Tracing the River: 40 years of Riverside Artists Group (RAG)

Tracing the River: 40 years of RAG

Tracing the River is a documentary film which spans 40 years of the Riverside Artists Group from its beginnings on the Thames at Riverside Studios to its current exhibition Pull Focus curated by Katharine Meynell, once again beside the river at the newly developed Riverside Studios.

The 30 minute film was produced for the 40th anniversary by RAG members G Calvert and C Toler with archive footage from films, photos and present day recorded memories.

Edited and interpreted by the documentary filmmaker Angela Bruce, it contains rare footage from the 1988 trip to Gobachev’s perestroika Russia, and the 1996 exhibition of New Labour curated by political artist Peter Kennard which was opened by the late Labour MP Mark Fisher, Shadow Minister for the Arts.

RAG’s progress is shown through its many successful exhibitions as well as challenging times with the closure of Riverside Studios and isolation during Covid 19. Premiered to a packed and approving auditorium at Riverside Studios on 29 March 2026, Tracing the River is full of comments, musings and insights that help explain why RAG has continued to thrive.