Phil Gibby
@philgibby
Area Director, South West at Arts Council England, vinyl nerd, Welsh exile and south Bristol resident. Hello.
A perfect summer afternoon’s walk along the River Nene and a close up sighting of a heron. Magical.
Paraorchestra’s dazzling re-animation of Reich’s Music For Eighteen Musicians at Bristol Beacon, courtesy of Charles Hazlewood and Faye Stoeser. The optimal opening to a packed weekend of BBC Proms in the city. Congratulations to everyone involved.
Cheering on the first mass ascent of the Bristol Balloon Fiesta from the rooftops of BS3…
Adored the Byrne’s Night after party that followed the great man’s set at Latitude last night. Spider Stacy and a cast-of-thousands house band mining the Talking Heads back catalogue. Joyful.
A long couple of weeks, so a quiet Friday night in, watching Dalia Stasevska and Yunchan Lim absolutely owning the First Night of the Proms. Just glorious. (Although disappointed by the dog’s apparent indifference, it must be said.)
Glad to spend a couple of days catching up with colleagues in Cornwall. Perfect weather for a couple of very enjoyable evenings of outdoor theatre - first Miracle’s Peer Gynt at Trebah, then Wildworks’ homage to stock car racing, The Kneebone Cadillac at United Downs. Thanks everyone.
Dublin. Bloomsday. From the Martello tower to Glasnevin Cemetery, James Joyce remembered. “As you are now, so once we were.”
Cork. One for all you Sultans Of Ping FC fans out there…”I like a manifesto…let’s put it to the test-o…”
Sugar, Electric Bristol. Back together after 30 years. Glorious. Also, wall-to-wall with lumberjack shirts, cargo shorts and Timberland boots.
Menorca nights. Current soundtrack: Ministry Of Sound Chillout Sessions, volume two (2001). Current mood: ambient.
Wishing everyone a successful Upfest 2026. Excited by Melo as lead artist, looking forward to new work by Audrey Kawasaki, Cheba, Andy Council and many others - and nothing raises the spirits like a new Inkie taking shape on the side of Parsons Bakery.
A useful day in Barnstaple - a visit to the Museum of Barnstaple & North Devon; a chance to see how Boutport Studios are progressing, and an Area Council meeting expertly hosted by the Queen’s Theatre. Thanks everyone.
A very useful day in Exeter, hearing from the city’s creative workforce about individual and collective future ambitions. Glad to make a first visit to the impressive Positive Light, to catch up with local NPOs at the Phoenix, and always good to be back at @rammuseum.bsky.social. Thanks everyone.
From Ex-Easter Island Head at Strange Brew to Phaedra Ensemble at St George’s , hugely enjoyed Bristol New Music 26. Audiences felt strong, venues across the city felt animated. Well done to all involved.
Chalk at the Fleece. Intense, relentless nihilistic euphoria. If you can catch them on this tour, just do it. Sensational.
A busy, useful day in #Southampton - Philip Hoare’s remarkable So This Is Real Life at John Hansard Gallery just one highlight among many - so evocative in capturing the stories, the spirit and the aesthetics of the punk/post-punk era. A joy to behold.
Proud of today's announcement that we'll invest more than £20 million into the south west's cultural infrastructure on behalf of the Department for Culture, Media and Sport, including flagship multi-million pound investments into Theatre Royal Plymouth, Wiltshire Creative and Bristol Museums. (1/5)
A peaceful Saturday morning running errands in Wells: local produce from the market for lunch; a slim, well-loved volume of Seamus Heaney from the second hand bookstall, an old Pere Ubu single in a charity shop, the prospect of currant buns for tea.
Bruce Foxton in fine form at Trinity tonight. Sheerwater Mods forever. “And what you give is what you get”.
Current reading stack, hovering somewhere between enticing and intimidating.
Plymouth in glorious spring sunshine, and the chance to catch up with the team at Karst, and admire the very fine Discord And Harmony exhibition - essential viewing alongside the Beryl Cook retrospective at The Box.
A day off, a train to London and a very satisfying afternoon at the Design Museum, invoking the spirit of the Blitz Club and immersion in the Wes Anderson archives. Both enthusiastically recommended.
For the first time in about thirty years, I’ve been left home alone with the Brit Awards. Anything might happen.
Thanks @uniwinchester.bsky.social for inviting me to participate in last night’s arts, creativity and education question time - a lively discussion with both the panel and audience and plenty of new thoughts to take away. Time very well spent.
A quiet Sunday morning in the kitchen with tea and newspapers, and Radcliffe and Maconie extolling the virtues of Talk Talk’s Colour of Spring on 6 Music. Optimal conditions.
…and glad to round off the day with a visit to the Palace Theatre, Paignton. Thanks for sharing the journey of the last ten years, Maureen McAllister - really encouraging.