Bristol is a haven for artists and creatives, with big names such as Banksy known nationwide; putting the city on the map as a creative leader. The city is home to many multitalented artists who express their artistic abilities in a range of ways.
And it would seem necessary that a city that's home to so many brilliant budding artists would have plenty of spaces where they can nurture their craft. So this is exactly the mission that the Cargo Loft set out to fulfil.
Describing themselves as "a working studio space in the centre of Bristol, provided for free to emerging creatives of African and African Diaspora descent." They pride themselves in offering a "creative working environment for emerging creatives in the city and be able to offer them the freedom to come and go independently".
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The Cargo Loft is part of the Cargo Movement; the brainchild of Chaz Golding and Lawrence Hoo - who have been working to create meaningful and lasting change in the city of Bristol through a range of means with the free, 24 hour studio being just one. The studio space exists not only to give young people the tools to create but also as a hub for members of African Diaspora descent to come together.
And the Cargo Loft residents find a safe space in the City Centre studio; with it having served them all in a number of different ways that no other place has done. The residents say it serves it's purpose and more with Prince Taylor, the Loft's project manager, saying one of the main benefits is that the space is "flexible".
"You can come and say 'I'm gonna be super focused today' or, you can just chill, look at the library and tick away in the background and do some editing" he told Bristol Live. "There are no restrictions on what we can do" Khali Ackford, a photographer who uses the space, added; "the space allows me to focus on work without any pressure and without any money involved.
"There's the freedom to come here and continue your work. This space is different, we can come here and speak to each other openly. We're all people of colour, we have all experienced different things - but similar things so to come together and talk about that.
"We all leave here empowered and strengthened and to me that's what it's about. We can work on what we want to do and work on things that we're connected through.
"A space like this allows us to continue working on passion projects. Without this space, most of those wouldn't be able to continue."
The studio space is kitted out with anything a creative or artist would need and has no restrictions on who can use it and when. The tools needed to peruse a career in the creative industry can be expensive and often stop many from doing so however the Cargo Loft aims to remove such barriers.
"It's been very helpful this space being here. I've been using this space to edit things that I have now been making money off; before this I didn't have a space and I couldn't afford a studio space which I could now" Keyane Allman a videographer who uses the Cargo Loft, added.
"This gave me a good start, it was a blessing when I didn't have my own set up or my own editing software. Now it's pushed me to be able to do editing for music videos, or documentaries or short films.
"It's nice that it's local too. I feel at home here, I get to use the space here and connect with other creatives," Keyane said.
"Cargo see potential in people, and they give you the opportunity and the space to grown" Khali said. The residents also expanded on how the spaces' lack of strict regulation allows them to work on whatever is convenient to them at any time, being open 24 hours a day, giving them the freedom to nurture their craft.
"We all knew of Cargo before working with Cargo. Their root mission resonates for everyone who works here - we're doing it for the youth. We know that everything we do we're trying to eventually help the same workflow and the same vision"
"And as well as us doing our thing, we get to work with Cargo on whatever they're working on" Khali said, explaining how those who use the studio to develop their work also use their skills to help the wider community.
"There's monetary opportunities and above all we get to contribute to that mission." "It's work but it's not work because we're so passionate about it."
A photograph Khali proudly took as part of the Cargo team sits in the Loft and shows a young girl sitting where the statue of Jen Reid temporarily replace the statue of Edward Colston in the City Centre; as the Cargo team spent time speaking with a group of children, teaching them different things and setting out to inspire them.
"What's great about Cargo is that as well as doing the other great work they're doing, they let other people do what they're doing without any ties and then you can naturally get involved," Keyane added.
And Cargo's work not only benefits those who directly use the space - as they strive to have a wider influence; which will even reach Bristol's brand new Moxy Hotel.
The newest hotspot, which sits just off the M32 will welcome a creative piece which aims to celebrate St Pauls. And the Cargo Loft have contributed their talents to the Art which will showcase founder Lawrence Hoo's poetry along with a few of Kahli's images and sets out to inspire the local community; something Cargo see as the driving mission.
