Our Access and Education Aims

Working across the whole programme, the Access and Education Programme provides on-going support, memorable experiences and insights for all audiences.

Each year we welcome people from all types of schools, community and youth groups, colleges and universities and artist groups to a programme of talks, lectures, supported visits, public workshops and participatory projects.

Thousands of people attend visits and workshop events each year and Arnolfini also works with a number of Bristol-based long term partnerships developing relationships across the city.

Our learning principles

• Questioning - encouraging critical questioning, developing skills to look at and engage with art.
• Diversity - valuing a diversity of responses, using visitors' ideas, knowledge and experience as a tool for interpreting.
• Experimental and playful - achieving learning through encouraging people to try new things.....and have fun .
• Revealing processes- opening up the processes of making art and interpretation.

Planning a group visit or project

You can arrange an informal meeting to discuss any questions and ideas you have. Sometimes we are able to visit your school to help plan a project.

You can arrange a visit to exhibitions, cinema screenings and live events by contacting a member of the Access & Education staff. We strongly advise  you visit  beforehand to make sure you’re familiar with the content of the exhibition or event, this will also help you and your students plan ahead and get more out of your visit.

Essential information

It’s vital that visiting groups are supervised at all times. The adult:student ratio for pre-school children should be at least 1:5, for children aged up to 11, it is 1:10, and up to age 16, 1:15. The maximum group size for any practical or discussion workshops is 20. Groups larger than this will be divided to work with more than one artist or member of staff.

A guide to costs

Admission to Arnolfini exhibitions is free.

Arnolfini live art events are around £5 for students with group rates available. Charges for workshops depend on group size, type of workshops and staff availability.

Introductory talks and discussion-based workshops £35

A typical 2-3 hour practical workshop for 20 students with an artist will cost £80 + VAT + materials. Exact charges can be discussed when planning your visit.