31 and 31a College Green, BS1 5TB

Exhibition, event space, offices and rehearsal rooms: 2010-13

Activity:

The Parlour Showrooms were two empty shops, run as city centre exhibition and event spaces for the community and local/national emerging artists; managed by The Showroom Projects. The Parlour Studios were offices and rehearsal spaces, above the Showrooms, home to performance makers and producers, including; Stand and Stare Collective, MAYK, The Showroom Projects, Interval (an artist led support network for performance makers) and a handful of independent artists.  After an unsuccessful Community Asset Transfer bid (expression of interest), the community has now moved to The Exchange, (Corn Street) with the continued support of BCC.

‘There was that winter when we had a bucket in every room upstairs, to collect the water dripping.’

‘There was that time when we filled a room with sand to make a beach for a show. If you look under the carpet there is some sand still there.’

‘There was that time when we sat in the empty shops and watched ‘how to’ pluck a chicken and then we sat down to a roast dinner- the doors were open and everyone was invited to share the food. I sat next to a guy who looked like he hadn’t eaten anything all day.’

Status: Inactive

Future: Council owned and sold to property developers ‘Brave & Poor’ to be turned into  flats and offices. The shop units are leased back to the council and after redevelopment will be available for commercial use.

Contact:

http://www.parlourshowrooms.co.uk/

http://www.theparlourstudios.com/

@stand_stare

@ausform

@maykithappen

@parlourshowroom