2008 Dice Project, led by the wonderful community activist, Paulette North

“When people feel proud of where they live, trust grows. Community empowerment can be an antidote to riots, populism, and the void between people and politics.” Power to Change

It’s been hard to miss rising tensions across the UK, including in Epping near my home town of Harlow. Speaking to Sky News, some of those protesting said they feel afraid and want fairness. This is “a fight for survival,” one interviewee laments, though refugees and asylum seekers make up less than 2% of the UK population.

A sleight of hand diverts attention from the real causes of health, housing and social mobility inequity, serving the interests of affluent, monocultural influencers who benefit from sustaining division. Musk live streams in with his hot take. Rylan’s already chimed in with his two-pence. Unpicking this will not be easy.

We need only look to the US to see how there are forces that manipulate the strength of feeling of those already feeling overlooked for their own gain. Shame does little to counter and instead fuels a belief that we – the politicians, decision-makers, experts, liberal elite and ruling classes – do not care.

It’s easy to dismiss people as uneducated or ignorant as our gaze is drawn toward communities where asylum seekers are placed in hotels or dispersed without adequate care or support. Challenges that echo Gordon Brown’s ‘Bigotgate’ drive those disenfranchised for generations further toward those who affirm their views and stoke their fears – even where there is little to no promise of improvement to their current circumstances.

“It looks quite pretty”, says my mum, about the St George’s flags that have popped up in and around my home town, missing how this symbol of belonging ‘others’. A shift reminiscent of a Buddhist symbol that once stood for good fortune and prosperity that has since become synonymous with oppression and hate. A reminder that our symbols, like our identities, are subjective, contextual and in constant flux; a negotiation between us and the rest of the world.

As the Sky News interviewee tears up imagining their WWII fighting relative turning in their grave at the thought of the erosion of this once great nation, I read a WhatsApp from my sister; her friends in Epping describing anti-migration protesters as “awful,” and a summer of church services being cancelled because residents feel too fearful of those purportedly defending British values.

We try to reason that, “migrants do the jobs we won’t”, meant as a defence and reinforcing a hierarchy where migrants are only welcome if they serve us. A statement offered by those distant from those working class communities who traditionally wiped the bums of this once great nation.

We point to our individual and collective role in the climate crisis as a catalyst for global migration, as local volunteers are left to clear the rubbish scattered around hotels and fields after protesters from both sides have long gone home.

We argue our country has caused wars and displacement as if this will resonate with those who have given up on voting a long time ago because, as my dad puts it, “they’re all as bad as each other”.

From wars to wages to the shape of our neighbourhoods, “you have to join a protest to try to get the government to listen to you”, is a statement shared across a political spectrum increasing devoid of nuance. Voices speaking of “protecting women and children” as they terrify that same demographic who have no where else to go. Voices of those labelling anyone anxious about what change outside their control means for them as “far right”. Voices leading the charge on either side framing themselves as either safeguarding from invaders or resisting Nazi scum, emboldening others to join them.

If we expect people to care about our complicity in wars, climate change and other global crises driving migration we cannot keep debating in the abstract or from opposite sides of the picket line. We must neither underestimate the unfair burden on those most harmed by prejudice, nor the power we hand to bad actors when we dismiss the legitimate concerns of whose energies right now are misdirected.

To realise something better, we have to find unharmful ways to connect and amplify the voices that matter most – both those migrating to the UK to contribute to our economy or seek refuge and the communities they join. We must make space to sit down, talk openly and be honest if we want a solution that sticks. With the English Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill moving forward through Parliament - the first time the word ‘empowerment’ has ever appeared in the title of a bill - the hope is increasing rights of communities to shape their neighbourhoods may just be the antidote to this social fragmentation.

“Once called ‘cohesion,’ revisiting it could be exactly what we need!”, I thought, as I reminisced one of my first projects at Trinity, the ‘Dice Project’ with Bristol’s City Academy. It brought together older people and children from refugee and asylum communities during a time of growing local tensions. Watching the film of it back, I’m not gonna pretend it changed the world.

But without efforts like it, we can’t be surprised by the results we’re now seeing across UK communities of today who are being left to figure it out for themselves. “I was surprised at the pictures the children drew around the wall. It just opened my eyes again to not judging”, said one older participant from a project that no longer exists, that was funded by a fund that no longer exists and filmed for a community TV channel that no longer exists.

One interaction, one conversation, may not fix all our problems. But, over time, many interactions and continued conversations might just help to soften our edges. “Now we can respect to all people [sic]. No ‘younger people is good, older people is bad’. All people is nice. We must try and be friendly,” said one of the younger project members, who will by now be adulting in a society where we call for consent in our online spaces and bypass it when shaping the streets we live on.

This film about a long-forgotten project plays in a country in which our differences are gamified in a deliberate move by those who stand to profit politically from those with beef misdirected, countered by those leading the charge for Community Empowerment with punitive measures against migrants in a bid to nullify hostility, feeding the narrative that migration is the problem. In a world where we focus resources and efforts on the big issues from defence and health to the environment, while leaving the social fabric needed to deliver real and lasting solutions for our communities to chance. This is perhaps the greatest of all our migration crimes.

