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.

Made possible thanks to National Lottery players.

This July, Trinity Community Arts presents Cast Light, a new immersive installation by internationally acclaimed artists Squidsoup, transforming the historic Pump Room at Jacobs Wells Baths into a captivating environment of light, sound and space.

Taking place on 18 and 19 July, alongside Bristol’s annual Harbour Festival, the ticketed experience invites visitors into one of Bristol’s most significant heritage buildings as it undergoes ongoing restoration during the city's annual Harbour Festival. Designed as an audience-led encounter for small groups, Cast Light offers visitors the chance to move freely through an evolving landscape of illuminated forms and spatial sound.

Recognised as pioneers in the fields of light, sound and technology-based art, Squidsoup have created large-scale works experienced by millions of people worldwide, from Burning Man to Alexandra Palace. Their installations have captivated audiences across six continents.

Cast Light is a new artwork comprising an arching arrangement   of towering columns of light accompanied by an expansive soundscape. Installed within the atmospheric surroundings of the Pump Room, the work explores ideas of scale, connection and our relationship with the natural world. The result is an experience that shifts between moments of wonder and quiet contemplation.

“Cast Light began as an exploration of scale, presence and our relationship to the environments we inhabit. The work shifts as people move through it, creating moments that can feel vast and enveloping, but also deeply personal. The title is a nod to the venue - a play on the solidity of the space and its cast iron construction of areas previously never seen before, against the fluidity of light moving through it. The artwork asks you to explore how we appear in the light, and how it transforms the space around us. The Pump Room at Jacobs Wells Baths is a space shaped by human activity and industrial history, and we’re excited to invite audiences into that conversation through light and sound in such a unique heritage site.”

- Squidsoup

The installation is situated in a space that once powered the building itself;. The Pump Room housed the furnace boilers that heated the natural spring waters flowing through Jacobs Wells Baths, making it the operational heart of the Victorian complex.

Visitors are invited to experience both the artwork and the architecture in a setting that encourages personal exploration and reflection.

As part of Jacobs Wells Baths radical citizen-led approach, Trinity Community Arts have created opportunities for local residents to inform its design and development. In recognition of the relationship with its closest members, free tickets for Cast Light will be offered to residents living in neighbouring Brandon House and St Peter’s House.

Cast Light forms part of Trinity’s Art of the Possible series at Jacobs Wells Baths, a programme that opens the site to artists and audiences during its transformation. It is one of a small number of public events taking place ahead of the building’s major reopening in 2029 as a landmark cultural venue and centre for citizen-powered arts in the South West.

The event is proudly presented as part of the Bristol Harbour Festival fringe activity.

About Squidsoup

Squidsoup are internationally recognised artists working with light, sound and digital technologies to create immersive environments and participatory experiences. Their work has been presented worldwide at festivals, galleries and public spaces, earning critical acclaim for its innovative approach to audience engagement and sensory experience.

What the critics say

“The Best Live Show in the World”

Mixmag on Squidsoup’s collaboration with Four Tet

”…a sincere and disarming electronic experience”

The Guardian on Squidsoup

Select slots will feature a live dance performance.

Event Information

Cast Light

By Squidsoup presented by Trinity Community Arts

Dates: 18–19 July 2026 | Private View 17 July

Venue: Jacobs Wells Baths, Bristol

Tickets availble via Headfirst: Booking required | £3

Saturday | Sunday

Access document can be found here

Part of the Art of the Possible series and Bristol Harbour Festival Fringe programme.

Made possible thanks to National Lottery players.