the bus here.

Festival Routes

Most of the festival can be reached on foot, however some exhibitions lie beyond the city centre. Be prepared to walk a little further or consider other options (bus, bike, scooter, car or taxi). This post is designed to help those planning routes, using a combination of walking and public transport.

Covering the Festival in Two Days

Day One: The Central Loop Walk

  • Start at Arnolfini Gallery. After seeing the exhibition, head to M Shed – 3 minutes on foot.
  • Next, head to The Crypt, St Paul’s Church – 4 minutes on foot.
  • Walk on to Albion Dockside – 12 minutes on foot.
  • From here, cross the harbour on a ferry before walking up the hill to The Georgian House Museum – 20-25 minutes in total.
  • Afterwards, carry on to Bristol Museum & Art Gallery – 5 minutes on foot.
  • From here, you could continue on towards Serchia Gallery or The Launderette – both approximately 25 minutes on foot.
  • Finish the day by walking down to Centrespace Gallery – 20 minutes on foot.
  • Total walking time: 1.5 – 2 hours
  • Total viewing time: 4 hours (based on 30 minutes per exhibition)

Day Two: Completing the Loop

  • Start at Paintworks (Martin Parr Foundation & Royal Photographic Society). After seeing the exhibitions, catch the bus (349, 1 or 522) towards the city centre (there is a bus stop called ‘The Centre’) – 15 minutes by bus or 25 minutes on foot. 
  • From here you have lots of options. To complete all exhibitions, walk from the city centre to the neighbourhood of Old Market where you will find IC Visual Lab & 17 Midland Road – 15 minutes on foot or 5 minutes by bus.
  • After seeing these exhibitions, catch the bus from Old Market to Bricks St. Anne’s House (no. 5 bus, every 30 mins). The journey time via bus is approximately 20 minutes. 
  • After the exhibitions at Bricks, finish the day by relaxing at Lost and Grounded Taproom (Open Fridays and Saturdays) – 8 minutes on foot.
  • Total transport time: 1 hour
  • Total viewing time: 2.5 hours (based on 30 minutes per exhibition)

A Single Day Visit

It’s going to be tough to see everything in a single day. However, if this is

  • Start at Paintworks (Martin Parr Foundation & Royal Photographic Society). After seeing the exhibitions, head on to Arnolfini Gallery –  35 minutes on foot or 25 minutes by bus.
  • After spending time at Arnolfini Gallery, head to M Shed – 3 minutes on foot.
  • Next, head to The Crypt, St Paul’s Church – 4 minutes on foot.
  • Walk on to Albion Dockside – 12 minutes on foot.
  • From here, cross the harbour on a ferry before walking up the hill to The Georgian House Museum – 20-25 minutes in total.
  • Afterwards, carry on to Bristol Museum & Art Gallery – 5 minutes on foot.
  • From here, you could continue on towards Serchia Gallery or The Launderette – both approximately 25 minutes on foot or 15-20 minutes by bus. 
  • From the Launderette walk down to Centrespace Gallery – 20 minutes on foot.
  • After leaving Centrespace Gallery you can walk to the neighbourhood of Old Market where you will find IC Visual Lab and 17 Midland Road 20 minutes on foot.
  • After seeing these exhibitions, catch the bus from Old Market to Bricks St. Anne’s House – 20 minutes by bus (number 5, leaving every 30 mins). 
  • After the exhibitions at Bricks, finish the day by relaxing at Lost and Grounded Taproom (Open Fridays and Saturdays) – 8 minutes on foot.
  • Total travel time (walking or by bus): up to 3 hours
  • Total viewing time: 7 hours (based on 30 minutes per exhibition)

Festival Playlist: Infinite Spirit Music

Lionel; EP/64 Finale at Arnolfini, Bristol, May 2022. Photo credit: Simon Holliday

To celebrate the opening of Rinko Kawauchi’s At the edge of the everyday world, we have invited a collection of artists to create new soundtracks to accompany her film works. These will be performed and broadcast as a special one-off event on Friday 18th October (tickets via Headfirst). 

Opening proceedings will be Lionel Lamadon, better known as Infinite Spirit Music. Lamadon is a much-loved selector who bridges the gaps between experimental music, field recordings, sound poetry and meditative dance. In preparation, we asked Lionel for a list of records that are currently inspiring him.

Tickets are moving quickly, book now to avoid missing out.

The Festival Giveaway

Are you planning on attending the opening weekend of the festival? Need somewhere to stay? And free tickets to all the events? If this sounds like you then enter your name into the festival giveaway. The winner will receive:

Entry is simple, all you have to do is two things:

  1. Subscribe to our mailing list before Friday 11th October at 5pm. Click HERE to subscribe.
  2. Reshare any post from the festival to your social media channel (either instagram or facebook).

Everybody who does this will be automatically entered.

The winner will be picked at random and notified by Monday 14th October. GOOD LUCK!

Oro Verde by Ritual Inhabitual

The global surge in demand for avocados has driven drug cartels across Mexico to become heavily involved in the trade. In response, in 2011 a group of women from the community of Cherán (Michoacán state) took a stand against the local cartel and succeeded in establishing a new government based on long-standing Purépecha indigenous principles. For five years, the collective Ritual Inhabitual documented Cherán’s struggle through a blend of documentary and fictional photography, collaborating with local artists to create a polyphonic narrative. Their project, Oro Verde, represents a form of ‘mytho-documentary’ symbolising key events in Cherán’s reclamation of communal autonomy. This exhibition – their first in the UK – is co-curated by Rosi Huaroco and Sergio Valenzuela-Escobedo.

About Ritual Inhabitual

Based in Paris, Tito Gonzalez Garcia (France, 1977) and Florencia Grisanti (Chile, 1983) founded the shared artistic practice Ritual Inhabitual in 2013. The collective is composed of artists, curators, publishers working together to develop long-term projects that explore the role of myth within contemporary political struggle, particularly in relation to land, ecology and indigenous rights across Latin America.

In 2021 they were finalists for the Luma Rencontres Dummy Book Award for “Forêts Géométriques, luttes en territoire Mapuche,” published by Actes Sud. In 2022, they won the Musée du Quai Branly documentary photography prize for their work Oro Verde, due to also be published by Actes Sud in 2024. Their works have been acquired by multiple collections, including the Contemporary Art Fund of Seine-Saint-Denis, the Rothschild Foundation Switzerland, the Musée du Quai Branly and various private collections across South America. This exhibition will be their first in the UK. 

Supported by:

In collaboration with: