In April 2023 Spike Island hosted its ever-popular annual Open Studios – welcoming over 7700 visitors to explore 70 artists’ studios, as well as Spike Print Studio and UWE Bristol’s extensive Fine Art studios based in the contemporary art centre.
As part of our partnership with Spike Island, students from across Fine Art staged exhibitions, performances, workshops, discussions and a curated listening space: Broadcasting Intimacy – presented in collaboration with Street Corner Reading Rooms – Bristol. Our Graduate Fellows and several UWE lecturers also opened the doors to their studios to show finished works and works-in-progress throughout the weekend.
Students and Graduate Fellows also participated in press leading up to the event, led social media takeovers, and even created a working pub – serving guests with an immersive experience on the opening night.
See a selection of images from UWE’s contributions to Open Studios below:
UWE Students and staff perform WE WERE BORN TO LEARN WE WERE BORN TO GROW at Open Studios 2023, Spike Island. Photo by Dan Weill
Students and staff created costumes and led a musical procession around the building on the opening night, ending with a rousing sound performance in the UWE Fine Art studios.
Oscar Burns and Molly Mogul perform in the Associates space at Open Studios, 2023, Spike Island. Photo by Dan Weill.
In the Associates Space at Spike Island, students and their collaborators presented the preview night crowds with experimental performances featuring soundscapes, audio-visual work, live music and expressive dance.
Student exhibition at UWE Fine Art, Open Studios 2023, Spike Island. Work featured by Isabelle Bedevian. Photo by Dan Weill
Installation by Luis Beckett and Niall Hurley at Open Studios 2023, Spike Island. Photo by Dan Weill.
Throughout the UWE Fine Art studios, students curated and exhibited new work, spanning live art, painting, sculpture, installation, sound and film.
Catherine White performs The Fight at Open Studios 2023, Spike Island. Photo by Dan Weill
In their Make Your Mark workshop space, students staged a stand-up performance, as well as workshops for children and adults in paper making, ‘fated poetry’, suminagashi print making, sound and mark making and ‘finding spaces in clay’.
Graduate Fellows’ studio at Open Studios 2023, Spike Island. Photo by Dan Weill.
Graduate Fellows also opened their studio space to share their latest work and collaborations and to meet other studio holders and members of the Spike Island community.
