Bristol arts trails – making art accessible

It is a truth universally acknowledged that an area of Bristol where more than five artists or artisans live must be in want of an arts trail.

There are over 150 art trails in towns and cities across the UK and it would be a safe bet to say that Bristol is the city which has more art trails each year than any other location outside London.  Why this should be the case is open to question.

Is Bristol more creative than other places? Are there more artists living in Bristol than anywhere else, other than perhaps pro rata, Totnes? Do the citizens of Bristol have a greater appreciation of art than the citizens of for example, Hebden Bridge? Or do people in Bristol simply really enjoy having a poke around complete stranger’s houses whilst looking at art which ranges from jolly good efforts to astonishingly good?

The oldest art trail in Bristol is the Totterdown Front Rooms trail held annually in November since 2001. The trail regularly hosts over 180 artists working in various media and attracts numerous visitors over the weekend (14-16 November).

Front Rooms 2014 spokesperson  Angie Belcher said: “Art Trails are the most democratic form of creative expression, Art work created by the people for the people. If you go to an exhibition, you know exactly what you are going to get whereas an art trail has such an eclectic and often bizarre collection of artists that you can’t fail to be inspired and surprised. Totterdown like a lot of Bristol is jam packed full of artists, writers, makers and performers that it seemed ridiculous not to create our own platform for them. But now the art trail has grown it’s about more than the art, it’s about community and harmonious neighbourhoods doing it for themselves. It attracts tens of thousands of visitors every year, creates an income for artists and Totterdown parties hard for a weekend. The trail is now more than just art. We hold children’s workshops, cabaret evenings and have a cinema on the local green.”

Sarah Donovan an artist based in Henry Street, Totterdown epitomised the ethos of Front Room when she said: “I am really excited about exhibiting. For the past few years I have wrapped up warm and enjoyed walking around Totterdown at its best, with the community literally opening its doors to show off Bristol’s creativity.

“It’s my first time participating as an artist so I am somewhat nervous and I am starting to feel the pressure to get some work done.”

Later in November (29 -30) the North Bristol Art Trail’s organisers promise to take visitors on ‘a journey of delights’ from Montpelier to Horfield and across to Henleaze and the eastern edge of Redland. Over 100 local artists are participating this year

Art trails in Bristol are a social, community event with an egalitarian ethos, they make art accessible to all, there is nothing intimidating about walking into a house to look at and possibly buy art and crafts, whereas the same cannot always be said for commercial art galleries. This could indeed be a partial explanation of their success and expansion, most people like art and the idea of owning art. Art trails make it easy.

Totterdown Front Rooms

North Bristol Art Trail