Watershed and Bristol Temple Quarter Enterprise Zone
A collection of projects which explore the creative potential of Bristol Temple Quarter Enterprise Zone.
Most cities will have areas in need of some serious regeneration and TLC. Back in the early 80s Bristol’s harbourside (where Watershed is based) was one such area, before it was given a major makeover by Bristol City Council, the British Film Institute, and JT Group. As a result of these efforts, Bristol’s once-derelict harbourside is now a thriving hub of activity, drawing in hundreds of thousands of visitors each year, and playing home to a large variety of attractions, festivals, markets, and businesses.
More recently, the area surrounding Bristol’s main train station – Temple Meads – was recognised as being underused and in need of some attention. Seeing the potential in this central location, Bristol City Council devised an ambitious scheme to help breathe new life into the area. As a result, the Temple Quarter Enterprise Zone was born and launched in April 2012, endeavoring to attract businesses and creative talent, encouraging a host of innovation and creative activity in the process.
With its own humble beginnings in the once-derelict harbourside site, Watershed was keen to get involved and help with the regeneration efforts as established arts organisations and businesses in the city would have done with the Harbourside all those years ago.
Working with Bristol City Council and Arts Council England, Watershed is contributing to the regeneration efforts by bringing its expertise in creative technologies to the Temple Quarter Enterprise Zone, collaborating with artists, technologists, filmmakers, young people, and existing businesses to draw new people and ideas into the area. The result of these efforts is a series of projects produced by Watershed and collected here, which celebrate the creative potential of the area and the people connected to it.
Watershed also worked with MAYK and Knowle West Media Centre to commission projects for the Bristol Quarter Enterprise Zone including:
Second Chances
City Running Bristol
Praxis Makes Perfect
0117 Hour Digital Short Film Challenge
Temple Songs by The Beautiful Machine
We See Fireworks
Related Links:
Animating the Zone
Bristol Temple Quarter Enterprise Zone
Image by Paul Blakemore
Ended in October 2013