CITYIST

THE CITYist

THE BUZZ

Wall-to-wall works of wonder

We’ve really enjoyed this year’s approach to Upfest –Bedminster’s walls becoming ever-more vibrant and awash with new colour but incrementally, for 75 Walls.

With 75 murals being painted over 75 days for the project, while there’s perhaps slightly less fanfare for artists than when thousands would witness them painting live during buzzing Upfest weekend –customary prepandemic –we’ve loved the surreptitious appearances, day by day; incredible pieces steadily materialising every time we pop out to North Street for groceries or a cheeky cocktail. 75 Walls also features a landmark 50/50 gender split for the artist lineup, adding to the phenomenal amount of female artist talent on show already on Southville streets.

• upfest.co.uk

Images: Wonderful Inkie and Zabou work on West Street and Winterstoke Road respectively, and Liam Bonini’s beaut of a piece beside North Street Standard

My BRISTOL

Meet new-wave jazz/soul artist Samantha Lindo

I’ve just released Those Kids, a single about

hope, healing and finding home. It combines cinematic strings reminiscent of the 1950s jazz standards of my grandfather’s record collection; the R&B harmonies that marked my teenage years; and the Bob Dylan and Leonard Cohenlike poeticism that inspired me in my early twenties.The single started with a personal meaning about finding home in myself but through making the video, the subject matter expanded to comment on youth homelessness.

I live alongside young people at risk of homelessness at the UK’s first zero-carbon

social housing project. Having moved 25 times –partly due to being in a single-parent family when I was young, and insecure renting –I have first and second-hand experience of the need for secure, just housing. Without it we can’t heal, build and fulfil our potential. I’ve been talking about the importance of community since my 2017 TEDx performance at Bristol Beacon [on YouTube] and always chosen to live in community settings. It’s a counter-cultural way to live in a society often defined by individualism –causing lots of the mental health, loneliness and environmental crises we face.

After seeing Beyonce headline Glastonbury with an all-female band, I co-founded all-

female arts collective Girls Girls Girls. I figured that by collaborating, we could empower other womxn in music –still quite a male-dominated industry. We connected with UK charity The Orchid Project, campaigning to put an end to FGC, and used shows to raise awareness. To celebrate our 10th anniversary I performed in an all-female show at St George’s Bristol (I love the acoustics there) featuring Brit nominee Beth Rowley, ethereal grunger Eliza Shaddad and the Murmuration Choir. It was amazing to reflect on what we’d done in 10 years, including touring the UK and singing at the Museum of London’s Votes for Women exhibition.

My favourite urban place is probably St Paul’s

as I’ve lived there the longest. It’s full of art reflecting my own Jamaican heritage –where I grew up, on the outskirts of London until we moved to the South West when I was in my late teens, I didn’t have any of that. And I love Carnival. My favourite natural place is Conham River Park. It feels like you could be across the world on a sunny day –there’s a community of year-round bathers there.

Samantha has always chosen to live in community settings as a counter-cultural way of life in a society often defined by individualism

a few hours of creative work then run before I listen to Woman’s Hour –I started in lockdown and can’t give it up! I try to practice or write, do some online lessons and listen to PM rewound. I’ll have the front door open so I can chat with whoever is passing.

I love Rising Arts Agency’s citywide exhibition on care. They are contributing powerfully to some of the most important conversations we

are having. Isolde (who runs the Murmuration Choir) is doing great work creating art that engages with the climate crisis. That needs to happen more to connect what can, sometimes, be quite a heady issue, to the heart. I also love Holly from the Ishmael Collective, a Bristol jazz group just breaking. Her voice is insane and she has such an ethereal stage presence –she is clearly channelling something so deep.

I don’t eat much meat but when I do, I make it Star & Garter jerk chicken with rice, peas,

coleslaw and dumpling by Lisa. Radek’s vegan raw chocolate brownie is the best Bristol-made treat –gluten and refined sugar-free. I used to be in a band with Radek and test out his recipes. For vegan breakfast with yummy beans and Columbian flavours: Este in Easton. Jubilee Food Hub in St Werburghs also do amazing coffee, pastries and homemade ice lollies.

Political leadership is incredibly complex and the mayor deals with competing issues really

quite well. One thing I’d do is gather partners/stakeholders in education, sustainability, business and social justice to cocreate a citywide apprenticeship programme, specifically favouring Black and minority ethnic young people, and those from economically neglected white working-class areas, to build industries of the future: insulation and retrofitting, hydrogen, electric batteries, innovative tech and regenerative farming.

