The Graffiti Festival

Europe's largest, free street art and graffiti festival is happening this weekend, 25-26th July 2015, in Bedminster and Southville. Upfest 2015 will gather over 250 talented artists coming from 25 different countries to paint live on 30,000sqft of surfaces. 

There are 28 venues where all the art sale, music and workshops will take place including Tobacco Factory, Red Point Climbing Centre, North Street Green and The Old Book Shop among others (download map here). Artists such as Angus Art, Cheo, Miss Wah, Stina Jones and Vlong will be decorating the neighbourhood with street art stencils.  The live artist painting will take place on Saturday and Sunday (11am to 7pm), whereas Monday has been designated as a viewing day and special family day with extra workshops for kids.

An exhibition called "The Standard" will be featuring original artwork from selected festival artist at North Street Standard. Also, outside in the garden of The Steam Crane, will be Black Flag Brewery setting up a pop up bar which will offer a selection of craft beers on tap, and in the garden barn will be a series of local creative traders opening for a weekend-long mini-market. A similar event will be at The Rising Sun, serving cask ales, beers and ciders at the large rear garden which hosts DJs, live music and also a BBQ.

There is Scribble 'N Scratch at Tobacco Factory, a monthly illustration battle and hip-hop night based in Bristol. The main focus of the battles is to take artists out of their comfort zone and push boundaries as artists accompanied by a selection of DJs playing hip-hop, soul and break. Two heats on Saturday and one on Sunday down-select artists for the Grand Final, happening at 4pm on Sunday 26th July. 

If you bring your kids, in the back garden of Hungry Caterpillar Play Cafe will have urban fairy tales with Peter Pan and Princess Pal, and pose for pictures between 10am and 12pm. On Sunday (11am-2pm), families are invited to join Brillustration in drawing all over the wall inside and out with chalk.

The festival is FREE but organisers do ask to buy a programme on site and donate to NACOA... and do not forget to pick up you limited edition festival T-shirt at The Upfest Gallery!

WEBSITE: http://www.upfest.co.uk/

Cheo's graffiti picture "borrowed" from the official website. Thank you! ;)

One man and his cow @ The Tobacco Factory

Trevor, a farmer who expects to have a 6-month survival time due to a strange illness, has to decide to whom of his three children will leave his lands, properties and animals. He comes up with the brilliant idea to test his children's behaviour by asking them to look after Judy, his beloved talking cow, for a day and then ask for feedback to the only "impartial" witness: the cow. The children who takes better care of her will be the one getting Trevor's legacy... What can go wrong?

A small platform, some instruments and a few pieces of clothes: that's all these two actors called Living Spit needed to give an absolutely brilliant performance, all in rhyme and song. The Bristol-based couple of actors made everybody laugh, clap and engage non-stop for one hour at the Tobacco Factory this evening with "One man & his cow".

They have been performing "One man & his cow" for the last 3 months and the tour is coming to an end. However, they will be performing again tomorrow, 16th July 2014, upstairs at 8:00. If you have time, go. It is a free performance (although donations are very much appreciated) and I tell you won't regret it! 

If you do, make sure you arrive early as the Theatre Foyer at the Tobacco Factory. It was more of a informal session with a small platform in the corner, a bar and plenty of tables and chair. And when I say plenty, I don't mean thousands! So, make sure you arrive early, pick a good table and grab a drink to make the evening more enjoyable.

ABOUT THE VENUE

I haven't been at the Tobacco Factory before; tonight, it was my first time. I have seen it when I went beer-tasting at the Bristol Beer Factory (read here), but I have never been inside. 

The Tobacco Factory is the last remaining part of the old Wills Tobacco site in Southville. It was saved from demolition by the current mayor of Bristol, George Ferguson, who had a visionary thought to convert this building into a multi-use venue. As written on the theatre's wall, the Tobacco Factory "produces and presents excellent art in unique, intimate and visceral spaces."

The building houses Teoh's restaurant, animation and performing arts school, loft-style apartments, a cafe-bar, offices and a theatre.

YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE...
Beer-Tasting at the Bristol Beer Factory:
http://greatlittleplacecalledbristol.blogspot.co.uk/2014/01/beer-tasting-at-bristol-beer-factory.html

USEFUL LINKS
Tobacco Factory: http://www.tobaccofactory.com/
"One man & his cow": http://www.thetheatreorchard.org.uk/one-man-and-his-cow.html
Living Spit: http://www.livingspit.co.uk/

Beer-tasting at the Bristol Beer Factory

Last weekend, I had the pleasure to attend the first off-work event of the year together with some colleagues from work (and friends). We arranged a visit to the Bristol Beer Factory last Saturday at 7pm, and it seemed it was a great success! Apparently, everybody enjoyed the tour, the beer tasting and the chance to meet each other for something else rather than just work.

We met at the back of the building. The Bristol Beer logo in North Street might confuse you, but I have to mention that the entrance to the Beer Factory is at the rear, in Durnford Street.

Bristol Beer Factory is 10-year-old beer factory located in Southville, Bristol. The four-floor building where they produce the beer nowadays, was an old fermenting building for the Ashton Gate brewery, a company that started brewing around 1820s. In 1931, the Ashton Gate brewery was taken over by George's and Co. It was not until 2004 when Bristol Beer Company moved in and changed its name to Bristol Beer Factory, setting up a 10 barrel micro-brewery in the basement of the building.

Simon, our guide that evening, showed the installations and  all the equipment, talked about the history of the building and the company. He also spoke about the brewing process while we could touch the ingredients used to produce beer with our own hands. Most of us were inexperienced in this brewing thing; however, there were some in the group who already produce their own homemade brew, and they made more elaborated questions to our guide, who answered wisely, as he has been closely involved with the Bristolian brewery since its creation.

While the standing-up (and static) visit was going on, we had been able to taste two of Bristol Beers: Seven and Nova. Seven (4.5%) is an amber coloured beer containing wheat and barley malt, whilst Nova (3.9%) is light and hoppy beer. In our group, the most popular and preferred beer was Seven, by far.

Although the duration of the tour was two hours, some of us had loads of questions for Simon and we finally stayed almost until 10pm, which was very nice of him.

At the end of the tour, there was a possibility to buy bottled beers or three-bottle gift packs, which also includes a glass with the Bristol Beer Factory logo in it (thank you Simon for letting us take the glass home!)

If you are interested, you can also arrange a private tour to the brewery for your group of friends, corporate outings or clubs and societies. Call them if they are available the day you are interested (01179026317). Monday to Thursday, the tour costs £180. and £230 Friday to Sunday. Tours can be in the evening (7pm) and there is also an afternoon session during the weekends (3pm), but they say at their website that times are flexible within reason. There is a maximum number of 30 people in each tour.

There are also public tour dates available (last Tuesday of each month at 7pm) and it costs £15 per person. Advance booking is required. For further details, check their website.

WEBSITE: http://www.bristolbeerfactory.co.uk/