We are delighted to announce the 7th annual Bristol Radical History Festival
The festival is held over two days at two main venues: Saturday 26th April at Bristol’s social history museum on the city’s historic harbourside, M Shed and Sunday 27th April at volunteer-run arts centre and cinema the Cube Microplex.
Across two days and four themes, we can promise history talks, walks, exhibitions, stalls, two film screenings and a pre-festival trip to the Bristol Archives. We warmly invite you to join us…
M Shed: Saturday 26 April 10.30am–4.30pm
Theme 1 : Radical histories of housing
From the nineteenth century socialist origins of the ‘garden suburbs’ of Sea Mills, Hillfields, Filwood and Hartcliffe to the municipal dreams of social housing ‘fit for heroes’ and the post-war responses of squatting, shelter, plotlands and self-build housing coops, this theme looks at hidden histories of housing in Bristol and beyond.
Theme 2: Hidden histories of incarceration
Has Britain ever introduced labour camps for the unemployed? What was ‘short, sharp shock’ in the 1980s? And are there alternatives to prison? This theme considers the largely hidden history of where the British state has extended the boundaries and punitive content of incarceration to include those without work, juveniles, prisoners of war and political activists. From the French (revolutionary) prisoners at Stapleton in the early nineteeth century, through the changing designs of Bristol’s gaols via the Great Depression of the 1930s, to the high point of prison reform in the 1970s, we chart the actions of and reactions to the extensions of the British system of incarceration.
Theme 3: And from Dublin….East Wall History Group
After the success of the international perspectives at last year’s festival BRHG has decided to open up one of annual themes to history groups who have worked with us in the past. This year we are excited to host the East Wall History Group from Dublin in the Republic of Ireland who, like us, live in a port city with a long history of atlantic links and rebellious working class history. Our friends from Ireland bring histories of international collaboration in the struggle against apartheid in South Africa, solidarity during the UK miners’ strike and biographies of veterans in the fight against fascism.
It’s not just history talks…
History walks…leaving from M Shed
More news soon…
Exhibitions…in M Shed
Come and take a look, or have a guided tour explaining the material on show…
- ‘Short, sharp, shock’ – a display of ground-breaking photographs taken by radical photographer Carlos Guarita within youth detention centres in the 1980s, showing daily life for the young offenders in the militarised regime introduced by the Tory government.
- ’50 years of independence of Mozambique’ – a collection of posters celebrating the anniversary of the successful struggle for the liberation of Mozambique from Portuguese colonial rule in 1975.
- ‘Bristol Miners’ Suport Group’ – ephemera, posters and flyers produced in Bristol during the 1984-85 miners strike.
As always, the festival at M Shed is a free event with no tickets or booking required.
The Watershed: Saturday 26 April 6.00pm
Introduced by some of the original London Recruits who hail from Somerset, aclaimed documentary film The London Recruits tells the story of how the African National Congress recruited volunteers in London in the 1960s and 70s to travel to South Africa for undercover missions against the apartheid regime. Booking required. Tickets £11, concs available.
The Cube Microplex: Sunday 27 April 2.00pm–8.00pm
Theme 4: Counter-culture
From the radical LGBT press in Bristol and beyond to gay punk rockers in 1970s Ireland, explore how music, art and the written word have contributed to subcultures of resistance.
Film showing
More news soon….
Publicity
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Saturday 12th April
Bristol Archives (drag left/right):
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Saturday 26th April
M Shed - Performance (drag left/right):
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M Shed - Talks (drag left/right):
M Shed - Walks (drag left/right):
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M Shed - Exhibitions (drag left/right):
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Watershed - Film showing (drag left/right):
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| London Recruits | Ken Keable, Bevis Miller, Nick Heath |
Sunday 27th April
Cube - Talks (drag left/right):
Cube - Films (drag left/right):
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