After a year spent exploring VR, the team behind Glastonbury’s Shangri-La is coming back to reality this summer festival season, with everyone’s dream IRL venue, Lost Horizon HQ, an independent arts centre and bar in the heart of Bristol UK.
A few hundred metres from Cabot Circus, St Pauls and Old Market, this brand new venue is a creative playground for the ever-growing Shangri-La family to showcase art, live music and performance throughout the summer, with an opening distanced capacity of 120 inside and 120 in its sun-trap beer garden, moving up to total of 350 when restrictions lift.
Lost Horizon HQ is a platform for world class digital and visual art, performance, protest, free speech, and ground breaking ideas, alongside a diverse, mixed musical programme crossing continents, genres and musical boundaries.
Across two opening weekends, expect to see acts including: A for Alpha, Baby Soul, Beans on Toast, Bitch, Please!, Binbag Wisdom, Blak Twang, Carmen Monoxide, CherrYO!kie, China Bowls, Chris Tofu, DJ Dad, DJ Fingerfood, Dominique Fleek, Dr Syntax, Ellie Stokes, Gaz’s Rockin Blues, Heidi Browne, Lexxi, Los Dedos, Red Hot Riot, Seamstress and The Nextmen. Following hot on their heels will be some soon to be announced extra special shows, and Shangri-La style surprise headline acts, bringing the festival vibes throughout the summer.
In collaboration with ShangrilART, Bristol’s newest independent arts centre is the opposite of a white wall gallery, inviting guest curators and artists residencies to disrupt and inspire, pushing the boundaries and borders of culture, art, and digital content.
Art showcased in the venue will begin with a special collaboration of five unique pieces from Dan Hillier (@mrdanhillier) X Carl Cashman (@carlcashman91), a brand new holographic screen print from Aida Wilde (@aida_wilde), which is available to buy online this week and original Lost Horizon artwork all available as prints. Limited edition and original artworks will be available to buy exclusively from the venue before being opened up to the world online at shangrilart.com
ShangrilART takeovers will take place every Saturday 12-5pm, soundtracked with playlists from ShangrilART’s artists, with a limited opening offer of 20% off the existing collection purchased in person.
Our street gallery will be a revolving exhibition available 24/7 for all to enjoy, and new exhibitions will be added fortnightly to the indoor space. Look out for our infamous free art giveaways each week – Art is for Everyone!
Lost Horizon was born in the metaverse and launched as a global virtual reality venue, with a two day, four stage festival to 4.36 million people exactly one year ago, featuring virtual versions of real life Shangri-La stages including SHITV and the Gas Tower. Since then the world’s largest virtual reality music and arts venue has delivered over 30 independent VR shows featuring hundreds of artists. The metaverse lives on, and Lost Horizon HQ will soon reproduce, creating its own digital twin. For now, you will be able to visit our virtual worlds via a mini VR hub within the venue.
Robin Collings, director at Lost Horizon and Shangri-La, commented: “It’s been a long year but it’s time to get back to reality. I can’t quite believe it but we are opening our own venue and It’s going to be crazy the energy, art and music of Shangri-La and the digital creativity and scope of Lost Horizon and real Iife people. I can’t wait for those doors to open, to welcome you all into our new home.”
Kaye Dunnings, Creative Director at Lost Horizon and Shangri-La, commented: “At last, a lifelong dream of ours is being realised – a creative headquarters where our culture and community can thrive year round – and can be experienced by everyone! Inclusivity at our core, we will raise the bar with our new venture, forging collaborations and partnerships within the city and beyond on our ever evolving exploration into human connection.
“My vision for the space is to create a jumping off point for creatives of every kind in which we can break new ground, take risks and experiment together both IRL and virtually.. “
Chris ‘Tofu’ Macmeikan MBE, director at Lost Horizon and Shangri-La, commented: “Independent live music venues are the lifeblood of new music and socialising. As inner city development gets more crazy and becomes the realm of millionaires it’s quite rare for people to make their own arts venue. Lost Horizon and team Shangri-La, have always brought the hottest and most diverse underground music to new audiences. The Lost Horizon venue will be an excellent place to find killer new sounds and alternative culture. We’re super proud to bring you a whole army of new and unseen brilliance.”
In keeping with national guidelines, all reservations are seated and booked via losthorizonlive.com, with a handful of tables kept back each day for walk ups.