Spike Island is an international centre for contemporary art located in Bristol, UK.

It is a place for the production and exhibition of contemporary art and design and is home to over 70 artists’ studios, Spike Print Studio, UWE Bristol Fine Art, as well as many other creative practitioners including designers, filmmakers, architects, animators and photographers.

The building is also home to Emmeline cafe and bar.

History

1970s

Spike Island was founded as a limited company Artspace Bristol Ltd (Artists' Studio Provision) in the mid-1970s by a group of painters, sculptors and printmakers who sought out and administered affordable studio spaces for artists in Bristol in a disused Victorian building next to Bristol's docks.[1]

While individual artists set up their own studios, Bristol Printmakers established an open-plan space where Artspace members could freely use the printing presses and other equipment.

1980s

In the mid-1980s, it was decided that more space was needed to support artists making large-scale sculptures. The Sculpture Shed Limited was set up in 1984.

1990s to present

In December 1998, Artspace Bristol Limited changed its name to Spike Island Artspace Ltd.[1] It now occupies a former Brooke Bond tea packing factory on Spike Island, Bristol.[2][3]

In 2015 Spike Island became a member of the Plus Tate network which now has 35 members. The Plus Tate network brings together a variety of organisations from all parts of the UK, including Fruitmarket Gallery, John Hansard Gallery, Modern Art Oxford and Nottingham Contemporary.[4]

Exhibitions

Spike Island's gallery offers a public programme of art exhibitions.

Exhibiting artists have included Veronica Ryan, Denzil Forrester, Pacita Abad, Andy Holden, David Batchelor, Ivan Seal, Richard Long, Corita Kent and Ciara Phillips, Howardena Pindell, Young In Hong, Lawrence Abu Hamdan and Tanoa Sasraku.

Studio artists

Spike Island has over 70 artist studios.[5] As well as a number of UWE Bristol graduate artists, current studio artists include:

Creative businesses

Spike Island is home to Spike Island Workspace, a co-working, incubator space for start-up creative businesses.

Archives

Records of Spike Island Artspace are held at Bristol Archives.[6]

References

  1. 1 2 "Records of Spike Island Artspace Limited, Bristol". Bristol Archives. Retrieved 7 August 2016.
  2. ↑ "Opening Doors » Spike Island". bristolopeningdoors.org. Retrieved 24 October 2015.
  3. ↑ "Spike Island". www.themetropolist.com. The Metropolist.
  4. ↑ "How Tate is strengthening the state of the arts". www.ft.com. Financial Times.
  5. ↑ "Spike Island Artspace Ltd". www.nfasp.org.uk. National Federation of Artists' Studios Providers.
  6. ↑ "Records of Spike Island Artspace Limited, Bristol, 1973 - 2006". Bristol Archives. Retrieved 19 September 2023.
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