Outdoor Gallery

Outdoor exhibition boards in Royal Fort Gardens. An outdoor photography exhibition by Mikael Techane. Discover the story of Welfare State International (WSI), one of Britain's most influential experimental theatre collectives, in this outdoor photography exhibition set in the heart of the University of Bristol campus at Royal Fort Gardens. This exhibition explores how the Welfare State International archive continues to inspire new ideas today. Welfare State International (WSI) was a radical group of artists active from 1968. They believed that art should be integral to everyday life. Working with communities across the UK and beyond, they created lantern parades, outdoor performances, and large-scale celebrations. Created by photographer and filmmaker Mikael Techane, the exhibition presents portraits of people who care for and engage with the archive today. It highlights those who work with and build on it in creative ways, including artists, researchers, archivists, and local communities. The exhibition also shows how WSI's ideas find new meaning through contemporary collaborations, including research projects supported by Brigstow Institute Seedcorn funding.