Futureweave: A Public Art Strategy for Bedminster Green
Futureweave is a public art strategy for Bedminster Green, commissioned by Bristol City Council in collaboration with developers and with a creative strategy devised by Ginkgo Projects. The aim is to create a unified approach to integrating art and culture into the redevelopment of this important area in Bedminster, by bringing together artists, project teams, and the Bedminster community to shape a vibrant cultural programme.
Client: Bristol City Council
Location: Bedminster Green
Autumn 2022 - Spring 2023
Image from Hive workshop process. Credit: Harriet Hand
Bedminster Green redevelopment comprises five different sites or plots being developed by Dandara Living, The PG Group, and Watkins Jones Group. The strategy has been crafted by Ginkgo Projects through a collaborative workshop process involving a diverse group of people connected to Bedminster. The insights and ideas gathered have helped to shape this creative vision.
Members of the Hive Group
THE HIVE PROCESS
To develop a grounded and informed approach, Ginkgo Projects designed and ran a workshop process for a five week periods to develop and test the concept of a residency model that could deliver public art activity for Bedminster Green.
This Hive group process was designed mirrored stages of group development, drawing on the Design Council’s Double Diamond methodology: an iterative process allowing exploration of possibilities and challenges more widely or deeply, before taking focused action. This is the first time that a collaborative approach has been taken to developing a public art strategy for a new multi-site development within Bristol. It offers huge potential to link opportunities and initiatives to create a cohesive cultural programme for the benefit of new and existing members of the Bedminster community.
“The approach puts people and creativity at the heart of a robust and durable programme for Bedminster Green.”
For the developers involved, Futureweave is a key step in meeting Bristol Council’s Public Art Planning Condition (BCS21), a crucial requirement for projects of this scale. The overarching strategy will guide the development of site-specific plans to ensure that public art is thoughtfully integrated across each plot.
Futureweave is more than just about creating art; it’s about fostering a dynamic cultural environment in Bedminster Green. The programme includes artist residencies and a mix of permanent and temporary cultural activities, including artist residencies both within and around the development sites, to enhance and enrich the area for everyone.