As I reach the end of that film of a cohesion project from almost 20 years ago, tying to find something to help us here in the now, one young voice shares a final thought; “‘I’ve learnt that not all Elders are boring”.

It’s not much. But it’s a start.

This is an opinion piece by Emma Harvey, CEO

Interested in finding out more about the English Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill? Click here to read this New Statesman article featuring Josh Westerling from Power to Change and Sacha Bedding from the We’re Right Here campaign.

Trinity has spent the summer delivering the first phase of engagement activity for our involvement in Our Freedom: Then and Now, a national project reflecting on what ‘our freedom’ means to local people and their communities, following the 80th anniversary of VE/VJ Day

Bristol's City Poet, Sukina Noor, led a series of creative writing sessions through July and August with support from Trinity’s curator, Edson Burton, to gather local people’s thoughts on their notions of freedom. Working with Caribbean Elders from Golden Agers group, Aidbox Community women’s group, our recent Art for Wellbeing cohort, and two open calls, we have been deeply touched by the depth and breadth of experiences shared.

“This session was profound and deeply rewarding... There was some powerful sharing around race and racism, and important witnessing of the experience of forced migration,” Creative Writing session participant

These words have now been passed on to local visual artist Sonja Burniston, who will take them as inspiration for the second phase of this project. Collaborating with participants, Sonja will work with our community through September and October to build a large-scale, thought-provoking exhibition of billboard art and placard poetry, to be launched in November by an intimate poetry sharing and celebratory gig.

Join us and join in – dates and activities below;

Placard session

Thurs 11 Sept - 12-3pm

Sonja will support participants in selecting words or lines of their poetry to write on placards. We will explore the urgency and impact of protest placards by making our own and see how it feels to write our own words BIG and BOLD!

Trinity's Community Day Celebration

Sunday 14 Sept 1-4.30pm

Join Sonja at Trinity's Community Day Celebration as she holds an open call session, inviting you to respond to 'Freedom' as a starting point in creating a shared large-scale fabric banner. You can learn a fabric printing technique, using heat transfer dyes and collage to make beautiful, bold prints.

September Print Workshop sessions:

Thursday 18 Sept, 10.30am-1pm

Drypoint Etching - Drypoint is an intaglio printmaking method. It involves scratching an image into plastic and cardboard plates with a variety of tools; these scratches then hold the ink, which you print onto paper by running it through the press. Sonja will guide you through the technique and help you explore variation in mark-making and inking.

Wednesday 24 Sept, 10am-12 midday

Heat Press Fabric Printing - We will be cutting paper that has been coated with heat transfer ink and creating designs which can be heat pressed onto our fabric. This is a really satisfying and fun technique which creates a layered print that has a similar look to screen prints.

Wednesday  24 Sept, 2 - 4pm

Heat press Fabric Printing  - same as the morning session, just another timing option.

Big Carve - Lino carve & print

Saturday 4 Oct, 10am-12 midday

Sunday 5 Oct, 1-3pm

Work together to carve out a large central design, created by Sonja in response to collaborative work shared so far.

Exhibition Launch: Poetic Placards & Billboards

Monday 17 November (Time TBC)

Launch Our Freedom exhibition of art and poetry, supported by City Poet Sukina Noor, Trinity's Edson Burton and visual artist Sonja Burniston. Marking 80 years since the end of World War II, the project captures diverse reflections on what freedom means to us today.

Dovetail Orchestra at Trinity

Thursday 25 November, 7.30pm

A celebration of music from around the world, featuring songs from over 7 countries. Dovetail Orchestra exists to provide a welcoming space for refugee and asylum-seekers, building connections through music and supporting musical learning on a regular weekly basis.

Firmly Rooted Soundsystem

The series opens on Friday 26 September with pioneering Japanese producer Goth-Trad (Deep Medi Musik, Back To Chill), who will explore the theme of Conflict. Each track he selects becomes a doorway into story, culture, and struggle - played in full on the Firmly Rooted Soundsystem for deep listening and reflection.

Join us in Fyfe Hall, reimagined as a sonic lounge with warm lighting, seating, and space for dialogue. Together we’ll listen, reflect, and connect.

"Archival Sounds is about reframing how we experience music, not just as entertainment, but as cultural memory. Each vinyl carries stories of struggle, resilience, and connection. We wanted to create a space where audiences can slow down, really listen, and discover the politics embedded in sound." - Jamell Ackford, Director of Culture, Trinity

Keep an eye out for the full series dropping soon...

Dates: Sep 26 | Oct 18 | Nov 8 | Dec 13

Justice4Judah campaign launch at the Kuumba Centre, 2017 ©MarkSimmons

We Dream, They Rule: The Curious Case of Kuumba and the Call for Civic Change

"The relationship can’t be one of a parent and child that moves from the paternalistic to the parasitic, where we're ready to bur n it all to the ground when things go wrong. Instead, it needs to be symbiotic and reciprocal: a partnership where communities and institutions share responsibility, through both sunshine and rain." Anon

This week, a civil ruling found in favour of the management committee of the St Pauls-based Kuumba Centre, leaving the challenger and asset owners Bristol City Council red-faced and out of pocket.

