Preview: Bristol Biennial

Next week sees the return of Bristol Biennial, a nine-day ‘festival of art and ideas’ at locations across town. Themed ‘In Other Worlds’, this year’s Biennial features 13 new artist commissions including exhibitions, performances, walks, talks and dinners; eight satellite projects featuring Bristol artist-led projects and partnerships; and a global pull of artists from Australia, Germany, Russia, Estonia and beyond. The art happens at 24 different sites across the city, including Hengrove, Eastville, Bedminster, The Bearpit, St George and the Harbourside.
Here’s co-director Rowan Lear to tell us more.

So, Rowan – can you pick out two or three highlights from this year’s Biennial?
There are so many – but a short selection would include A Galaxy of Suns [pictured top], by Australian artist Michaela Gleave. Working with composers, programmers and choirs, Michaela has created a smartphone app that will sing the movement of stars above your head – even during the day or in polluted skies. We’ll host the app’s UK launch, with two extraordinary performances in Staple Hill Tunnel, working with the incredible Gurt Lush choir.
For Performances for Pets, Alex Bailey and Krõõt Juurak have worked with pet psychologists, developing a performance practice especially for animals. You can book a one-hour performance for your pet – and if you would like to master the techniques yourself, we’re running a Workshop for Humans.
We’re also bringing Art Spin to the festival. I experienced the original Art Spin in Toronto last summer – the most exhilarating whirlwind cycle tour of the city, from one artistic wonder to the next. We’ll weave a journey through the night, exploring pockets of Bristol Biennial and finishing with a beautiful performance in the dark. Berlin has only just adopted Art Spin, and Bristol is hot on their heels.

How would you describe the Biennial’s ethos and aims?
Well, we have seven core values: artist-led, relevant, international, accessible, sustainable, nurturing, hopeful. That last one is one of my favourites – we must have hope that things will change for the better, in all aspects of life and politics! To inspire hope is our most powerful driver for doing what we do.

What sort of impact do you hope to leave after each Biennial?
We do appear to pop up and then disappear again – but actually, we’re hard at work all year round, selecting artists through an international open call (we had 778 submissions, eek!), developing projects with artists and communities, and of course, the dreaded, but necessary fundraising.
Impacts-wise, we provide paid commissions for emerging artists – vital if we want Bristol to remain a place where artists can live, make and present their work (not just somewhere where the big names can be shipped in!). We also challenge our artists to think more deeply about where they present their work and how local people can get involved.
As to impact on audiences, the festival is our big point of contact – not just through performances and exhibitions, but through workshops and community participation. We believe art is for everyone, and hope that every festival encourages more people to get involved in artistic activities.

What makes Bristol a good home for an event like this?
Bristol’s obviously a very cultural place – but, surprisingly, we’re the only curated citywide visual arts festival. There are also lots of brilliant parts of the city that rarely get the benefit of extraordinary art projects – and we challenge our artists to look to the edges and think about how else things can be done.

Bristol Biennial Sept 2-10, various venues. For more info, visit www.bristolbiennial.org/filter/Plan-your-visit