Square Works Business Builders Open Day: Empowering Founders & Business Owners to Succeed
Join us at Square Works for a full day of insight, inspiration and connection, featuring expert talks and networking set in Bristol’s top workspace.
Whether you’re a founder, freelancer, startup or SME, this free open day is designed to give you practical ideas to help move your business forward, alongside meaningful opportunities to connect with other local businesses.
Enjoy complimentary co-working and full access to our award winning facilities all day.
If you’re looking for ideas, inspiration, and genuine connections, this day is for you.
Reserve your space today – tickets are limited and expected to fill quickly!
What to Expect
– Four expert-led talks on key aspects of growing and exiting a business
– Opportunities to network with other business owners and founders
– Breakfast and evening drinks included
– Complimentary co-working all day, including tea and coffee
– Guided tours of Square Works throughout the day
– A welcoming, professional and community-focused event
Each session is ticketed separately, so you can attend the parts of the day most relevant to you. Please ensure you select each talk you will be attending separately.
Agenda – Thursday 5th February
Square Works, 17–19 Berkeley Square, Clifton, BS8 1HB
9:00 – 10:00 Breakfast Networking
Start the day with informal networking over breakfast and meet fellow business owners.
10:00 – 10:30 Group Tour of Square Works
Have a look at our award-winning spaces and see where you can work for the day.
10:30 – 11:30 Heather Baker – Business Growth, the AI Edition
Real AI strategies to grow faster, sell smarter, and scale sustainably.
11:30 – 12:30 John Harvey – Stop Selling and Start Networking with Intention
Learn how to build meaningful connections that actually drive growth.
12:30 – 14:30 Lunch Break
Enjoy 20% off lunch at The Square Club, our award-winning restaurant.
14:30 – 15:00 Group Tour of Square Works
Please meet in the reception of Square Works for the afternoon tour.
15:00 – 16:00 Olly Reid – More Than Money: Redefining Success
A fresh perspective on what success really means for founders and leaders.
16:00 – 17:00 Johnny Palmer – Cleared for Takeoff: The Perfect Exit
Key considerations and lessons for planning a successful exit.
17:00 – 18:30 Evening Drinks & Networking
Wind down, continue conversations, and make new connections.
Complimentary co-working all day.
Each talk includes approximately 45 minutes of presentation and 15 minutes of Q&A.
Tickets & Capacity
– Free to attend
– Each session requires a separate ticket
– Please register your interest in each talk when booking your ticket
– Limited to 25 attendees per talk
About Square Works
Square Works is a premium workspace and private members club designed for ambitious professionals who value flexibility, community and productivity. Tours will be running throughout the day for anyone curious to see the space.
Please note: Whilst the talks are free and open to all, the complimentary day of co-working is open only to attendees without a current Square Works membership.
Reserve your space today – tickets are limited and expected to fill quickly!
The Offline Club runs phone-free events across 16 cities around the world, with over 20,000 members – and it’s launching in Bristol in just two weeks!
At UNIT8 Studios, you’ll spend the first 45 minutes reading a book, sketching or journaling… connecting with yourself in peace. And then the following hour is spent getting to know likeminded people through tabletop games, puzzles and writing activities.
We’ll be hosting two events a month in Bristol – come help us build this new community!
Join us for an evening of chitchat about social media, content, and community building.
We’ll have a couple of talks, as well as time at the beginning for pizza, soft drinks, chatting & networking.
Plus the usual favourites Latest News, Social Sin Bin, Stuff We Like and The Tools of Engagement.
Danie Stinchcombe, Marketing Director at Gather Round will be sharing the story of her 7 years as a freelancer. She was never out of work (even throughout COVID) and this was all down to her large network of freelancers and local creative businesses she had tapped into over the years. Danie will explain the importance of being part of a freelance community and will give tips and advice on how you can cast the net wide and grow your own network.
When and why you need a designer, not Canva
With so many easy-to-use tools for creating images, when should you invest in the expertise of a designer or agency, and what do you need to think about beforehand?
Umbraco Spark 2026 — Conference Overview
Umbraco Spark is a one‑day developer‑centric innovation conference taking place on Friday, 20 March 2026 in Bristol, UK. It brings together Umbraco enthusiasts, developers, MVPs and community contributors for in‑depth technical talks, hands‑on demos and forward‑thinking sessions on the latest in the Umbraco CMS, .NET ecosystem and broader digital ecosystem. The main track spans talks — from upgrading strategies and search implementation to cloud scalability, rich text tooling and future platform features — all in one cohesive programme.
Alongside the main conference track, there’s an extended hackathon and Package Jam where teams can work on contribution ideas, followed by the Package Awards at the end of the day. There are also social and community events, including a pre‑party, a social morning 5 K run, and an after‑party to network and unwind.
Thursday, 19 March 2026
Friday, 20 March 2026
Practical on‑site comforts include lunch, refreshments, a free cloakroom, and quiet/ multi‑faith rooms to support attendee wellbeing.
