Ten Bristol Creatives You Should Know

Here at Gather Round, we’ve made a space with creativity at its heart. A place with room to move and grow and elements designed with collaboration in mind. From sharing breakfast at our communal table to the gathering of minds at campfire talks. We’re consistently inspired by the people around us, and we think you will be too. So, we’ve gathered together a handful of Bristol creatives to inspire. The ones making moves in their field, the ones that shine a light on our city and the ones we can look to for guaranteed inspiration. Here’s our list of ten Bristol creatives you should know.

Claudia Kennaugh / Founder of Art and People

Claudia’s advice to artists is to ‘paint, draw, sculpt like you mean it.’ It is this innate understanding of art and the artist that makes Claudia Kennaugh a creative in her own right.

Supporting artists and inspiring and assisting collectors is the name of the game and, well, our girl does it well. Full disclaimer, this one is a long-term Gather Round member and we love her. Formerly a musician, Claudia co-runs her family gallery in London in between coaching emerging and established artists and helping collectors fall in love (with art).

Ross Norman / Creative Designer

With three D&AD New Blood Pencils and A REBRAND 2020 Distinction to his name, Ross Norman has been killing it since graduating from the Kingston School of Art. His graphic design skills see him in demand in the UK and US with a varied client list from Microsoft to the V&A. Passionate about the side projects of creatives the world over, Ross produces Peep with friends. A publication for quite literally, peeping into the personal projects of artists. We’re super proud to have him as a Gather Round member.

Olamiposi Ayorinde / Poet

Hailing from the rural town of Mullingar in Ireland, Olamiposi has called Bristol home for the last five years. Like a lot of creatives, he came for a visit and stayed for the creative opportunities our vibrant city has to offer. Poet, filmmaker, curator and musician under the moniker Posi Days, Olamiposi potentially doesn’t sleep. One to watch.

Katy Sargent / Musician

Vocalist and powerhouse behind Elder Island, Katy cut her creative cloth at UWE studying Fine Art. There she met fellow bandmates Dave and Luke and the trio spent years perfecting their unique sound of electronic art-pop. After a stint at Aardman Animations, she took to music full-time. World tours, two albums and global success has meant that Katy is a Bristol creative the whole city should be proud of.

Emma Blake Morsi / Creative Producer

It kind of feels like the term multi-hyphenate was created with Emma in mind. Wordsmith, creator, producer, editor and on the team of Enviral, the ethical marketing agency based at Gather Round. Emma sits at the helm of Nocturnal, a biannual collection of digital stories using the arts to address social issues for young people. For the young, by the young – with Emma, the future looks promising.

Hazard 0ne / Graffiti Artist

Hazard’s star is very much much on the rise. Her striking work, often featuring female portraits and floral designs, is unmistakable. She’s been hailed by The Guardian and The Huffington Post as one of the best. Her recent work of Bristol legend and Big Issue seller Jeff Knight saw acclaim across the city.  She’s daubed the walls of Bedminster for Upfest and will soon be painting alongside the world-famous Inky on the up and coming mural featuring the late DJ Derek. As always, expect a riot of colour.

Jessica Ferrow / Sustainability Consultant

Jessica makes creative moves to make the world a better place. Her climate impact agency Twelve empowers businesses to make changes and combat the effects of climate change before it’s too late. Sustainability is her game and she has worked with Ikea, Pukka and Unilever. The natural world is a constant source of inspiration and she can be found in the woods when not at her desk at Gather Round.

Ben Brook / Film & Photography

Ben Brook’s moody, textural and collage aesthetic is resolute. Whether working with the likes of Charli XCX and Nike or with up and coming artists; his work is instantly recognisable. When not heading up video and production at Crack Magazine, Ben is busy creating music documentaries and videos as well as personal photography projects.

Cleo Lake / Green Party Councillor

Cleo for PM! This changemaker is at the forefront of the Bristol political scene with her empowering stance on social justice and environmentalism. When not steering a movement her strings also include dance, film, poetry and curating. Her bow is massive.

Her rich past in the arts and culture sector has found her at the helm of St Pauls Carnival, acting with the Sheba Soul Ensemble and directing international arts organisation Black Artists On The Move.

Vandna Mehta / Activist & Events Organiser

The Bristol Refugee Festival, Tribe of Doris, Diverse Artists Network, Vocalise Bristol, Women Leaders South West; Vandna’s to-do list is big. She rocks it with confidence and is part of the fabric of Bristol culture. Often found flying the flag for marginalised artists and curating space to address diversity across the city. During the Bristol Refugee Festival, Vandna produces events to bring people from all walks of life together to communicate and more importantly, have fun.

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The city of Bristol is synonymous with creativity and the arts. Some of the UK’s greatest creative exports hail from here, the music scene bangs and the streets are (literally) painted in colour. We’ve created our very own creative hub in the heart of Southville and we’re always happy to hear from fellow creatives. Get in touch if you’d like to pop over for a cuppa and have a look at our space.

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