Fostering restorative cultures by connecting past stories, with what we do today, to how we envision the future.

Repair Acts is a pluralistic, artist-led research programme that explores repair, care, maintenance and healing cultures. We do this by creating contexts for dialogue around restorative futures through making and building art works, carrying out desk and applied based research, designing and developing art exhibitions, workshops and conversational spaces.

Working deeply at a local level, within landscapes and infrastructures and in association with communities, governing bodies, craft, artisan, skilled trades and other professions, we connect local wisdom and practices to global flows, through policy, law, legalisation and international partnership.

RECENT AND UPCOMING

ReUse Workshop
05.12.2023
Sparks, Bristol

Educational charity Global Goals brings together key city activists, council members and enterprises to discuss reuse networks in Bristol.

Circular Insights Workshop
11.12.2023
Online

Online workshop focusing on repair enterprises, training and curriculum development in Ireland.

They Gathered Rushes
21.12.2023
Kilbeggan Library

Solstice wreath making workshop using discarded materials and screening on rush candle making.

REPAIR DECLARATIONS

Repair Declarations work as statements or demands that we can get behind and act on. They are co-produced with local communities so that we can collectively explore what changes are needed, so as to mend and fix more things, more easily. Below are examples gathered from work carried out in the UK, Ireland, Brazil and India. Find out more how are Repair Declarations work here.

We call for the city council to support accessible small-repair drop-ins across the city that host regular repair days and develop neighbourhood exchange hubs, where spare parts can be traded and skills learnt.

Bristol Declaration, 2021

Repair delays sending stuff to the landfill.

India Declaration, 2021

The reuse of things in a cascade effect can be used as a tool to foster repair. A flow of repairable objects can achieve multiple uses and values.

Brazil Declaration, 2021

FEATURED PROJECTS

Thatcher, John Conlon. Film still, Turning the Collar, 2022. Image credit Matt Boyd.
Thatching Materials. Film still, Turning the Collar, 2022. Image credit Matt Boyd.
SewMistress Mary Connell, Film still, Turning the Collar, 2022. Image credit Matt Boyd.
Boat maker and repair, John Joe Quigley, Inner Marina, Film still, Turning the Collar, 2022. Image credit Matt Boyd.
Molly Collins, Repairing Pots and Pans, Travellers Camp, Westmeath, Film Still, Turning the Collar, 2022. Image credit Matt Boyd.

Turning the Collar
Documentary
03.11.2022

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Co-creating Repair Declarations, BA Graphics Workshop, TALES OF CARE AND REPAIR, 2021. Image credit Teresa Dillon.

Repair Declarations
Ongoing
03.05.2021

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Repair Acts Ireland, Caring for Repairing, Exhibition and Festival, Kilbeggan, Westmeath. Image credit Paul Moore.
Of Bricks and Mortar, Dry Stone Wall Making and Mending Workshop with O'Dwyers Masonry at Repair Acts Ireland, Caring for Repairing, Exhibition and Festival, Kilbeggan, Westmeath (2022). Image credit. Paul Moore
Bike Repair Workshops with Kenny's Bi-cycles, Caring for Repairing Exhibition and Festival, Kilbeggan, Westmeath (2022)
Molly Collins, Repairing Pots and Pans, Travellers Camp, Westmeath, Film Still, Turning the Collar, 2022. Image credit Matt Boyd.
Caring for Repairing Exhibition and Festival, Kilbeggan, Westmeath (2022). Image credit Paul Moore
TokTek and Kilbeggan Musicians, Opening Night, Caring for Repairing Exhibition and Festival, Kilbeggan, Westmeath (2022). Image credit Paul Moore
Between the Stones and the Reeds, Tapestry Works, Discard ballon material and digital Embroidery (Dillon, 2022), Caring for Repairing Exhibition and Festival, Kilbeggan, Westmeath. Image credit Paul Moore
Screen Prints (Dillon, Buxton and 2022), Caring for Repairing Exhibition and Festival, Kilbeggan, Westmeath. Image credit Paul Moore
Lace Affair with artist Fiona Harrington, Care for Repairing, Kilbeggan, Westmeath, 2022. Image credit. Paul Moore
Surgu founder Jane Ní Dhulchaointigh in conversation at Repair Acts, Ireland, Caring for Repairing, Kilbeggan, 2022. Image credit Paul Moore

Caring for Repairing
Kilbeggan, Ireland
03.11.2022 - 06.11.2022

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Calling Into The Now, Dillon, 2021. Image credit Climate Care.
Calling Into The Now, Dillon, 2021. Image credit Felipe Schmidt Fonseca.

