Celebrating ten years of Coexist

Born out of a passion to generate grassroots social change that could be a model for other communities nationwide, Coexist is now celebrating ten years in Bristol.

Equipped with a dodgy acronym, (coexist stands for a Centre of Excellence in Sustainable Communities) and bags of creativity and determination, the social enterprise set out to transform Hamilton House from a derelict empty office building into the thriving community space it is today.

While recent uncertainties over the building’s future continue to test the custodians of the Stokes Croft hub, they won’t dampen enthusiasm for the chance to celebrate a decade of work to drive positive social change, through the arts, workshops, communal projects and more.

The people at Coexist have created an exciting lineup of events throughout June to showcase the variety of activities and organisations they support.

More than half a million people come through Hamilton House’s doors every year

The month-long programme of festivities will include a celebration of the social interactions that good food can bring with a collaboration with Bristol Food Connections. Think prestigious chefs, fusing of cultures, and bringing the community together through delicious banquets in true Coexist style.

“A true labour of love. This project has seen more than blood, sweat and tears poured into it,” says Coexist’s Anna Blightman.

“We would love to extend a warm welcome to Hamilton House, Stokes Croft, Bristol and the wider community to come along, take part in some of our events, feel the magic that is palpable through the doors of Hamilton House, and share with us our visions and ideas for the future of Coexist.”

Arts and creative expression is celebrated in Hamilton House, with work spaces available and workshops regularly organised. Events include ongoing weekly performance workshops, designed to ‘work the muscle of your imagination and inspire movement in your body’, a weekend workshop to help performers finely craft their own piece, and an artists’ showcase.

The celebration also provides an opportunity for members of the community to engage in some self-care with talks and workshops around managing anxiety.

Creative work spaces within Hamilton House

Throughout the month, the Coexist gallery will be exhibiting the covers of Hamilton House programmes from over the years.

The framed work will be on sale, so people can take the chance “to own a part of history, as the fate of Hamilton House is undecided at present.”

June 16 will see the return of the Coexist Festival, which is expected to be a spectacular evening of the best elements of Coexist over the last ten years.

Everyone is invited to come and join Coexist for a magical explosion of music, dance, comedy, poetry and creative offerings in the heart of Hamilton House.

Here’s an overview of events coming up through the month:

It will be a foodie heaven, with a variety of culinary events, in collaboration  Bristol Food Connections:

June 12: Mageiros Pop Up: A delicious two-course dinner, with flavours from Iran and the Ivory Coast.

The Coexist Community Kitchen invites you to connect with Bristol’s diverse immigrant population and their amazing food cultures at the Maigeros Pop-Up.

Born out of an ESOL (English Speakers of Other Languages) cookery course for Health, Cooking and Conversation, the Maigeros Pop-Up brings together people from different cultures and backgrounds.

It gives them a space to share their traditional foods, whilst learning and practising English, which helps support community integration.

June 14: Hamilton House community lunch: A two-course vegetarian lunch in one of Bristol’s most creative hubs.

Every Thursday, the Coexist team bring all the myriad creative, ingenious people who work at Hamilton House together, so that they can share a delicious meal and spend time together.

As part of Bristol Food Connections 2018, they are inviting you to come down and join them. Over the course of a communal lunch, you’ll have the chance to meet people who have their artistic home in the building, to chat to the person next to you about their exciting new social enterprise, or learn about the incredible work that the charities based in Hamilton House carry out.

June 15: Morito in Hamilton House: Chef Marianna Leivaditaki of Moro fame hosts a three-course sharing banquet.

This event celebrates the beautiful food of the Mediterranean. Recently named as “one of the UK’s most influential chefs” by Olive magazine, Marianna will be bringing her signature Cretan inspiration to an array of colourful tapas dishes.

Coexist Community Kitchen

Look after your mind as well as your stomach with well being talks and workshops about overcoming anxiety:

June 28 (talk) and June 30 (workshop): Overcoming anxiety: A new perspective, with David Bowerman.

Hosted by David Bowerman, the informative talk will begin with understanding how anxiety works and how this can enable you not to get trapped in anxious thoughts so that they will begin to move through your mind and fall away. You will begin to think more clearly, navigate more effectively challenging situations, and feel more at ease.

If you are interested in learning more about a different approach to anxiety and well being, then come along.’

Wellbeing Presents is introducing a new series of talks and workshops focusing on different therapies each month.

Explore performance, movement and physical theatre through these upcoming events:

June 22-24: Sketch -Up performance creation lab – four week course.

Working on a performance piece? Structure it and revel in the act of creating.

This is a weekend workshop to finely craft your unique performance piece. With group exercises, one-to-one feedback and a showcase opportunity.

June 29: Cure Cabaret – Celebrate transformative arts – an artist’s showcase.

June 15-27: The Coexist gallery will host Hamilton House: A retrospective. 

As part of the ten years of Coexist celebrations, Coexist is proud to present Hamilton House: A Retrospective. An exhibition in the Coexist gallery space of Hamilton House programme covers. With over 70 artists featured, this show displays programme covers from its creation through to the present day.

Previous Hamilton House programme covers.

June 16: The return of the Coexistence Festival

Celebrating coexistence, the festival will be a spectacular evening of the best elements of Coexist over the last ten years.

For more information and a full line up of events, visit: www.hamiltonhouse.org/ten-years-of-coexist

Read more: 12 hours in Hamilton House