University of Bristol: Wild Spaces

*Consultancy have been working with Room 13 Hareclive, an award-winning independent artists’ studio co-run by children in Hartcliffe in Bristol as part of Wild Spaces, a public art project commissioned by the University of Bristol and led by the Room 13 Collective.

Wild Spaces is one of three public art commissions curated and managed by *Consultancy, celebrating the University of Bristol’s new Temple Quarter Enterprise Campus which opens in September this year.

The Wild Spaces commission focuses on the importance of ecology at the campus and across Bristol using TQEC’s access to the waterfront as a platform for examining the bigger picture of ecologies and wild spaces across the city to understand the area’s natural landscape and the relationship between people and place.

The University’s Cabot Institute for the Environment supported the young artists to connect with environmental researchers from across the University to share their knowledge and explore environmental topics such as local waterways, wildlife and climate change.

“We’re thrilled to be working with Room 13 and excited to see how the rivers and routes from Hartcliffe to Temple Quarter spark the imagination of the children."

Megan O'Shea, Senior Art Producer, CAS *Consultancy

Over the 18 months of the Wild Spaces commission, Room 13 children and adults have explored rivers in different ways including:

• Expeditions to Pigeonhouse Stream that rises on Dundry Slopes close to their primary school and flows through Hartcliffe, Crox Botton and South Bristol past the University’s new building and on to the River Severn
• Journeys on foot, mini bus, boat and train
• Learning, reading and discovery working with academics from the University of Bristol
• Exploring, imagining, making and creating in the Room 13 studio
   

The research, engagement and making in the studio led to the creation of a special new film, co-produced by the children and premièred at a blue carpet screening in Hartcliffe. The film is a playful yet powerful adventure story about place, children, wildlife and why we must care for our rivers. It follows Mole, Toad, Otter and children as they search for missing Water Vole, following the water from Dundry Slopes to the River Severn, discovering beauty, making friends, learning new things, sensing threats to rivers and choosing to help and make things better.

“Hopefully, these moments of creativity might create a lasting memory for the children and encourage understanding that the wild spaces of Bristol, including around Temple Quarter, are for them to care for and explore."

Megan O'Shea, Senior Art Producer, CAS *Consultancy

The story is co-written by children aged 5-11, three older children from Room 13 and the adult team: artist co-founders Shani Ali and Paul Bradley, and writer/development worker Ingrid Skeels. Masks and costume are made by children and Paul Bradley. Children were central to acting, voice, directing and costume.

The film is available to view in full on the University of Bristol’s public art website.

The film is being promoted with a billboard and poster campaign across Bristol. Together the posters, billboard and film are a call to action for all of us to care for and protect our city’s waterways and wildlife.

Shani Ali, co-founder of Room 13 Hareclive and one of the lead artists, said: “Rivers connect people and places in the city that may not otherwise be connected, like Hartcliffe, the city and the new Temple Quarter site. We were keen to look at these blue wild spaces with fresh eyes – with children’s eyes – and share our findings with others through art and interventions.”

To find out more about public art at the University of Bristol visit the website and Instagram page. You can read more about Room 13 Hareclive on their website.