Turning vacant properties into creative spaces since 2006
WHAT WE DO
Artspace Lifespace is a Bristol arts charity creating affordable artist studios in Bristol and offering versatile creative spaces to hire for events. Whether you’re an artist looking for a dedicated studio, or an organisation seeking a distinctive venue for exhibitions, film shoots, events, rehearsals or independent retail, we have flexible options to suit. Our current Bristol Venues include The Island, Broadmead XP (The Galleries) and Sparks Bristol are all situated in Broadmead.
ABOUT OUR CHARITY
Serving the Bristol arts community since 2006, Artspace Lifespace became a registered charity in 2016. We specialise in revitalising forgotten and underused spaces on a meanwhile basis, creating affordable room for artists while breathing new life into Bristol’s built environment. Alongside our studios and venues, we offer consultancy to architects, planners and developers committed to community-focused regeneration. Any profits from our earned income are reinvested into sustaining the organisation and supporting our creative community.
Funders – We are grateful for the support of our core funders Bristol City Council Cultural Investment Programme, Garfield Weston Foundation and The Nisbet Trust. Arts Council England has supported projects including Futur Ville, We Are From Dust Sculpture Park, and putting the ‘Art’ back into the department store at Sparks Bristol. Previous project funders also include Awards for All, the Architectural Heritage Fund, Historic England, the John James Foundation, the Postcode Lottery and Quartet.
Advocating for the Arts in the South West – Through our Residency Programme, network meetings and active lobbying, we champion individual artists and organisations across all sectors and art forms in Bristol and beyond.
RENT ARTIST STUDIOS & CREATIVE EVENT SPACE IN BRISTOL
Artist Studios to Rent in Bristol
Our studios provide working artists with affordable, long-term spaces to make, develop and showcase their work in the heart of Bristol city centre. Ideal for painters, sculptors, makers, photographers and other creative practitioners.
Creative Spaces and Venues for Hire in Bristol
Our Bristol event venues are based in Broadmead, Bristol’s city centre shopping quarter, and offer unique, characterful spaces available to hire for:
- Exhibitions & gallery events
- Film and photography shoots
- Creative workshops & rehearsals
- Performances & community events
- Independent retail & pop-ups
VACANT PROPERTY TOOLKIT
A free how-to guide for creatives and communities looking to take on empty properties.
As an organisation with a reputation for taking on often difficult spaces and transforming them with creative uses, Artspace is frequently asked by other organisations for support to help them take on space or consider new uses. This toolkit shares the knowledge we’ve gained over 20 years of turning vacant buildings into creative spaces.
MEET OUR BRISTOL ARTIST COMMUNITY
Our newest member of our artist community is Pip Ralph.
Now working from a studio at The Island Pip explores and mixes many mediums including paint, collage, sculpture and many more, with a focus on creating strange surreal scenes and colourful characters from old toys and found treasure, clay, wire and various other materials.
In the past, Pip has made sets for stop motion animations, decor for events and festivals, painted many murals and participated in several exhibitions in Bristol and Bath.
LATEST NEWS
- 🏳️🌈 Artspace Lifespace July Newsletter 🏳️🌈Rainbow Magic, Removing Guilt, Vacant Properties and our Repair Cafe all in the July Newsletter.
- Vacant Property ToolkitA free how-to guide for creatives and communities looking to take on empty properties. It feels timely that the launch of our Vacant Property Toolkit coincides with the announcement of a new £61 million Community Right to Buy Fund. The initiative is intended to empower local residents in England to take ownership of assets such […]
- International Cultural Festival Bringing Bristol Communities TogetherMore than 3,300 people came together to celebrate the rich diversity of Bristol’s communities at this year’s International Cultural Festival at Sparks Bristol on June 6th, creating a vibrant day filled with music, dance, food, art and cultural exchange. The event marked the launch of Bristol Refugee Festival which took place 6th – 21st June. […]
- 🌏Artspace June Newsletter 🌏Photography, Film, Mood Booster Ballet, Refugee Week and the International Cultural Festival all in our June newsletter.
- SAVE FIDDLERSA partnership project from Bedminster Works and Artspace Lifespace to protect and develop Fiddlers into a new cultural hub for South Bristol Fiddlers was a beloved music and community venue in Bedminster, South Bristol and is at imminent risk of being lost forever. The family that has run it for three decades is seeking to […]