Gather Round Presents: The Art of Storytelling | 22.01.26

As we move into the third year of our award winning free event series ‘Gather Round Presents’, we wanted to mark the occasion with a special theme for our ninth edition. Something that will help us reflect on our story and hopefully inspire you to look inward to yours. The stories that have been shared on our panels and in the audience, behind the bar and over pizza, have strengthened our connection with you, the local creative community in Bristol, Bath and beyond.

So, on Thursday 22nd January, we will be diving into The Art of Storytelling – joined by seven incredible filmmakers, artists, directors and copywriters. As always, expect free-flowing conversations, gems of advice from the panel and a chance to win some carefully curated prizes to help you tell your story . Of course we’ll be bringing you delicious free pizza from our good friends at Pizzucci, a fully stocked bar with all your local favourites and a cosy spot to hang in for the evening, our beautiful Brunswick Square.

Nida Manzoor

First up on the panel we have Nida Manzoor – Resident of our flagship location Cigar Factory and a woman with many accolades to her name. Nida is an acclaimed British screenwriter and director known for writing and directing two seasons of the Channel 4 comedy show ‘We Are Lady Parts’ – winning 3 BAFTAs, including for screenwriting. Nida has also directed two episodes of Doctor Who, and is known for her 2023 debut feature Polite Society, a riotous action-comedy that premiered at Sundance 2023 winning a BIFA for screenwriting.

Dan Caulfield

Dan Caulfield is a Filmmaker and Cigar Factory OG – working with the legends over at Enviral. A lover of all things film, Dan has directed and produced some of Enviral’s most iconic stories for the likes of Greenpeace, Ecologi and Belmont Estate. He knows how to get to the core of things through his unique approach to storytelling.

Mark De’Lisser

Mark De’Lisser writes at the threshold where human stories brush up against the ever shifting nature of reality. A poet and workshop facilitator based in Bath, he leads creative writing sessions rooted in connection, deep attention, and an invitation to notice the stories held in both ourselves and the more than human world. His debut collection, Ashes to the Breeze (Cogito Publishing), offers tender, lyrical storytelling that explores how we are shaped by the worlds within and around us, and how poetry can open a pathway back to belonging. His ongoing poetry project Fragments of Us extends this work by crafting bespoke typewritten poems that honour the moments, memories, and the quiet connections that form our shared human landscape.

In 2021, Mark was commissioned by Bath Abbey to create a poetic response to their Monuments, Empire and Slavery exhibition, which shone a light on the Abbey’s historical links to the transatlantic slave trade. He has since continued working alongside the Abbey, voicing an audio tour that explores these connections further. He has also written commissioned pieces for Surfers Against Sewage and Roots Allotments. An experienced spoken word performer, Mark has shared his work at festivals including Shambala and Buddhafield.

Sara Joyner

Sara Joyner is a Webby, Signal and Ambie award-winning senior podcast producer and story editor based in Bristol. Originally from Texas, she started her career producing cooking TV shows for PBS. She’s known for taking a scattered pile of interviews, research, and raw tape and shaping it into a clean, compelling narrative. Her work spans documentary series, investigations, and branded podcasts — including projects for Audible, the BBC, iHeartRadio and FilmNation.

Sara’s credits include SNAFU, Proof, Human Intelligence and The Reason We’re All Still Here. She works across the full production arc — development, research, reporting, interviewing, directing host talent, script writing, editing and sound design. Her strength is crafting an emotional listener journey that makes the story stick far beyond the end credits.

Claire Urquhart

Blending 25 years of editorial expertise with commercial content investment and co-production, Claire Urquhart is a Film and Television Executive & Producer with serious directorial vision. Known for ambitious, quirky & unexpected approaches, Claire has originated prime time shows for the BBC, Sky, ITV, PBS, Five/Paramount winning high-value commissions & hundreds of hours in genres including: returning formats; constructed and popular documentary series; thought-provoking social experiments and campaigns in both Unscripted and Scripted.

Rosa ter Kuile (RTiiiKA)

RTiiiKA (“ah-teeka”) is Rosa ter Kuile, a visual artist working from Centrespace, Bristol. Her work spans murals, illustration, academic collaborations, and activism, often employing a queer lens to explore and expand contrasting narratives. Her recent exhibition ‘Monkey Business’ explores the diverse expressions of biological sex and sexual behavior in the animal kingdom. You might recognise RTiiiKA’s work as she is the designer behind the Bristol Beacon’s new look. If you haven’t seen the 10-metre high mural in the main foyer yet, get yourselves down there! Rosa is also the founder of Bristol Mural Collective, brightening up local neighbourhood alleys and through ways with the help of volunteer artists from across the city.

Nick Anderson-Vines

Nick Anderson-Vines is a B2B ghostwriter driving $1M+ for founders and investors. Starting out as a writer at agencies such as Ogilvy, DDB, & Saatchi & Saatchi, Nick went on to build his first company, “English for Copywriters,” which has taught thousands of non-native writers the English skills they need to build successful bilingual careers. Nick then returned to writing in 2023 to help Gen X and Boomer agency owners position themselves as thought leaders on LinkedIn and Substack, while growing their newsletters through 5 day educational email courses.

Tickets are now LIVE. Follow this link to grab yours and remember, don’t wait – they won’t be around for long. We can’t wait to see you.

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