Tucked away behind Onega Terrace, just off the Upper Bristol Road, Bath Artists' Studios is a quiet hive of artistic activity; the largest and most diverse artists' community in Bath. With over 50 studios and more than 60 artists under one roof, we're not only a place where artists work for a living, but also a place where hundreds of people of all ages visit to learn sculpture, painting, drawing, and more; alongside community projects that bring the city together.

Bath is a World Heritage city, rightly known for its rich cultural history. But BAS represents the beating heart of the city's current culture, and we believe our era deserves to leave its own mark on that history too.

Our story began in November 1996, when local portrait painter David Cobley took on the former Lyncombe Infants School in Widcombe. By April 1997 the studios were in full occupation, home to 27 artists, with one room set aside as a life room. A full weekly programme of classes; life drawing, watercolour, oils, clay modelling; soon followed, open to experienced artists and complete beginners alike. Since 2003 we've been based at The Old Malthouse, and over three decades we've been home to many well-known contemporary artists, including members of the prestigious Bath Society of Artists.

One of our proudest current projects is Patchwork Project 26. This city-wide project was led by a number of artists from Bath Artists’ Studios and made possible by the support of numerous helpers. Its creation draws inspiration both from the American Museum’s exceptional collection of textiles and the hand-working traditions which inspired them, and from the Museum’s America 250 exhibition which marks 250 years since the signing of the Declaration of Independence. In the best traditions of patchworking, the project has brought the young and not-so young together for literally thousands of hours of sewing, conversation and concord at workshops at the American Museum Gardens, the Holburne Museum, Bath Central Library, Bath Welcomes Refugees, Bath City Farm, Bath Spa University, BRLSI, Community Matters, Emerge, Fringe Arts Bath, Stillwaters, Thursday Threads, The Grapes pub and St James Wine Vaults. Experienced needleworkers taught novices, and the result is this remarkable community needlework which is available for display at other venues throughout Bath. The unveiling of the final piece will be at the American Museum on 26 - 29 November 10am - 4pm.

In recent times we've focused on deepening our support across Bath more broadly, proud to partner with organisations including Emerge and Bath Spa University, through whom we host an annual graduate residency, and Art at the Heart, a programme supporting the wellbeing of patients and visitors at the RUH. We work with various local art groups from Bath Contemporary Artists’ Fair to Bath Open Studios, an organisation that represents artists in every quarter of Bath. Collectively with our partners we want to ensure that modern day culture is a key part of life for to those who live and work in Bath and North East Somerset. BAS is already working hard to achieve this goal. We work with our partners at Funky Art House who teach hundreds of children annually, not only introducing children to the arts but providing valuable, quality childcare during school holidays and after school. But we want to go further.

As a registered charity (No. 1102077), our mission has always been to support artists at every stage of their career and open up the arts to everyone. Our tenure at The Old Malthouse comes to an end in 2027, and we remain optimistic about what comes next. As we work to make Bath Artists' Studios more ambitious and more central to the city's culture than ever, we need support from the public, from politicians, and from everyone who visits this city and values the arts.

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