About BS1

In 2006 Neville Gabie was appointed by art consultants InSite Arts, on behalf of the Bristol Alliance (www.bristolcitycentre.com), as ‘artist in residence’. Neville’s commission has been programmed to run during the three year construction period of the Cabot Circus development - a thirty-seven acre development which includes retail, leisure and residential accommodation located in the heart of Bristol city centre. www.cabotcircus.com

Neville began working on site soon after building work started in June 2006 and will continue working past official launch in 2008, until spring 2009. During the last eighteen months Neville has built invaluable working relationships across the hugely varied Cabot Circus workforce, which has informed both temporary projects and permanent installations. A series of publications will be produced to detail Neville’s art programme.

In parallel to developing his own practice as an artist on site, Neville Gabie was keen to initiate a programme of smaller temporary artist projects at key moments throughout the redevelopment. With the support of the Bristol Alliance and with the close collaboration of Insite Arts, the BS1 programme has been initiated. Funded jointly by Bristol Alliance and Arts Council England, six artists in addition to Neville Gabie will develop a programme of temporary works over the coming year.

‘Rarely does a development company take such a huge risk in commissioning artists with no defined outcome and we are very excited by this. We are interested in the process’ – Bristol Alliance

 

A two year programme of creative interventions in response to the evolution of Cabot Circus from building site to retail centre

Six artists, of different disciplines, concerns and stages of their careers, have been invited to participate in the BS1 programme. Each has been selected to respond to different aspects of the site; which continues to evolve on a daily basis. This commission therefore offers the opportunity to witness the dramatic transformation from inaccessible, hoarded-off building site to a highly visible, highly appealing public retail and leisure space. Equally though the remit for this project also invites the artists to consider the impact this development will have on the established communities of St Paul’s, St Jude’s and Old Market which surround the site.

Residential accommodation in the city centre has been provided for the artists, along with greater ease of access to the development and funding to support their activity. Whilst the outcomes of each residency might be very different and are specifically not defined in advance, it is anticipated that those outcomes will develop out of each individual’s response to being located in BS1.

Each artist will run his own website page and blog – please visit regularly to read up-dates and progress reports for the BS1 art programme.

For more information contact – info@insitearts.com