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Bristol 650

Bristol 650

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Bristol 650 is a year-long celebration of all things Bristol: who we are, where we come from, what we’ve done – and where we’re going. It’s a chance to tell untold histories, mark city anniversaries and welcome new arrivals.

Bringing together the joint forces of Visit West, Bristol Ideas, Bristol One City and Bristol BIDs, Bristol 650 is the most ambitious multi-partner heritage project in Bristol for over a decade. It is a project of the city, by the city. 

Bristol 650 marks the anniversary of Bristol being granted its independence from other county authorities by King Edward III in 1373. This act made Bristol a county in its own right. 

Throughout the year, there will be a wide variety of events and activities to celebrate Bristol and its people. These will be brought together on bristol650.com to help Bristolians and visitors to the city plan their calendars and make the most out of this memorial year. Bristol650.com is now live and welcoming event submissions by partners, festivals, companies and venues, with more events being added every week. Subscribe to our newsletter now for regular updates of highlighted events and stories to look out for. 

Across our events and digital content, you’ll see two main themes of the year emerge:

We Are Bristol
We are a city of individuals, each with our own talents, skills, stories and opinions. We come together as a collective to make the city of Bristol – a city that is rebellious in spirit, collaborative, diverse and welcoming.

Where do we come from?
What is my story? Where do I and my family come from? What are the stories of and from my community? How does the history of my house and street fit into the wider city story? How has the city grown and evolved throughout history? 

Members of the public are invited to submit their memories of Bristol 600. Whether it’s old family photos, stories or mementos of the occasion, the Bristol 650 team is welcoming submissions from anyone whose family, friends or businesses might have been involved in the 600th anniversary celebrations – and Queen Elizabeth II’s visit – back in 1973. We would encourage press outlets to get people involved with our efforts to collate these memories. Submissions can be sent to info@bristolideas.co.uk.

This project has been made possible by the generous support of National Lottery Players.

National Lottery Heritage Fund_logo

The Bristol 650 Book

  • Bristol 650

    Artist Till Lukat Selected as Illustrator of the Cover of the Bristol 650 Book

    We received applications from 33 local artists to design the cover of the Bristol 650 book. From these, three were selected to move forward to a shortlist, from which Till Lukat was named as the winner. The Bristol 650 book will be designed, printed and published by Bristol Books, with 1,000 copies being given away […]

  • Bristol 650

    Read the Bristol 650 Book Here

    This book brings together essays from over 30 contributors, addressing some of the challenges the city faces and sharing ideas about how we might meet them. From dealing with the past, the future of social care, culture and housing to build a city of aspiration, the book looks to promote learning about the future of […]

The Bristol 650 Zine

Bristol 650 Zine

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Bristol Bus Boycott 60th Anniversary Celebrations

  • Bristol 650

    Bristol Bus Boycott Community Grant Scheme

    Individuals and artists can apply for funds of between £250 and £5,000 to support activities created for, with and by the community. This could include Elder lunches, music workshops, book talks, walking tours, art installations, sporting activities or wider community projects. Applicants simply need to demonstrate how they will make a positive impact on race […]

  • Bristol 650

    Design a Bus to Commemorate The Bristol Bus Boycott

    The bus design competition is part of the ‘Drive for Change’ campaign from First West of England, who have teamed up with Bristol Ideas, Creative Connex and Curiosity UnLtd to commemorate this momentous anniversary. The competition winner will see their artwork transform one of First West of England’s Bristol buses, as well as receiving a […]

News

  • Bristol 650

    Bristol 650 secures funding from The National Lottery Heritage Fund

    Bristol 650 marks 650 years since King Edward III granted Bristol its independence from other county authorities, making it a city and a county in its own right. The Heritage Fund, renowned for its dedication to preserving and promoting cultural heritage, has awarded over £110,000 towards Bristol 650 activities taking place across the city which […]

Bristol 650 core partners

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