Standard tickets are £150 + VAT and available until the end of February (or until sold out). Get yours here
Gather to celebrate the most wonderful time of the year as G4 bring glad tidings of great joy this festive season, with the return of their ‘G4 Christmas’ tour in the most awe-inspiring cathedrals, priories, minsters, halls and abbeys across the UK.
Step into a world of vocal enchantment, on a breathtaking musical journey with beautifully-blended voices.
Ignite your Christmas spirit with a sprinkling of G4’s yuletide magic. Nourish your soul with their extraordinary and unique renditions of traditional carols, sacred contemplations, classical favourites and modern festive hits including Silent Night, O Holy Night, All I Want for Christmas, Walking in the Air, When a Child is Born, The 12 Days of Christmas and many, many more…
With mesmerising harmonies and impeccable showmanship it’s no wonder this hotly-anticipated tour sells out year after year, where the guys leave you with chills of delight and a heart full of Christmas cheer.
After the show you’ll dash, dance and prance your holly jolly way all the way home, having no doubt experienced something more precious than gold, frankincense and myrrh!
Pre-show ‘Meet and Greet’ tickets are available at all venues, taking place at 6pm, unless otherwise stated, and includes a welcome drink, plus the opportunity to meet G4 and have photographs with them and items signed by them.
Bristol Cathedral
12th November 2026
7.30pm
g4official.com/g4christmas2026
URLs:
Tickets: https://go.evvnt.com/3447762-0?pid=1263
Instagram: https://go.evvnt.com/3447762-2?pid=1263
Facebook: https://go.evvnt.com/3447762-3?pid=1263
Twitter: https://go.evvnt.com/3447762-4?pid=1263
YouTube: https://go.evvnt.com/3447762-5?pid=1263
Prices:
Santa Premium: GBP 79.50,
Gold: GBP 62.50,
Frankincense: GBP 57.50,
Restricted View: GBP 29.50,
No View: GBP 19.50
Artists: G4, Jonathan Ansell, Michael Christie, Duncan Sandilands, Michael Conway
Category: Arts | Performing Arts
Date and Time: 12th November 2026 at 7:30 pm to 9:30 pm
Venue details: Bristol Cathedral, College Green, Bristol, England, BS1 5TJ, United Kingdom
Join us for AI in Action, a highly interactive ‘live consultation’ event where three expert AI practitioners will unpack and respond to business challenges submitted by you, our attendees. This isn’t a theoretical overview or a tech showcase, it’s a practical consultation designed to help organisations understand how AI can support their operations, decision-making and growth.
Whether you’re wrestling with inefficiencies, facing data overwhelm, exploring new ways to reach your audience, or experimenting with automation, this event offers a rare chance to have your specific business conundrum explored openly by a panel of specialists.
What to Expect
– A welcome drink on arrival and time to meet other local organisations
– Three AI experts analysing real challenges submitted by attendees
– 2–3 selected businesses will receive a live, in‑depth, on‑stage consultation
– Room-wide learning: the panel discussions are designed so every attendee can apply the insights to their own organisation, even if not selected
– Access for all attendees to an online AI recommendation tool, helping you identify practical AI solutions tailored to your business
– Clear, actionable takeaways relevant across sectors and sizes
– A jargon-free, supportive space to ask questions and explore possibilities
Ongoing Support:
Each of our panellists is available for further guidance after the event. For organisations looking to take the next step, we’ll help connect you to relevant follow‑up opportunities, including specialist consultancy and support offered through Bath Spa University. There’s no pressure; it’s simply there if you would like help turning ideas into action.
How It Works:
When you book your ticket, you’ll be invited to submit a short description of a business challenge you’d like the panel to consider. We’ll review all submissions and select a representative mix for live discussion. Even if your challenge isn’t chosen, you’ll gain insights you can apply directly to your context.
Even if your challenge isn’t selected, you’ll still gain:
– insights from similar problems explored live
– personalised recommendations via the online survey tool
– direct access to experts for follow‑up support
Why Attend:
Because you deserve an event that is about practical, contextualised guidance, shaped around the realities of your organisation.
Spaces are limited to maintain quality discussion.
Book now to secure your place. Tickets cost £20 per person.
Join Rebecca Steer, Partner at Keystone Law, for an engaging session on the latest AI regulation, the key legal risks agencies need to watch and practical guidance for using AI tools responsibly, effectively and in a compliant manner.
Rebecca Steer is an award winning business lawyer, long-time advisor to tech and creative digital businesses and friend of BCI. She advises many businesses in the creative and tech sectors and has a supportive and pragmatic style. Rebecca is a Partner at Keystone Law.
> BCI member tickets are £20 +VAT
> Non-member tickets are £45 +VAT
Not a BCI member? Read more about the benefits and join here.
A relaxed evening for film and TV professionals, freelancers and employers working across the screen industries.
Our Screen Industries Meetup digs into the biggest challenges facing the sector right now, with inspiring speakers and honest conversations that focus on action, resilience and real-world impact.
