Asif Khan is manager of Yardstick, a festival of some of the best established and emerging authors from across the English-speaking African Diaspora which takes place in Bristol and Bath from June 27 to 30.
Asif is also a Bristol Happiness Champion, and as we didn’t want to wipe the smile off his face, we let him pick slightly more Bristol favourites than the usual five choices:
“This is my twentieth year working in arts and culture, predominantly in Bristol, so it is good time to reflect and choose a visitor’s cultural bucket list of places that have made Bristol one of the best cities in the world.
“I started off as a tourism-marketing officer in what is now Destination Bristol. We rolled out our brand of the ‘Great Western City’, highlighting Brunel’s impact on the cityscape, which Mayor Ferguson is reconnecting with for his UNESCO World Heritage proposal. The present chair of UNESCO mentored me for a cultural leadership programme.
“The city’s tourism offices were based in St Nicholas Church next to Bristol Bridge, which houses the huge, amazing triptych, The Ascension of Christ by William Hogarth. A great contemporary piece of public art is Reconciliation Reredos (below) by Graeme Evelyn, which was commissioned by St Stephen’s Church as a response to the city’s role in the transatlantic slave trade.
“I was the press officer for BBC Radio 1 Sound City 1995 festival, hosted across the city at Trinity Arts Centre, the Anson Rooms and Castle Park with performances by bands such as Radiohead and Pulp. Along with Ashton Court Festival, this was the catalyst for contemporary events like Dot to Dot and Love Saves Sunday. Today, you take your pick from dozens of venues that host live music across the city, but my heart belongs to The Old Duke, where I first saw Beth Rowley play a barnstorming blues and gospel-inspired set.
“I project-managed a floral sculpture of Wallace & Gromit and Shaun the Sheep in Castle Park for the Bristol in Bloom initiative. I coaxed actor Peter Sallis to record a message for Wallace to speak when people approached the sculpture. Nick Park, director of Aardman Animations, described the beautiful, intricate work as “a talking bush” which still makes me laugh to this day.
“I’m really looking forward to the Gromits Unleashed sculptures across the city this summer (below). I think the Gromit trail will surpass the wonderful Wow Gorillas, which the city fell in love with. There is a children’s book-themed Gromit coming to Bristol Central Library, which should be top of any young family’s wish list.
“As the organiser of a literary festival, I am happy to see that spoken word events are having a renaissance at the moment and are prominent in the programmes of events like Mayfest and Bristol Shakespeare Festival. I would recommend the Word of Mouth season at the Thunderbolt pub on Bath Road in Totterdown, which are always fun, high quality affairs. You should also keep an eye on Bristol Literature Festival in October for which I am organising an event with South African poet and musician Eugene Skeef on the theme of Stephen Biko and boycotts.
“Bristol is establishing itself as a major destination for fine dining and diverse cuisine, as evidenced by the Love Food Festival, led by fellow Happiness Champion Lorna Knapman, and Eat Drink Bristol Fashion, with its eye-catching tipis on Queen Square.
“I spent four months in Barbados writing the island’s visual art strategy so I love the Caribbean food at the new Turtle Bay restaurant. But the best meal I’ve eaten recently was the Indian fusion at the Namaskar Lounge (below) – where we are hosting Yardstick’s end of festival celebration with poet Dean Atta on June 30.”
