Happy Anniversary to Arts West Side

Last year on 31 March we opened a second premises at 6 West Street, Old Market through Bristol City Council's Community Asset Transfer programme.

One year on, we've made great progress - Arts West Side has now been established as a community arts space, with a team of 15 volunteers helping to run the space and the café, open between 11am-4pm Tues-Fri. We have delivered activities including arts workshops, exhibitions of local artists' work, music events and language exchanges. Our volunteers have been actively involved in the running of events and workshops, and have benefited from getting recognised certificates, skills and experience which has helped them to build confidence and gain work.

This year we will be running volunteer meetings on the 3rd Thursday of every month at 4pm so anyone looking to get involved are welcome. We have a new café manager from 'The Uprising Bakery' - a producer of local, fair-trade, organic, healthy food - and aim to offer earlier opening hours, foody workshops, volunteer training and a new menu - Yummy!

Volunteers will be running regular activities including; free open-mic nights on the 2nd and 4th Weds of each month (donations collected); a monthly Arts Exhibitions Programme of local artists' work; drop-in knitting sessions on Saturday mornings; reading workshop 'Everyday Reads' with Sound Reads and Ujima Radio; language exchanges; 'Anything Words' creative workshops involving poetry, prose, textiles and sculpture. Local artist Cedar will also be running a term of workshops as of February, every Tuesday for a 6-week term. For more information please contact westside@3ca.org.uk - so what are you waiting for? Come and get involved!