Catch up on A House Through Time in Bristol
BBC’s A House Through Time series from 2020 is currently being repeated on BBC4 (also available on BBC iPlayer). The show, featuring David Olusoga, resulted in Peter and Sue Cullimore writing their book, Saints, Crooks and Slavers.
BBC’s A House Through Time series from 2020 is currently being repeated on BBC4 (also available on BBC iPlayer). The show, featuring David Olusoga, resulted in Peter and Sue Cullimore writing their book, Saints, Crooks and Slavers. after their house was shortlisted to feature on the programme. In the end, their house wasn’t the one chosen but it inspired them to become house history detectives themselves.
David Olusoga holds a copy of Saints, Crooks & Slavers
Illustrate the cover image for the Bristol 650 book
Throughout 2023, Bristol Ideas is running Bristol 650, a project which marks the 650th anniversary of Bristol becoming an independent city and county. Bristol Ideas wishes to commission a locally based artist to create an illustration for the cover of the book.
Throughout 2023, Bristol Ideas is running Bristol 650, a project which marks the 650th anniversary of Bristol becoming an independent city and county.
As part of this project, Bristol Ideas is bringing together a collection of newly commissioned essays about the future of Bristol.
The book will be designed, printed and published by Bristol Books and 1,000 copies will be given away free at the Festival of the Future City in October 2023.
Bristol Ideas wishes to commission a locally based artist to create an illustration for the cover of the book.
A full timeline for the project is provided below, but the project will be working on a quick turnaround, with the appointed artist providing an initial design in early June and supplying the final illustration in July 2023.
Illustration brief
We are keen for the cover illustration to reflect the content of the essays and their future-facing focus. All essays focus on the future of Bristol, but the essays are wide-ranging in terms of subject matter. Topics covered include:
A city for all ages
A city learning from the past to build a good future
A city which takes the past seriously and does something about this
Beacons across the city
Culture for all
Fairness
Good quality public housing
Just transition
Local green action making big change happen
People having time for more than work
Social change and justice
Social mobility
The future of work
The soul of the city
Vibrant high streets
Vibrant nightlife
Bristol Ideas can provide draft versions of the commissioned essays to help the appointed artist develop their illustration.
Illustration format
The cover illustration for the book will need to be 170mm x 240mm (portrait) +6mm bleed around all edges. Bristol Ideas will provide a template for the cover to the appointed artist, including the title text so that the illustration can take this into consideration.
The artwork will need to be supplied in the following formats: High resolution JPG, TIFF or Vector format such as Adobe Illustrator file and supplied at a minimum 600dpi.
Timeline
Application deadline – 23 May
Artist appointed – 30 May
Artist provides initial sketch for feedback from Bristol Ideas and Bristol Books – Early June 2023
Final illustration completed and supplied to Bristol Ideas and Bristol Books – July 2023
Book distributed at Festival of the Future City – 17-19 October 2023
Fee and copyright
There is a fixed, non-negotiable fee of £500, which will be paid in full on receipt of the final artwork.
The artist will retain copyright of their work and Bristol Ideas may not use it for commercial purposes.
Bristol Ideas may use the work as required within Bristol 650 and in wider Bristol Ideas activity, including for marketing purposes and linked programmes. As the National Lottery Heritage Fund is providing financial support to the Bristol 650 programme they may also wish to use images in marketing and reporting material.
Application procedure
To apply, please send us:
A short explanation of why this commission is of interest and the particular contribution you can make
Two examples of previous work, demonstrating your style
Applications must be received by noon on Tuesday 23 May. Please send material to Amy O’Beirne info@bristolideas.co.uk (email direct or use WeTransfer).
The chosen artist will be notified on 30 May.
Walking Words
Bristol Stanza Group and Lyra Festival present 'Walking Words'. Both a book and a digital walking trail, accessible through a mobile app where spoken versions of the poems are triggered on your mobile phone as a participant walks past the specific poem sites. The book, published by Bristol Books is based on the poems and is on sale throughout the Lyra annual Bristol Poetry Festival, which this year runs from April 22 to May 1.
Bristol Stanza Group and Lyra Festival present 'Walking Words'. Both a book and a digital walking trail, accessible through a mobile app where spoken versions of the poems are triggered on your mobile phone as a participant walks past the specific poem sites. The book, published by Bristol Books is based on the poems and is on sale throughout the Lyra annual Bristol Poetry Festival, which this year runs from April 22 to May 1.
The launch event is on April 19 and you can sign up here: www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/walking-words-book-launch-tickets-604083168017
Poets featured include: Deasy Bamford, Liz Cashdan, Tony D’Arpino, Richard Devereux, Jo Eades, Gillie Harries, David Johnson, Lisa Lopresti, Lizzie Parker, Agata Palmer, Marie Papier, David Punter, Martin Rieser, Pauline Sewards, Jim Sidgwick, Charles Tomlinson, David Wynne-Jones and Pete Weinstock
Lyra is a festival which brings together local, national and international poets and speakers, representing Bristol as a centre of world class poetry and booking artists from across the UK and world.
Its aim is to showcase poetry in the widest range of forms possible, including poetry readings, slam competitions, poetry film screenings, poetic walking tours, digital media, discussion panels, open mics, lectures and more.
Poetry is something for everyone to enjoy and participate in, and the festival aim is to be inclusive, diverse and accessible to all, as well as involving participatory activities.
Lyra offer BSL and captioned events, online content, and all live events take place in wheelchair accessible spaces. You can see the full programme here: www.lyrafest.com
Lyra is supported using public funding from Arts Council England.
Clifton Book Launch
Author Martin J. Powell will be talking about “Maid of the Haystack” at Heron Books in The Clifton Arcade on Saturday May 20.
Author Martin J. Powell will be talking about Maid of the Haystack at Heron Books in The Clifton Arcade on Saturday May 20.
The book tells the story of Louisa, who sat in a haystack near Bristol for four years from 1776 becoming something of a celebrity among the fashionable folk of Clifton and Hotwells, who used to take trips to visit her.
Her story went viral sparking an 18th Century conspiracy theory touching on the most powerful people in Europe. Martin J. Powell a Bristol journalist and writer, first heard about the Maid of the Haystack in the 1980s and since then has researched her history and the novel bringing her story alive.
The cast of characters include Hannah More, John Wesley, David Garrick , Joshua Reynolds and the crowned heads of Europe. The book’s themes include 18th Century attitudes to mental health the treatment of women and acts of charity by the rich and famous.
The event will be at Heron Books at 5pm on Saturday May 20. Entry is free. RSVP to read@heronbooks.co.uk so the bookshop can keep track of audience numbers.
Poetry on board
The archive room of the ss Great Britain was packed for the launch of our latest publication Ship’s Log, a collection of poems by David Punter.
The archive room of the ss Great Britain was packed for the launch of our latest publication Ship’s Log, a collection of poems by David Punter.
The poems were inspired by diaries, letters and other accounts by passengers and crew of the ship over 150 years ago as they set out on voyages across the ocean.
David Punter read a selection of the poems with his wife Caroline reading the extracts which had inspired the poetry and which also form part of the book.
The readings brought the work to life for the audience, who also enjoyed a behind-the-scenes look at the ss Great Britain archive, part of the museum in Bristol’s historic harbour and the room where David Punter researched his work. Ship’s Log is available for £8.
