South Bristol communities are Sharing Stories

Bristol Museums and Libraries are working with organisations from Bedminster and Filwood to capture and share community stories through a Sharing Stories project.

Sharing Stories is a cross high street project focusing on East Street and Filwood Broadway that looks to celebrate stories from local people. These stories will be turned into an exciting co-created exhibition that will be on display at Bedminster and Filwood libraries.

Kate Murray, Head of Libraries at Bristol City Council, said: “The act of sharing stories, whether fictional or historical, is an integral link between Bristol Libraries and Museums. This project is a fantastic opportunity to grow our relationships with the diverse communities of Filwood Broadway and Bedminster and connect more Bristol residents with our combined range of services.”

acta community theatre will build on their work with the Bedminster community over the last four decades to collect stories for the project. They believe that everyone’s story matters and individual opinions and experiences count, an ethos they’ll be bringing to the work.

Sara Snook, acta Create Producer, said “This important and exciting project gives us an opportunity to connect with people and communities we haven’t yet reached, and to create something that reflects the diverse nature and cultural heritage of Bedminster.”

Filwood Community Centre is leading story collection from their base in the heart of the community at Filwood Broadway.

Suzie Davison, Filwood Community Centre Creative Projects Manager, said: “We can’t wait to discover the stories from our amazing community and see them turned into something everyone can have access to and be inspired by.”

Knowle West Media Centre, which use technologies and the arts to support people to make positive change in their communities, is working with both organisations to create an interactive exhibition at each location.

Sharing Stories has received £89,357 from the UK government through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund.