About

Bristol Stories is a creative digital storytelling project. The underlying ethos of the project is that everybody has a story to tell, and these personal stories have an intrinsic value as a trigger for memory, and are a way of gaining deeper insight into Bristol’s history. All the stories featured in Bristol Stories have been devised and made by local people using computers, photographs and personal archives such as home movies, family documents or objects with a special meaning or significance. What lies at the heart of each story is that person’s unique voice – telling us about the people, places and events that are important in their lives. Sharing these powerful and personal stories with others in the workshop, and then with a wider audience online, is part of the magic of the process.

The history of the project

From its origins in March 2005 until June 2007, the project was run as a partnership between Watershed and Bristol Museums, Galleries and Archives Service aimed at involving the public in the development of content for the new Museum of Bristol. The content, made by amateurs not curators or academics, demonstrates how the experiences of the people of Bristol have contributed to the rich cultural tapestry of the city.

Since July 2007, Bristol Stories has continued to work with organisations and communities across Bristol, enabling diverse individuals to tell their many stories of Bristol.