12 Hours in Bristol: Art Lovers

Coffee at Interlude

Begin your day in their new spot on 51 Colston St with Interlude Coffee, a neighbourhood coffee shop specialising in carefully made coffee without any of the ceremony that can sometimes accompany it.

Intimate, considered and great new location for people watching.

Visit: interludecoffee.co.uk

Head to the RWA

Make your way up the hill towards Clifton and the Royal West of England Academy.

The RWA is Bristol’s historic art academy and its galleries combine contemporary exhibitions with a much longer artistic tradition. Its programme ranges from painting and works on paper to film, installations and its celebrated annual open exhibition.

Allow some time to take it all in and then wander down towards the harbourside, keeping an eye out for a Banksy or two along the way.

Visit: rwa.org.uk

Lunch at FED at Arnolfini

Stroll down to the harbourside to Arnolfini.

Before heading into the galleries, stop for lunch at FED, the new café inside Arnolfini in partnership with Wiper and True. Expect delicious coffee from Yallah, pastries, toasties, salads and cakes with a view over the harbour.

Visit: Arnolfini

Afternoon of contemporary art at Arnolfini

Head upstairs and spend the early afternoon at Arnolfini, one of Bristol’s best-known contemporary arts institutions.

Housed at Narrow Quay, Arnolfini has a changing programme of contemporary art alongside events and an excellent art bookshop. Leave time for the bookshop afterwards. Even if you arrived with no intention of buying another exhibition catalogue, art magazine or beautifully designed book you have nowhere sensible to put, this place may have other plans.

Visit: arnolfini.org.uk

Walk the harbour to Spike Island

Continue around the water towards Spike Island.

Set inside a former tea-packing factory, Spike Island is an international centre for contemporary art as well as a working creative community. Its combination of exhibitions and artists’ studios makes it a particularly interesting stop for anyone who wants to get beyond the traditional gallery experience.

What you can see depends on the current programme, so check what’s on before making the trip.

Visit: spikeisland.org.uk

From here, continue south towards Bedminster. The change in neighbourhood brings another change in Bristol’s visual language, with North Street particularly associated with the city’s street-art culture.

Wander around North Street

Give yourself time to explore Bedminster on foot. North Street and the surrounding roads are ideal for an unstructured wander, particularly for anyone interested in murals, illustration and graphic art.

Swing by KASK Wine at 51 North Street for a pre-dinner glass. The independent wine bar specialises in organic and sustainably produced wines, with a regularly changing selection by the glass. It’s relaxed rather than reverential about wine, making it a natural fit for the day.

Dinner at COR

Finish the day at COR Restaurant on North Street.

COR is a neighbourhood restaurant centred around the pleasures of sharing good food and great hospitality. Order all the dishes for the table, add enjoy a glass of something delicious whilst you rest those weary feet!

Visit: correstaurant.com

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