Bristol
Pixel Pioneers Bristol takes place right at the harbourside in the heart of the city. Here's a little guide to our venues, places to stay and eat, and other great things to see in Bristol.
Our new conference venue
We’re always looking for ways to improve our event, and so we decided to move into the renowned Arnolfini, one of Europe's leading centres for contemporary arts.
Housed in an iconic Grade II-listed converted tea warehouse, the Arnolfini is right on the historic harbourside in the heart of Bristol, very close to the old venue. The cinema/theatre-style auditorium on the groundfloor features a high-spec AV and lighting system, a very large screen, and comfortable raked seating, which ensures excellent visibility of the speakers and their slides.
The Arnolfini is also home to an excellent café bar run by the award-winning Wiper and True craft beer brewery, as well as one of the best specialist, independent art bookshops in the country.
Bristol Temple Meads train station is a twenty-minute walk or a five-minute taxi ride away, and there are also two car parks nearby.
Accessibility: The auditorium is fully accessible for wheelchair users and fitted with an induction loop system. Please let us know in advance if you require access so that we can reserve the best seating for you.
Live captioning will be provided by White Coat Captioning. The screen will be located on the right side of the stage, and we recommend taking a seat towards the front for the best visibility.
Gender neutral toilets are available on the ground and second floors, which are also fully accessible.
If you need a break or need to do some work in a quiet space, we have access to a green room backstage. There's also a dressing room with a shower and toilet. Please ask one of our volunteers should you require those.
Full accessibility details can be found on the venue website: arnolfini.org.uk/plan-your-visit/accessibility/.
Arnolfini
16 Narrow Quay
Bristol
BS1 4QA
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Our venue for the social
The Cock & Tail is just a short walk away from our conference venue, the Arnolfini, in the heart of Bristol's docklands and brings with it great cocktails, the region's best beers, awesome music and a renegade attitude.
The Cock & Tail
Commercial Road
Redcliffe
Bristol
BS1 6TG
Accommodation
Airbnb
Airbnb is a great, affordable option and there are plenty of rooms available in Bristol. Find a room.
Best budget hotels
Hotel Ibis Bristol Centre: 5 minutes walk to venue
Premier Inn Bristol City Centre: 7 minutes walk to venue
Travelodge Bristol Centre: 9 minutes walk to venue
Mid-range hotels
The Bristol: 2 minutes walk to venue
Bristol Marriott Royal: 6 minutes walk to venue
Mercure Bristol Holland House Hotel and Spa: 12 minutes walk to venue
Where to go for lunch?
Looking for somewhere to grab a bite to eat for lunch? All of the below recommendations are within easy walking distance from the conference venue.
Arnolfini Café Bar: The bar right behind the conference auditorium has a great brunch and lunch menu, alongside pastries and cake. Eat inside or al fresco on an exclusive, enclosed decking area outside.
Mud Dock Café: Overlooking the harbour, this cafe just a stone's throw away from the Arnolfini serves a delicious brunch or lunch.
Princes Pantry: A greasy spoon hidden gem just opposite the Arnolfini, on Princes Street, serving hearty breakfast rolls, burgers, and lunch sandwiches.
Wapping Wharf restaurants and cafes: There's plenty to tempt your taste buds at the shipping containers just behind the M Shed. Here are our favourites:
Bandook: Modern indian street food dining, including grandma's delicious homestyle curry.
Gurt Wings: Award-winning fried chicken wings, strips and cheese stix.
Daily Noodles: Lovely little Asian diner, serving noodles, bao and small plates, by MasterChef finalist Larkin Cen.
Salt & Malt: Proper (posh) fish & chips to eat in or as a takeaway. Cod, haddock, scampi, fishcakes and more!
Seven Lucky Gods: Enjoy amazing Japanese style food and drink right on top of one of the shipping containers.
Harbourside Desi Kitchen & Bar: An authentic, traditional Indian restaurant serving a wide range of delicious Asian & Indian food.
The Harbourside Street Food Market: An ever-changing lineup of Bristol’s best street eats just behind the Cascade Steps. Check the website to find out who's cooking on the day of the conference.
Gambas: A firm Pixel Pioneers favourite, this amazing restaurant serves authentic Spanish tapas, with a focus on fresh fish and seafood. They even have a great white wine from Málaga called Pixel!
LOKI POKÉ: Fresh, fast and custom Hawaiian-inspired poké bowls and salads with punchy house sauces, made-to-order in front of you.
Bertha's: The best sourdough pizza in Bristol! Right at the top of Wapping Wharf, with the big yellow doors.
The Olive Shed: Wapping Wharf's rustic Mediterranean restaurant and cosy tapas bar on 2 floors, with far-reaching harbourside views. Also does takeaways.
Brunel's Buttery: If the weather is fine, this is the best place for a sarnie and a brew at the harbourside.
Riverstation: Restaurant and bar with river views and Modern European menu in a converted dockside police station.
Za Za Bazaar: Global foods in a massive restaurant and bar inspired by Asian night markets with big neon signs.
The harbour
M Shed: Our previous conference venue, the M Shed is the museum of Bristol, telling the story of the city over 2000 years through music, film, art and technology.
Watershed: Watershed is a registered charity that focuses on the development of cultural engagement, imagination and talent. Enjoy a drink or meal in the watershed cafe bar followed by a film in one of the three cinemas.
ss Great Britain: Take a step back in time aboard the ss Great Britain. Find out all about the ships history as one of the most important historic ships in the world in the Dockyard Museum, go beneath the glass sea and walk along the ship itself.
Ferries and boat trips, e.g. www.bristolferry.com: Take a boat trip down Avon Gorge, River Avon and enjoy an evening sail to Beeses with live music and hog roast all included!
Stand Up Paddleboarding: Get started with a taster session or jump right in with a 2.5 hour long harbourside adventure with a qualified instructor.
Culture
There is so much to see and do in Bristol from festivals, fantastic walks and views to a buzzing social and music scene, independent shops, galleries and cinemas. It has it all! Here is a little taster:
Bristol Street Art Tours: Banksy is an anonymous British street artist and political activist with an international reputation. There are two tours looking at the history of street art and the longest running Banksy tour in Bristol.
Blackbeard to Banksy Walking Tour: Join this walking tour and discover 1000 years of Bristols history. Pirates haunts, Robinson Crusoe, and damage from the Blitz, finishing off with a rum in a smugglers tavern!
Banksy Bristol Tour and app: Download the app which tells you the true history of Banksys early years written by those from his hometown of Bristol.
Galleries: Check out the top 10 contemporary art galleries in Bristol.
If you are bringing the family there are plenty of places to visit that will keep them entertained. Science museums, aquariums, parks and wildlife.
To find even more things to see and do in Bristol there are a number of great local guides. Check out skiddle and visitbristol.