Arnolfini

Arnolfini is an arts centre and gallery in Bristol on the Floating Harbour. It occupies three floors of a 19th-century warehouse built in the Bristol Byzantine style, with Pennant Sandstone walls and arched windows. The building was once a tea warehouse and iron foundry before becoming an arts space in 1975. Its name comes from Jan van Eyck’s 1434 painting *The Arnolfini Portrait*, which depicts the merchant Giovanni Arnolfini. The gallery has hosted major exhibitions by artists including Bridget Riley, Rachel Whiteread and Paul McCartney.

The gallery was founded in 1961 by Jeremy Rees with support from his wife Annabel and painter John Orsborn. It moved from Clifton to Queen Square, then to W Shed, before settling in Bush House. Directors such as Barry Barker and Tessa Jackson expanded its programme to include performance, film and digital media. In 2010 it hosted a general election debate, and in 2015 the building was sold to the University of the West of England while the gallery retained its space.

Inside, visitors find three floors of galleries, a specialist bookshop, a cinema that doubles as a performance space, and a café bar. The reading room holds archives and catalogues from past shows. Outside, the Floating Harbour offers views of Bristol’s waterfront and historic buildings. The gallery runs education programmes, workshops and festivals including live art and experimental music. Events have featured companies like the Philip Glass Ensemble and Shobana Jeyasingh Dance Company.