Support the Spennylympics

A brave couple is taking part in every Olympic sport over the 17 days of the Tokyo games, in memory of a loved one taken too soon.

From weightlifting to dressage and sailing to pole vaulting, Charlotte Nichols and Stuart Bates are running, throwing and jumping their way through nearly 100 sports and believe they’re the first to attempt the impressive feat. Not only do they need to complete a triathlon, 50km speed walk, 10km swim and 240km road cycle, but also a full marathon.

Charlotte has been fitting a rigorous training regime around studying to become a doctor in Bristol and Stuart around a full-time job as a window cleaner in Oxford. This year marks 10 years since the passing of Stuart’s brother Spencer ‘Spenny’ Bates, a father of two who died tragically young – aged 49 –due to motor neurone disease. Charlotte and Stuart hope to raise £10,000 for the Motor Neurone Disease Association with the ‘Spennylympics’ challenge. “The training has been tough, particularly fitting it around studying medicine,” said Charlotte. “But there have been some incredible moments –such as sailing in Weymouth as the sun was setting. It has been a chance for us both to think about Spenny a lot too. When you’re feeling achey and tired and you don’t want to go out and train, having him in your mind really helps.” Stuart describes Spenny as “a truly one-off character who was universally loved by all that met him. He was many things to many people – a loyal and trusted friend, a completely devoted father and husband and just the best company you could wish for. He was always at the centre of any mischief and his parties will be remembered for ever!”

More than 55 former and current Olympians have been recruited as challenge ambassadors, including rower Ollie Cooke, pole vaulter Holly Bradshaw and runner Sally Gunnell. Dozens offered lessons in everything from canoeing to rhythmic gymnastics. Included in the challenge is a trip to Bath for track and field, time in Bristol at surf venue The Wave, and Weymouth – Spenny’s home town – for sailing and windsurfing. On the penultimate day, they will play football with friends and family of Spenny –well known in Weymouth as a drummer –with the final day the dreaded marathon! • justgiving.com/fundraising/spennylympics

Fashion-fundraising fusion

FUZE finished their fundraising with a fashion extravaganza

Bristol students recently raised £23,500 for social justice charity Black South West Network, and Art Refuge –which uses art and art therapy to support displaced people –through a series of fashion and dance events that ended with a theatrical extravaganza. FUZE Bristol, made up of nearly 50 University of Bristol creatives and launches in 2003, is focused on raising money through performance and the end-of-year show saw a cast and crew of 250 put on a ‘fashion musical’ at Lakota Gardens in Stokes Croft, with a theme of utopia. “Coming out of the pandemic, we wanted to show what a perfect new normal could look like: a utopia based on diversity, inclusion and sustainability,” explained Pippa Adamthwaite-Cook, FUZE Bristol’s managing director. “We wanted to do something really creative, while also creating an event that had a meaning behind it. Black South West Network will put the money towards their new site, to make it accessible to local Black-led business, organisations and communities for cultural and business purposes. Art Refuge said the donations would be reinvested directly into delivering frontline projects with displaced people and those who support them. Meanwhile Pippa has plans to grow FUZE into an even bigger organisation while she works in Bristol as a freelance radio producer. Watch said space...

OUT OF OFFICE: GONE FISHING

A new vessel intended to clean up pollution in waterways has made its maiden voyage in Bristol. Launched by environmental charity Hubbub, the 12seater punt is made from 99% recycled single-use plastic and will be permanently based in Bristol Harbour.

‘Seacycler’ has been donated to the education consultants at Sustainable Hive and will take locals out on ‘plastic fishing’ trips to raise awareness of the levels of plastic pollution in Bristol, educating schoolchildren and businesses about the impact of litter on the environment as well as the value of recycling plastic.

The craftsman tasked with building the boat is Mark Edwards MBE, who built the Queen’s barge, Gloriana. The design is based on a traditional punt and has been made from the most modern of materials, Plaswood. The vessel is powered by a rechargeable electric motor too.

Seacycler will be moored at Young Bristol pontoon where the plastic fishing trips will set off from. With each trip, the boat will help remove more debris from Bristol Harbour, which will then be recycled and go towards making further boats with the same aim –a great example of a circular economy in action.

“By involving schools and businesses in a fun and engaging way, the plastic fishing trips will not only help clean up the harbour and reduce the impact of litter on wildlife, but demonstrate that plastic has a value and can be turned into something useful,” said Gavin Ellis, Hubbub co-founder.

Plastic fishing trips in Bristol Harbour will be available to local schools for free and to local businesses for a fee –those interested in taking part should contact olivia@sustainablehive.com.

• hubbub.org.uk