Cast Light Welcomes 500+ Visitors

More than 500 people visited Jacobs Wells Baths over the Harbour Festival weekend to experience Cast Light, an immersive sound and light installation by internationally acclaimed artist collective Squidsoup.

Presented by Trinity Community Arts, Cast Light transformed the historic Pump Room into a captivating environment of light, sound and movement, offering visitors a rare opportunity to explore one of Bristol's most significant heritage buildings.

The event marked an important milestone in the transformation of Jacobs Wells Baths and one of the first public activations of the site since Trinity became its guardians. For many visitors, it was their first opportunity to step inside the building and experience its unique atmosphere, history and potential.

The installation formed part of Trinity's Art of the Possible programme, which is opening Jacobs Wells Baths to artists, audiences and the local community throughout its restoration. Ahead of the building's planned reopening in 2029, the programme aims to bring people into the space now through creative events, performances and cultural experiences.

Samuel Javid, Business Plan Development at Trinity Community Arts, said:

"It was incredible to see so many people experiencing Jacobs Wells Baths in this way. Cast Light perfectly captured what the Art of the Possible programme is about – bringing people into the building now, creating memorable cultural experiences and demonstrating the enormous potential of this extraordinary place before it fully reopens."

Dan Pearson, Technical Director at Squidsoup, said:

"Bringing Cast Light into the Pump Room was a unique opportunity. The architecture, history and atmosphere of the space became part of the artwork itself, creating an experience that couldn't exist anywhere else."

The weekend also formed part of Bristol Harbour Festival Fringe and highlighted the growing excitement around the future of Jacobs Wells Baths as a new home for arts, culture and community activity in the city.

A huge thank you to everyone who visited, our volunteers, partners and the Squidsoup team for helping make the weekend such a memorable success.

We look forward to welcoming audiences back to Jacobs Wells Baths soon as the next chapter of its transformation unfolds.

Photo credit: Khali Photography.

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