A lifelong passion for design: Ken Stradling at 100

12 February – 14 May 2022. Will be opening Saturdays, exact times TBC

No need to book to visit the exhibition but please wear a mask. Please email us to arrange  or join group tours at other times.

Our forthcoming exhibition will tell the amazing life story of Ken Stradling MBE through his superb collection of C20-21st design and craft.

From 1948, Ken transformed a small craft shop into the cultural icon that is the Bristol Guild. The exhibition will reflect his distinctive personal taste through his extraordinary career as a retailer with entrepreneurial flair and a unique eye for design. Many pieces on display will be from Ken’s own house, never seen publicly before.

Opened to the public in 2014, the Collection is a real gem in Bristol’s cultural crown. It has inspired makers, students, school children and many more, who have loved touching, handling and learning from its amazing variety.

A full programme of talks, tours and workshops includes a day seminar on 5 March 2022, “Marketing Design and Craft in Post-War Britain”. Organised by the Arnolfini in collaboration with the Twentieth Century Society and supported by the Gane Trust and the Heritage Lottery Fund. With a special thank you to all you Lottery players out there!