The Freedom Exhibition was the Hive’s opening event. A two week festival of artwork, music, poetry, talks screenings and workshops inspired by the concept of Freedom.
This exhibition was a rejection of the 
usual binary affair which divides the world into artist and audience. It was inspired by this idea that all of us have a unique and interesting perspective, and that amazing things can happen when we are allowed to freely inspire one another.
We started the show on Saturday May 30th with a group exhibition of about 15 international artists, and over a fortnight of workshops, talks and performances we invited anyone who came to the show to bring their own 
freedom inspired artwork, or to make something on site to go into the exhibition.
Our offer was “if you bring it, we’ll find a space for it” and the result was a constantly evolving display that grew and changed as more artwork was brought in, or created on site.
As well as contributions from an international collection of London based 
artists, Freedom also featured artwork loaned to the Hive by the Prople’s Republic of Stokes Croft. This included a 20ft pannel of stencils displaying the message ‘Be The Change You Want to See’ as well as a wooden bear representing the ongoing struggle to keep the Bear Pit in Bristol in public hands.
This poem was written by the poet BRS on encountering the Freedom exhibition:
Hive 