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The Bristol Art Library – open evening

The Bristol Art Library was created in 1998 by the artist Annabel Other who is also it’s Head Librarian. It is a fully functioning public library housed in a wooden cabinet the size of a small suitcase, and its 280 books (all 5 inches x 4 inches) cover a wide range of subjects from palaeontology to astronomy and all made by practitioners from all areas of the arts and sciences.

Membership of the Library is free and once you have received your manila reader’s ticket you can visit the Library wherever it is installed across the world – museums, arts centres, private homes, hotel lobbies etc.  It now has 12,000 members, a gift shop and a friend’s association.

As part of the Library’s 20th anniversary the Head Librarian has been touring it across the UK. We are delighted to welcome the Library and the Head Librarian for an evening in our own Study Room library as part of our 20th anniversary celebrations.

Latest events

The Live Art Research Collection at Tate Britain

28 Feb 2026

A screening programme and a drop-in research space as part of the event Land, Material, Memory.

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Rosana Cade, Angharad Davies, Tim Etchells – More details are slowly falling in

21 Feb 2026

Join us for a performance fundraiser for LADA with Tim Etchells, Rosana Cade and Angharad Davies.

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Samra Mayanja and Riot + the Ether – THE CALL CENTRE

07 Feb 2026

Artist in Residence Samra Mayanja curates a special edition of THE CALL CENTRE co-presented with Newington Green Meeting House.

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Samra Mayanja – SCREAM CHOIR

31 Jan 2026

SCREAM CHOIR is led by Samra Mayanja, who has initiated two impromptu SCREAM CHOIR events in the past. For this edition, Samra will be joined by Mary Osborn (Live Art Development Agency) and they will focus on stories of the voice, vocal improvisations, speaking, screaming and listening.

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Thinking Images: A Short Course in Video Essay Making

15 Jan 2026 - 14 Mar 2026

Five-week course with film scholar and video essayist Dr. Darren Elliott-Smith, exploring the innovative practice of Video Essay creation as a cutting-edge development in film criticism.

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Walking Each Other Home: Online workshops with Stacy Makishi and Lois Weaver

11 Jan 2026 - 25 Jan 2026

As part of her year-long participatory project Walking Each Other Home, Stacy Makishi will lead three online workshops with collaborator Lois Weaver, exploring where and how we gather.

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Live Art Bookshop x Queer and Feminist Zine Spirits Across Borders

13 Dec 2025

Join us for a performance lecture, a screening of Unbound Zine and Q&A with the director.

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Live Art Mixer: Zine Workshop with Artizine & Mini Zine Fair

13 Dec 2025

Join us for a two-hour zine workshop, and shop printed matter from three Sino-diasporic publishing platforms.

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Donation

£