Watershed

Watershed showing a bay or harbour
Watershed showing a bay or harbour
Watershed
Watershed showing cycling and signage as well as an individual female
Watershed showing a bay or harbour


Movie screenings, festivals, art exhibitions and live music present a busy schedule of events at this digital media center.

Enrich your appreciation of the arts via film and digital media activities at Watershed. Watch films by established and emerging screenwriters, attend film festivals and visit an artist’s studio. Watershed opened in 1982 in a former transit shed in a then rundown area of Bristol’s Floating Harbour. It is now one of several attractions located in the gentrified Bristol Harbourside district.

There are three state-of-the-art cinema screens at this cultural center and transmissions take place almost every day of the week. Choose between documentaries, independent movies and blockbusters by famous directors such as Wes Anderson. The Cinébabies program is a weekly screening for parents accompanied by children aged 12 months or younger. You can rent out an entire screen for a memorable children’s birthday party.

The center is a host venue for several film competitions. One example is DepicT!, which challenges moviemakers to condense their ideas into a 90-second short film. Another is Encounters, during which competing animators and filmmakers are eligible for an Academy Award at the Oscars. Visit in October for the Family Arts Festival, when parents and children are invited to take part in animation, comic making and storytelling workshops.

Within the center is the Pervasive Media Studio, which is a collective of 100-plus academics, artists and technologists. Watch people at work in the studios and attend talks by artists, choreographers and directors. Grab breakfast lunch or dinner at Watershed’s on-site café. Much of the food is sourced from businesses located in South West England.

It’s easy to reach the attraction by foot from Bristol’s city center and Bristol Temple Meads train terminal. Public buses and passenger ferries also stop nearby. Bristol Aquarium, Bristol Cathedral and Queen Square are among numerous other attractions situated in and around Bristol Harbourside.

Watershed is open daily. Purchase cinema tickets at the box office or online via the center’s official website. Discounts are applicable to visitors aged 24 and under.

Holiday & seasonal tours

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Top Watershed Hotel Deals

The Bristol Hotel
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Delta Hotels by Marriott Bristol City Centre
Delta Hotels by Marriott Bristol City Centre
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Mercure Bristol Grand Hotel
Mercure Bristol Grand Hotel
4 out of 5
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Mercure Bristol Grand Hotel
ibis Bristol Centre
ibis Bristol Centre
3 out of 5
Explore Lane, Bristol, England
ibis Bristol Centre
Harbour Hotel Bristol
Harbour Hotel Bristol
4 out of 5
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Novotel Bristol Centre
Novotel Bristol Centre
4 out of 5
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Future Inn Bristol
Future Inn Bristol
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Future Inn Bristol
Lowest nightly price found within the past 24 hours based on a 1 night stay for 2 adults. Prices and availability subject to change. Additional terms may apply.
Beautiful view of the beach with palm trees

Black Friday: Members save 30%+

Members save 30%+ on selected hotels until 4 Dec (property time) with our Black Friday deals. Stay by 15 Dec 2025.

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