Bristol’s Creative Common has received two accolades due to its eco-friendly ethos, the first being the People and Environment Achievement (PEA) Award in Arts, Music & Fashion and the second A Greener Festival Award. A total of 96,247 unique visits have been recorded to date and over 126 equivalent full time jobs created. With the final run of performances from Gerry Cottle’s brand new show TURBO CIRCUS fast approaching the project is set to further exceed targets.
Creative Common’s key partner, The Invisible Circus, curated the inaugural Bristol Circus Festival, attracting an audience in excess of 11,500 people over 7 weeks and welcoming more than 250 local, UK and European artists and performers to Bristol. Bristol Circus Festival also secured A Greener Festival Award, which bestowed a Highly Commended rating to the project – the highest award possible for a new event. By assessing what measures a festival is taking to ensure it is as green as possible, A Greener Festival aims to help the world adopt environmentally efficient practices. Upon reviewing the Bristol Circus Festival, the team praised the project for running '’a well managed environmentally aware festival which has taken significant steps to reduce waste, greenhouse gas emissions and engage with the audience”.
Esther O’Callaghan OBE, 2013 Director of Creative Common received a PEA Award at a ceremony in London on Tuesday 26th November. The award category of ‘Arts, Music & Fashion’ honours individuals who have used any form of the arts to raise awareness of environmental issues. It is also for those that have adopted sustainable or ethical practices in producing their art. Judges for the prize included National Geographic magazine and Jo Wood.
Creative Common has captured both the public’s imagination, won over the local business and community and provided audiences from Bristol, the UK and Europe with an attractive and much-enjoyed cultural destination that has been recognized as a flagship meanwhile use project both locally and Europe-wide.
Creative Common has brought 300 artists and performers into the Enterprise Zone with almost 8,000 people attending the opening show ‘Bianco’ by NoFit State Circus. The project generated an equivalent of 126 full time equivalent jobs, far exceeding the original target of 58. Bristol Temple Quarter aims to create 17,000 jobs over 25 years. Whilst the 2013 team have now stepped down, the legacy of the temporary use project will continue in to the new year with both The Goods Yard and Yurt Lush staying on the site until Autumn 2014.
Designed to help attract attention to the Bristol Temple Quarter Enterprise Zone and help being forward longer-term development that now looks increasingly likely. Gerry Cottle’s TURBO CIRCUS featuring 50 acts in 100 minutes opens at Creative Common on 17th December 2013 for further details visit: creativecommon.co.uk
Bristol’s Creative Common has received two accolades due to its eco-friendly ethos, the first being the People and Environment Achievement (PEA) Award in Arts, Music & Fashion and the second A Greener Festival Award. A total of 96,247 unique visits have been recorded to date and over 126 equivalent full time jobs created. With the final run of performances from Gerry Cottle’s brand new show TURBO CIRCUS fast approaching the project is set to further exceed targets.
Bristol Mayor George Ferguson said: "I am delighted that Creative Common has been so successful. I took an early decision to back this very 'Bristol' project which has been entirely justified. It has raised the profile of the Enterprise Zone and helped bring it to life - taking a piece of derelict land and making it a destination for spectacular performances, food and drink. Projects like this help to make sure that we position ourselves as a city that does things differently and where talented people and businesses want to be."
Phil Gibby, Area Director, South West, Arts Council England commented: “Creative Common has been a transformative project, delivering life and vibrancy to Temple Quay, for the people who live and work in Bristol as well as the many visitors to the City. Our aim in supporting this key Enterprise Zone was to energise an underused space, making it a unique and attractive destination where creative-minded businesses can flourish as part of a hub of innovation and activity. The number of visitors, the number of artists involved and the number of equivalent full-time jobs created – these are the best possible indicators of the project’s success and we are delighted it has been achieved in an award-winning ethical and sustainable way.
The cultural sector is one of the fastest growing in the economy, actively creating economic growth and jobs, and this is as a result of sustained investment. We are now looking forward to seeing the legacy of our investment and will continue to work to support growth in exciting and innovative ways.”
John Hirst, Destination Bristol Chief Executive said: “Creative Common has transformed the area adjacent to Temple Meads railway station into a hub of truly unique entertainment, offering people a taste of Bristol’s diverse creative scene almost from the moment they step off the train.
“That so many people from outside of Bristol have come here to experience Creative Common is a tribute to the wonderful programme of events it has sustained, showcasing first-class performers from all over the world. It has added another dimension to Bristol’s growing reputation as a festival city and the potential for a biennial circus festival as a result of the success of Creative Common is a fitting and exciting legacy.”
Esther O’Callaghan OBE, Director, Creative Common, adds: “To receive awards for Creative Common has made the team who have worked tirelessly to deliver the 2013 season very proud. It is always challenging to push the boundaries in new and developing areas, but with targets met we are pleased that the project has shown that creative projects can and do revitalise space in a city.”
Gerry Cottle’s Circus
The famous Gerry Cottle Big Top will take up residence at Creative Common for 30 shows, bringing Bristol audiences a brand new, super-charged Christmas spectacular for all the family, featuring sky high daredevils, rock ‘n’ roll skaters, illusionists, acrobats, jugglers and comedy chaos. This colourful, high-energy show of 50 amazing acts is action packed from the very opening moment.
Tickets from £8 from Ticketmaster
Timings: 7pm shows on 17th – 20th December.
3pm matinee on 21st December – 5th January.
6pm shows – 21st, 22nd and 23rd, 27th, 28th, 29th and 30th December, 2nd, 3rd, 4th and 5th January.
