Bristol Folk House

Adult education centre on Park Street.


Through a doorway on Parkstreet, down a narrow corridor and across a sunny (sudject to weather) courtyard, the unexpectedly large building of the Bristol Folk House has stood since 1963, and is still being discoverd in its bs1 hiding place by life long Bristol dwellers to this day. It's an adult education centre, venue, meeting space and cafe, providing courses in arts and crafts, creative writing, languages and more.

As a venue the BFH has been long famous for live music in Bristol. Running a weekend program of music featuring Folk, acoustic, roots, Americana and music of all flavours with both local, national and international acts. As an adult education centre,the BFH provides variety of part-time day and evening courses and workshops for over 18's.The Folk House is a welcoming environment in which to explore your creativity and learn new skills.

What's On At Bristol Folk House

Talk Talk book launch + Spirit of Eden playback at Bristol Folk House
— Bristol Folk House
new wave synthpop spoken word talks
Ben Hicks & Betty Blight folk songs at Bristol Folk House
— Bristol Folk House
country traditional folk folk freak folk singer-songwriter
Bella Hardy at Bristol Folk House
— Bristol Folk House
folk
Avellana at Bristol Folk House
— Bristol Folk House
jazz
Mikey Kenney at Bristol Folk House
— Bristol Folk House
folk
Windborne at Bristol Folk House
— Bristol Folk House
folk
C Duncan at Bristol Folk House
— Bristol Folk House
contemporary classical film
Matt Woolley at Bristol Folk House
— Bristol Folk House
traditional folk folk singer-songwriter
Chris Brain at Bristol Folk House
— Bristol Folk House
folk singer-songwriter
Daoirí Farrell at Bristol Folk House
— Bristol Folk House
folk

Get a feel for Bristol Folk House

Our recent recommendations for Bristol Folk House

Last seen in town with Spanish troubadour guitar gaucho Victor Herrero, the majestic trad/not-trad fiddle of Mikey Kenney is a real treat from Ear Trumpet. Giddy strings steeped in 1,000 years of rich UK ballads, peppered with Mikey’s own urban Merseyside compositions and influences from bluegrass to Italian folk and beyond. Plaintive delights FFO: Tommy Peoples, Aidan O'Rourke, Aaron Catlow, Band of Burns. Mikey Kenney at Bristol Folk House.

Half day symposium exploring how experimental darkroom processes inform the photographic practices of contemporary women, non-binary and trans artists. Expect lively presentations and discussions on techniques from cyanotypes and photograms to printing on leaves, fruit and fabrics. Presentations from contemporary women, non-binary, and trans artists and researchers who are exploring the possibilities of alternative photographic processes

Pristine, lilting guitar and fiddle interplay somewhere between trad folk and the hushed reverence of chamber. Simply stunning FFO: the Gloaming, Sam Sweeney, JOW, Sigur Ros, Talk Talk. Owen Spafford and Louis Campbell examine what it means to be ‘authentic' as two modern English folk musicians.

Trans-Atlantic collab where American roots meets British folk at its finest. With every virtuoso pluck of the guitar and bow of the fiddle, Brooks Williams and Aaron Catlow (Sheelanagig) pay loving homage to the 20th century songbook of bluegrass, blues, ragtime, folk, jazz manouche and music hall. Essential FFO: Dave Swarbrick, Martin Carthy, Django Reinhardt, Stéphane Grappelli “How such a complete and sensational sound can come from just two voices and instruments is awe-inspiring.” AmericanaUK

Sell out warning! Queer as F*ck burlesque action packed with sass and sizzle and back-breaking acrobatics. Grounded Circus head over to the Folk House for Pride season with fierce pole-work from CocoGymnaasty, hilaaaaaaarious drag king cowboy Small Willy Nelson, ‘bearlesque’ icon Deeva D and the incomparable Dominique Fleek. QAF is back with a new one-night LGBTQI+ burlesque show celebrating all bodies