Alongside plenty of time to network, this event will explore the current funding landscape and feature a candid conversation between two award-winning producers about the creative, often cobbled-together routes they have used to finance their films.
The evening will begin with informal networking, followed by a conversation with Elle Dimond, Stephen Shearman, and Mikey Corker titled From Idea to Screen: Creative Financing and Career Choices.
After a short break for more networking, we will move into a panel discussion, Finding a Way Forward: Funding, Commissioning and New Models, with Adam Gee and Sabrina Scollan, hosted by Adam Millbank.
Stephen Shearman
Stephen has spent the last twenty years at the sharp-end of production; producing and directing some of the most watched factual tv on the planet. In 2025, he co-founded Pica Pica Films to collaborate on ground-breaking and original feature documentaries that help us all gain a deeper understanding of the world around us and give platform to voices seldom heard. He wants Pica Pica to become a movement: championing real human voices and stories in a world increasingly dominated by AI-generated noise.
Mikey Corker
Mikey is an Emmy-winning documentary director and cinematographer, known for visually striking, human-centred storytelling. In 2024, he won a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Cinematography for HBO’s 100 Foot Wave. His directorial debut feature documentary Savage Waters premiered to acclaim and went on to win multiple international awards. Mikey’s work spans premium documentary, branded films and long-form storytelling, collaborating with production companies, broadcasters and global brands. With an instinctive, cinematic approach, he is particularly drawn to stories rooted in place, resilience and human connection.
Adam Gee
A highly experienced Commissioning Editor and Executive Producer, specialising in multiplatform and digital-first content. He is Head of Documentary Campus Masterschool in Berlin, a prestigious documentary incubator. He has won over 90 international awards for his productions, incl. 6 BAFTAs, an Emmy, 3 Royal Television Society awards & the Grand Award at the New York International Film & TV Festival. He has been a Commissioning Editor at CAA (L.A.), Channel 4 (London), Red Bull Media House (Salzburg) & Little Dot Studios (London). He works with crowdfunder.co.uk on matters of alternative media funding.
Sabrina Scollan
Sabrina is a TV producer with 14 years of experience in production and development across unscripted formats and factual series. She helped create Emmy-award-winning Wild Babies (Netflix), Secret World of Sound with Sir David Attenborough (Sky/Netflix/CBC), and Predator vs. Prey (Nat Geo/ITV). She works with broadcasters, streamers and production companies to turn research, access and audience data into commission-ready concepts. A Broadcast Hotshot 2015, WCSFP Emerging Producer 2021, and Jackson Wild judge, Sabrina focuses on building partnerships that feel authentic to audiences and deliver measurable business outcomes.
This event is open to anyone working, or who has previously worked, in the screen industries. It’s a chance to widen your network, share common challenges and explore opportunities for collaboration.
Tickets are £5 and include food from Eat a Pitta. The bar from Lost and Grounded Brewers will also be open for purchasing drinks.
Many thanks to our headline sponsor SLX Events, our event partner RWK Goodman, and supporting sponsors MyWorld, Access Bookings, City of Bristol College, West of England Mayoral Combined Authority, UWE, and Distillery II.
The Bristol Comedy Festival 2026 opens with a special screening at the Bristol Megascreen (inside Bristol Aquarium) of The Home of Comedy, a documentary filmed right here in Bristol during the 2025 festival.
After their beloved venue is forced to close, a determined group of comedians battle the odds to achieve their dream of launching an epic comedy festival in Bristol.
Produced in collaboration with The Gaffe Comedy Club and Social Wednesday, The Home of Comedy throws you behind the scenes of The Bristol Comedy Festival 2025. This bares-all documentary shines a light on the passion and grit at the heart of Bristol’s unique comedy scene.
Includes a brief introduction, a fifty-minute screening, and an outtro welcoming you to The Bristol Comedy Festival.
Use INDUSTRY for discounted £5 tickets
Build value-focused AI with a practical 4-step, human-centric framework and examples in accessibility, science, conservation.
Join us at Lexus Bristol for an essential conversation with our AI Thought Leader and co-CEO, Matt Wicks, about moving beyond the AI hype cycle to create technology that delivers real-world impact. In “AI For Purpose: Building Technology That Actually Matters,” we’ll explore a practical, human-centric framework for implementing AI solutions that solve genuine problems and empower people rather than simply implementing technology for its own sake.
This session cuts through the noise to demystify AI tools and provides a clear, actionable four-step framework for building AI applications that create positive value. Through real-world case studies spanning accessibility, scientific discovery, and environmental conservation, you’ll see how organisations are already applying these principles to generate meaningful impact.
Whether you run your own business, work in a small company or a large organisation, or are simply curious about AI, you’ll leave with concrete strategies to evaluate and guide AI initiatives toward creating genuine value for the people and communities they serve.
Topics Covered
* The “AI for Hype” vs. “AI for Purpose” Problem
* The “AI” Toolbox: Workhorse vs. Creative Partner
* The Purpose-Driven AI Framework: 4 Steps to Adding Value
* Case Studies in Adding Value
* Your Role as the “Value Bridge”
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