The Bristol Squatted project seeks to map when, where and why we and our neighbours have squatted in Bristol. By mapping the impact of squatting on the city we hope to claim for the tactic the space it deserves in the city’s history and ask what the role is for squatting in Bristol today.
We’re starting by interviewing people who have squatted in Bristol to pull together a map of formerly squatted spaces. We’ll use that to start developing ways to tell the story of squatting in Bristol in the 20th and 21st Century and running workshops on the future for squatting in the city.
View the map (hosted by the Squatting Europe Kollective)
So much of what we love about Bristol was made possible by squatting. Bristolians have taken over buildings and public spaces for housing, protest, art, gigs, raves, libraries, food and laughter from Leigh Woods to Easton. We’ve squatted in the aftermath of the Second World War, during the Miners’ Strike and in response to 21st Century austerity. But the memory of squatted spaces is all too easily lost to eviction and criminalisation. This project will save those memories!
Bristol Squatted is a BRHG Project. The project now also has it’s own website at bristolsquatted.org