"I first exhibited at Paintworks in 2007, as part of the Revelation show organised by Deborah Harrison. We all really enjoyed the experience, and so decided to form a new grouping of artists and curators, and rebooked the venue for an open submission show, the inaugural Bristol Contemporary Open, in 2008.
Paintworks represents the only really substantial unmediated gallery space currently available in Bristol, and provided an ideal foil for our 24-man take on the contemporary art scene. The facilities are perfect, and the space can easily hold really substantial pieces of work without any sense of over crowding. No doubt we'll be back soon for the next Open, to be announced..."
Chuck Elliot, 2009.
Event space hire
If you are interested in enquiring about event or exhibition hire, download the Hire Brochure pdf which includes an application form.
Exhibition and event hire
Exhibitions
The Event Space makes for a stunning Exhibition venue and has played host to some of Bristol's most notable exhibitions over the past 3 years. From fantastic solo exhibitions to large collective shows, these are just a few of our recent exhibitions: Kathryn Thomas Light Years, Carol Peace 2006 and 2008, Dreweatts Urban Art, Bristol Contemporary Open, Graffle Raffle, UWE and Jimmy Galvin & Alison Black.
The Space
The Event Space has a raw quality, owing to its great proportions and mixture of exposed steel, brick and stonework, making it an exciting venue for exhibiting art and crafts. Also it's flooded with natural light, providing a great day to night transition. Over the past few years Paintworks has become well known for its exhibitions and public events ranging from sculpture and fine art to media shows and art markets.
No commission is charged on the sale of art work and the venue does not provide invigilators.
Private Views
Private Views can be customised, as with everything else at the Event Space, and hirers are able to arrange more than one private view during thier run. Any alcoholic bar needs to be run by our licenced in-house caterer, alcohol cannot be brought in to be served by the hirer as this doesn't comply with current licencing laws. It is possible however for the hirer to run their own soft drinks bar.
Opening times
Opening times for exhibitions and private views are flexible.
Hanging system
The venue has a great, almost invisible, hanging system that runs around the whole of the space, offering a quick and easy system for displaying work. An additional £50 is charged per week for use of this system.
Lighting
There is no exhibition lighting at the venue currently, so specific lighting needs to be brought in. Lighting can be brought in or hired from our preferred supplier, or elsewhere, and varies widely in cost depending on the type of effect you want.
Marketing and PR Support
We offer a great supporting marketing package to all of our clients, including prominence on the Paintworks and Paintworks Events websites, our quarterly posters and flyers, which have a good city-wide distribution, our monthly press listings and the two large banner spaces that are available on site. We are also networked in with a number of organisations like Destination Bristol, that feature our events.
Hire rates
The weekly hire rate for a free entry exhibition £1000
hire rate for a two week exhibition £2000
Two weeks is the maximum period that the space can be hired for exhibitions, it can be hired for less than a week and all prices are subject to vat. If you are planning to charge for entry, or want to hold a commercial auction, a specific price can be given upon request.
Venue visits and finding out more
If you think that Paintworks may be a good option for your event, give us a call on the office number 0117 9714320 and we will arrange to meet you, show you around and discuss your plans. If you do decide to go ahead and formally book the space, we can go through a hire agreement at which point we charge a 50% deposit. From this point we work with you to help your ideas become a reality, and to help promote your exhibition.
Technical details
For a detailed description of the space, dimensions, suitability and maximum permissable loads, please see the about the space page.