Calling Into The Now
Berlin
27.06.2021 - 08.09.2021

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Table Lamp, India. TALES OF CARE AND REPAIR, Repair Acts 2019.
TALES OF CARE AND REPAIR, Stories of Everyday Maintenance, Publication Launch (2022). Image credit. Maria Meco.
TALES OF CARE AND REPAIR, Publication Launch, 2022. Image credit Maria Meco.
Tennis Shoe, Brazil. TALES OF CARE AND REPAIR, Repair Acts 2019.
Clever, Inventor and Audio Equipment Repairer, Belo Horiztone. TALES OF CARE AND REPAIR, Repair Acts 2019
Rob Wall, Bristol Bike Project. TALES OF CARE AND REPAIR, Repair Acts 2019.
TALES OF CARE AND REPAIR, Stories of Everyday Maintenance, Publication Launch (2022). Image credit. Maria Meco.
TALES OF CARE AND REPAIR, Stories of Everyday Maintenance, Publication Launch (2022). Image credit. Maria Meco.
TALES OF CARE AND REPAIR, Stories of Everyday Maintenance, Ted Cockwell Vintage Repairs at Publication Launch (2022). Image credit. Maria Meco.
TALES OF CARE AND REPAIR, Stories of Everyday Maintenance, Publication Launch (2022). Image credit. Maria Meco.
TALES OF CARE AND REPAIR, Stories of Everyday Maintenance, Ted Cockwell, Vintage Repairs at Publication Launch (2022). Image credit. Maria Meco.
TALES OF CARE AND REPAIR, Repair Acts, Fashion and Textile Student Workshop, 2021. Image credit, Teresa Dillon
TALES OF CARE AND REPAIR, Repair Stories and Declaration, Community Workshop, Knowle West Media Centre, Bristol, 2021. Image credit Teresa Dillon
Clay Dolls, Repair Story India, TALES OF CARE AND REPAIR, 2021.
TALES OF CARE AND REPAIR, Website, 2021.
TALES OF CARE AND REPAIR, Repair Acts, Fashion and Textile Student Workshop, 2021. Image credit, Teresa Dillon

TALES OF CARE & REPAIR
Bristol, Belo Horiztone and New Delhi
15.02.2021 - 28.02.2022

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My Square Mile, Screen printed histories of repair adverts, Bristol (2019) by Arthur Buxton. Image credit Teresa Dillon.
My Square Mile, Cartographies of Local Repair Economies, Bedminister, Bristol, Repair Acts (2019)

My Square Mile, Cartographies of Local Repair Economies
Bristol
31.03.2019 - 06.02.2019

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STORIES OF EVERYDAY REPAIR, CARE & MAINTENANCE

Tales of Care and Repair

The torn pyjama

Gurgaon , India

People's Archive of Everyday Repair

You stitched me up

Tales of Care and Repair

Doll sculpture fail

Belo Horizonte, Brazil

People's Archive of Everyday Repair

Getting my music back

People's Archive of Everyday Repair

Adapted Book Reader

People's Archive of Everyday Repair

Window bag

Tales of Care and Repair

Clothes horse

Bristol , United Kingdom

People's Archive of Everyday Repair

Canopy repair

@repairacts
14/1/2023

People's Archive of Everyday Repair

Visibly mended jumper

Tales of Care and Repair

Repairing the painting

Gurgaon , India

@repairacts
15/1/2023

@repairacts
15/1/2023

Tales of Care and Repair

Azulejo

Belo Horizonte, Brazil

@repairacts
14/1/2023

Tales of Care and Repair

janela do banheiro

Três Corações, Brazil

@repairacts
14/1/2023

@repairacts
15/1/2023

People's Archive of Everyday Repair

Leg it

Tales of Care and Repair

Stitched Up

BRISTOL, United Kingdom

Tales of Care and Repair

Wooden chair

New Delhi, India

People's Archive of Everyday Repair

Shoe repair

Tales of Care and Repair

Manga de camisa

Belo Horizonte, Brazil

People's Archive of Everyday Repair

Darned socks