When it comes to creativity, you have to hand it to Stokes Croft. The latest project to arrive at Bristol's bohemian quarter is aiming to transform a vacant retail unit into a vibrant space for public art.

The former motorcycle showroom boasts 10,000 sq ft of space spread across two floors, but for the past couple of years the building has stood empty, ever since the last motorbike was bought and ridden off into the sunset.

But three local young artists, Hannah James, Lucy Drane and Jane Porter have decided to make use of the space, transforming it into an impromptu art gallery for the next four months.

"We've managed to get funding from the Arts Council and Bristol City Council, under a government scheme which encourages communities to find creative uses for empty retail buildings," Lucy explains, as she opens the door, and reveals the vast room that once gleamed with rows of shiny new motorbikes.

Each of the women behind the project already has a role in Bristol's creative industries: Lucy works at the Spike Island Gallery, Jane works at Picture This and Hannah is a junior fine art fellow at the University of the West of England – but all three were keen to find a space for a larger exhibition.

"We met through the Spike Island Associates networking scheme, which I organise," Lucy says. "When we got chatting we realised we each wanted to do something on a big scale, so we thought we'd get together and join forces.

"We decided this empty unit would be ideal. It is owned by the neighbouring Mickleburgh piano shop, but they were more than happy to allow us to put the space to good use for the next four months. After that they are going to convert it into artists' workshops."

Each of the three women are co-ordinating a different element of the project, which they have called Central Reservation, to reflect its urban nature.

Hannah is organising a "one night only" piece of performance art, Jane is planning a traditional art exhibition featuring a range of big-name artists, and Lucy is devising a monthly art market in the building.

Hannah's piece, Cornuto, remains the most enigmatic. She takes me upstairs to show the space where the "performance" will take place on the evening of Friday, March 26.

Currently there are only two large cone-shaped pieces of sculpture in the room, and Hannah is keen to keep the details of the event under close wraps.

"It is theatrical, but it isn't theatre," she says. "It will be a piece of performance art, which will include actors and musicians and spoken text, but to say anything beyond that would be to give the game away.

"People will just have to come along on the night to find out what it's all about."

Luckily, the other two elements of Central Reservation are easier to understand.

The month-long art exhibition, which has been given the title of "Wouldn't A Title Just Make It Worse", will feature pieces by international artists such as Graham Gussin, Elizabeth McAlpine, Katie Paterson, Ed Tucker and Carey Young, and there will be a new piece commissioned by sculptor Stephen Cornford.

"These are big names for us to attract to an empty former motorbike showroom in Stokes Croft," Lucy says. "We're thrilled to get artists of their calibre."

Lucy will be organising the monthly art market at the venue.

"The markets will take place on the second Sunday of the month from 12pm to 5pm, with the first taking place on April 11," she says.

"It's such a big space, it will be ideal for an art market. We're hoping around 30 artists will be able to have stalls at the monthly markets, so it should be really great."

The building will also play host to four resident artists for the next four months.

"We've gone through a careful selection process to choose the individuals that will be taking part," Lucy says. "They're all young recently-graduated art students from Bristol or Bath, and we're hoping they will be able to work together on a joint exhibition that will be held towards the end our tenure in the building."

"It's certainly going to be an exciting spring for us," she adds. "And we're hoping it will add another vibrant element to the life of Stokes Croft."

All events at Central Reservation will be free. For more information, visit the Central Reservation website at www.centralreservationuk. wordpress.com