This October you and your kids can enjoy getting creative in some fantastic free family activities during Bristol Family Arts Festival.

The month-long celebration of creativity will take place at venues across the city and the programme is packed full with creative activities for all ages.

Families can get inspired with music, theatre, storytelling, drawing, making and much more. With over 50 activities to choose from, there’s sure to be something to spark your curiosity.

What’s in store?

The full festival programme is available online at bristolfamilyarts.org.uk but here’s a top-ten taster of what’s coming up this October:

1. Get busy with a host of hand’s on and DIY workshops. Children’s Scrapstore welcomes all things messy, Barton Hill Festival invites you to get crafty, while expect a cacophony of creation at the Festival Finale in the Arnolfini Auditorium
2. Expect lantern making, pumpkin carving, spooky storytelling, and eery explorations in ships and crypts at the many festival venues celebrating Halloween. Tyntesfield, Children’s Scrapstore and Blaise Castle to name but a few.
3. Build your own Fun Palace, sport structure or mega model at Hillfields Library with the Architecture Centre and Children’s Scrapstore
4. Turn words to song with the magical music events at St George’s Bristol and the poetry performances at Watershed
5. Animate film with drawing and model making at Junction 3 with Watershed, Arnolfini and the Architecture Centre.
6. Hear sailor’s stories as Brunel’s ss Great Britain open the vessels’ vaults to discover rare artefacts and tell tales of sea faring adventures. While M Shed and Underfall Yard explore the docks maritime past
7. Pick up your pencils and paints at Arnolfini and Bristol Museum & Art Gallery as they each host Big Draws. Or create a collage of memories at Spike Island’s art workshops.
8. Move the theatrical performances from the living room to the stage. Busy yourself with Introduction to Acting workshops at Tobacco Factory Theatres or enjoy the puppetry of ‘Yana and the Yeti’ at 1532 Performing Arts Centre as part of Tobacco Factory Theatres BEYOND
9. Make some moves with DMAC and their interactive dance and music workshops
10. Design your shadow silhouette in the wonderful crypt of St John on the Wall

Now in its fifth year, the Family Arts Festival continues as the only festival in the city dedicated to families.

For old and young, big and little, the festival is for everyone to discover (and rediscover) their inner creative. It’s an opportunity for all of us to visit somewhere new, try something different and spend some time with family.

Hosted across the city, most of the events are free and drop-in on the day, however some events require pre-booking and a fee/donation.

For specific event details and full festival information please visit https://www.arnolfini.org.uk/family-arts-festival/.