The Bath Arts Workshop was created just as the swinging 60s gave way to the turbulent 70s. A unique counterculture that sprang up in the city, it was a spectacular flowering of creative activity, community technology and social enterprise.

The authors tell the story, from its birth in a Georgian basement in 1969, to the end of the next decade. The book takes the reader behind the scenes of an organisation that had a significant impact at the time, describing how it worked, the extraordinary range and scale of its activities, and how many of its ideas still resonate today.

 Highlights

• An intimate and often hilarious account of how a 1970s counterculture exploded upon an 18th-century city. 

• Told by those involved at the time, with contributions from performers, artists, green technology pioneers, and  the children and adults who joined in. 

• Richly illustrated with full colour photos, drawings and contemporary materials, many published for the first time. 

• Essential reading for anyone interested in 1970s counterculture.

The authors

Brian Popay, Corinne D’Cruz, Jennie Potter-Barrie, Penny Dale, Phil Shepherd, Thornton Kay, Victoria Forbes Adam

The authors worked in the Arts Workshop in the 70s. Since then, Brian has toured the globe with The Natural Theatre and his own company, Fine Artistes. Corinne continued making innovative theatre, touring internationally whilst being based in Germany. Phil specialised in film and media and set up the educational charity Somerset Film. Penny is a well known author and illustrator of children’s books. Thornton is involved in a major EU project to promote the reuse of building materials. Jennie became a specialist teacher of children with different needs, and Victoria has worked mainly in human rights, living at various points in Mexico and Haiti.