Say, Craft, Capture

This year, Spatula is bringing together a small programme of events as part of Bristol Pride 2026.

Across three events, we’re making space for people to come together, connect, express themselves and think about what Pride means now. Some of it is hands-on and playful. Some of it is reflective and conversational. All of it is rooted in the same idea: Pride is something we make together.

From zines and placards to conversation and collective memory, the programme creates different ways for people to take part, whether they want to make something, say something, listen, meet others, or simply be in a queer space.

Queer Zine Club: Zine Making Evening

We’re supporting Queer Zine Club to help bring it back to life as a regular community programme.

The zine making evening is a space to cut, stick, write and create around queer stories, shared voices and collective expression. It is open, informal and welcoming, whether you already make zines or have never made one before.

Zines have long been part of queer culture, protest and self-publishing. They allow people to tell stories in their own words, outside of polished or traditional formats. This event is about making room for that: messy, personal, political, playful and real.

30 June, 18:30

The Old Market Assembly

Free

Capturing Movement: Truth, Voice and Visibility

Capturing Movement is an event to pause, look again and rethink what we capture, what we shape and what we remember.

The conversation brings together Mark Simmons, Ollie Ley, The Bristol Cable, Nepal Point Collective and others to explore how protest, activism, media and community memory are documented.

Who gets seen? Who gets heard? Who gets remembered? And what happens when movements are flattened into images, headlines or moments, rather than understood as living histories?

Taking place within the context of Bristol Pride, the event asks how we can document social change with more care, agency and purpose.

1 July, 18:30

IC Visual Lab, Bristol

Sliding scale tickets from £6

Placard Making Day

Ahead of the Bristol Pride march, we’re hosting a free drop-in placard making day.

This is a space to make placards for the march, create badges and amplify your voice. Materials will be provided, and people are welcome to come for the full session or just drop in for a while.

The event is about protest, expression and togetherness. It is also about making the march feel more accessible, giving people time and space to prepare, make something by hand and connect with others before the day itself.

5 July, 11:00–15:00

IC Visual Lab, Bristol

Free

Why we’re doing this

Spatula exists to support community, culture and communication. For Bristol Pride 2026, that means creating and enabling spaces where people can make, gather, speak and be heard.

These events are not separate from Pride. They are part of it. They sit alongside the march, the celebration and the wider programme as quieter, creative and reflective spaces for people to connect with what Pride means to them.

Whether you are coming to make something, share something, listen, learn, meet people or just be in the room, you are welcome.

Find tickets and more details through the Bristol Pride programme.