The empty Marks and Spencer department store in the centre of Bristol is to be transformed into an ‘arts and sustainability hub’ after two local organisations signed a deal with Bristol City Council to use the building.
Called ‘Sparks Bristol’, those behind the project said their ambition is to create a ‘vibrant, positive venue where local people and visitors can shop, recycle and explore what a greener, fairer and creative future could look like’, and said the project will ‘breathe new life into the old M&S building’.
The transformation won’t be permanent - the deal signed is on a ‘meanwhile use’ basis, until the site is redeveloped permanently - and that might take a few years.
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The M&S branch in the city centre, which closed in January this year, is so big it has entrances both on Broadmead and the Horsefair, and in its pomp as a department store had three large floors with a food hall on the ground floor at the Horsefair side.
The aim is for the project to open to the public in April next year, and run for at least six months - and those behind it are calling on everyone in Bristol to get involved.
“The building will be used as a hub for local artists, including an artist R&D space, as well as a re-use shop providing recycled goods, repair and education projects for schools. There will be installations, stalls and workshops to demonstrate how to take easy, and often money-saving actions on climate, equality and wellbeing - the themes of the sustainable development goals,” said a spokesperson for Sparks Bristol.
The project is a collaboration between Global Goals Centre, a Montpelier-based environmental education charity, and Artspace Lifespace, an arts studio complex based in the old police station round the corner in Nelson Street. They were both described as ‘two great local organisations’ by Bristol Mayor Marvin Rees.
“Since the store closed earlier this year we have been working hard to find an appropriate meanwhile use for the old M&S building until a longer-term plan is ready,” the Mayor said. “Artspace Lifespace and the Global Goals Centre are two great local organisations and I’m glad that they’ll be putting both arts and sustainability at the heart of re-animating the space. I look forward to seeing the new hub open from April next year,” he added.
Artspace Lifespace Company Manager Kathryn Chiswell Jones said she hoped the space would become a place where people can ‘come to dream’.
“We are feeling really inspired by our upcoming partnership with Global Goals Centre and the opportunity to showcase tangible, positive alternatives, a centre where people can come to dream, learn practical tools and collectively devise a greener, fairer and more creative future for everyone,” she said. “Huge thanks to Hammond & Associates who have been working with us since 2021 to find a suitable building. We will be working closely with our sister company The Invisible Circus and other creative partners across the city,” she added.
And Global Goals Centre Project Lead Jenny Foster said:”This is a unique opportunity to bring together organisations and individuals from across the city to pilot new ways in which the heart of Bristol could change to better serve our community and address the climate, ecological and cost of living crises.”
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