About

Sparks is a department store with a difference, co-created by Global Goals Centre and Artspace Lifespace.

From fashion and food to nature and energy, each department is designed to support people in Bristol to take easy (and often money-saving!) actions on climate, equality and wellbeing.

On the ground floor explore a huge range of shops, installations, events and more. And upstairs is a hub for local artists, offering affordable studios, rehearsal and performance space.

Everything in Sparks is designed to help people take easy, money-saving actions on climate, equality and wellbeing – the themes of the Sustainable Development Goals – and help Bristol to reach city-wide targets.

Sparks are also supporting Bristol’s creative community with much-needed affordable artist spaces, and educating young people on real-life issues such as the climate crisis and inequality.

The unique combination of artist spaces, sustainable retail, education and reuse is a world-first pilot project that can hopefully be replicated in more empty buildings in high streets across the UK.

Sparks is also contributing to the following city-wide improvement initiatives: Bristol City of Sanctuary, Bristol Climate Action, Bristol Equality Charter, Bristol Nature Recovery.

Global Goals Centre and Artspace Lifespace created Sparks Bristol in collaboration with The Invisible Circus. This project is a partnership project and we would like to thank all our amazing partner organisations that are supporting the project with funding and pro-bono advice. Sparks was designed and built by legendary creatives, The Invisible Circus, who transformed this empty department store into a hub of creativity, imagination and sustainability.

You can also support Sparks by hosting events and meetings in their space.

Sparks Bristol will be open at least until December 2024, and hopefully much longer!