The case highlights the complexities of managing community organisations and civic infrastructure. It sits against the national backdrop of We’re Right Here’s latest call to action: the Museum of Broken Dreams exhibition, which will bring to Parliament stories of community-led projects that could have transformed lives but were held back by bureaucracy and inflexible systems.

On the one hand, the judge’s decision to recognise the Kuumba committee as trustees can be seen as a win for the people; affirming the group’s legitimacy as those entrusted with the building’s guardianship. On the other, with that recognition comes the full weight of trustee-like duties, including accountability for how the site is managed and the consequences if it falls short. The ruling is both an important validation of community asset management and a reminder of the risks involved with safe and effective stewardship .

With councils across the UK unable and unwilling to manage buildings like these, it is left to volunteer groups who may lack the resources to deliver against expectations of communities and statutory bodies over time.

Accountability matters, but there is often a disconnect between what is expected vs what is realistic and achievable from all parties. Faced with perpetual scrutiny, community groups must work at pace to meet expectations around good governance, stable finances and impactful delivery, moving buckets to catch leaks, metaphorically and literally.

We all want well managed civic infrastructure that meets community needs and isn’t a burden on the public purse; the issue is how? How do we get what everyone wants? News flash. We can’t. Someone will always have to pay.

Councils pay. I am sure no one got into public service to take buildings off people. But with policies outdated, mechanisms slow, and processes inconsistent and overly bureaucratic, attempts to eliminate risk end up undermining the very community resilience we’d hope under-resourced administrations might want to support.

When funding is needed at the start of a project it’s rarely available. By the time things reach crisis point, funds are inevitably found and responses become heavy-handed, adversarial, and costly. Buildings sit in limbo and it’s not even clear who’s even responsible for figuring out what to do next. We always pay.

Communities pay. What starts out for most as a vision for something better. But anyone who has served on a community board knows that the realities are far more treacherous. From my earlier days in Bristol to some more recent experiences, the well-intentioned actions of those who want the best for their building can, over time, descend into disputes, factions and bitter rivalries.

Ineffective governance mechanisms chew up and spit out most, leaving spaces in the hands of a die-hard few who struggle under the cumulative effects of this way of working. Over time, this takes a toll: assets gradually decline, opportunities to make things better are missed and the goodwill that could’ve gone into building vibrant, thriving spaces is depleted. Nobody wins.  

And we pay. As we watch community leaders working tirelessly to keep buildings going, patching problems, navigating risk and jumping through hoops, we demand they do it backwards with high heels on. While councils struggle to balance budgets and meet statutory obligations, we shout, make FOI requests, caricature officers as the enemy, and treat capacity as an abstract concept rather than something finite and human.

The burden is on them surely, not us? We cry out for a fix as another building falls. We lament as problems that could have been solved with thousands escalate to millions. Our paternal government may dream up the latest national scheme funded by our taxes while we wait for it all to be put right by anyone by us. We walk past another boarded up space. Waiting. Wondering. In the end, we always pay.

As one trusted peer puts it, "If we all pay in the end, then what’s our responsibility as communities? It’s not enough to be passive recipients. The relationship can’t be one of a parent and child that moves from the paternalistic to the parasitic, where we're ready to burn it all to the ground when things go wrong. Instead, it needs to be symbiotic and reciprocal: a partnership where communities and institutions share responsibility, through both sunshine and rain."

One size does not fit all. Every building, every neighbourhood, every group has its own story and reality. And because of that messy pluralism this means mistakes, failure, metamorphosis, rebirth. If the goal is to protect and sustain these vital spaces, we need a different approach. One rooted in partnership, trust and dialogue.

This isn’t just a Bristol issue. At its heart, it is about how we structure and what we expect from our public services: How do we find funds over time to sustain the long-term frameworks needed for communities to take on – and keep hold of – the land beneath our feet? How can we accept failure within that model, so that scrutiny needed today isn’t a barrier for anyone taking a chance on something akin to it tomorrow? Without wholesale change in both structure and expectations, every transfer is a sticking-plaster and any success in the now risks being a problem in the future as the world changes and we can’t keep up. In this, we are all vulnerable.

It’s time to stop upholding systems not designed with us in mind and instead commit to a new way of collaborative, forgiving, human centric thinking that allows our civic and cultural spaces to thrive.

This starts with us. All of us.

This is an opinion piece by Emma Harvey, CEO

What you can do

Locally Support Bristol’s Roots of Resilience campaign - a network of Community Asset Organisations calling for a new framework: one that recognises the value of community assets not as liabilities on a balance sheet and places the council and communities as equitable partners in protecting our assets for the future. Write to your Councillor to ask them to support our recommendations.

Nationally Support We’re Right Here’s Museum of Broken Dreams campaign – they are asking you to write to your MP to invite them to an exhibition of community projects failed by bureaucracy and inflexible systems to coincide with the second reading of the English Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill. It is a last push for legislation that would shift power to local people and give communities the frameworks they need to take on and sustain vital assets.

"It had a profound impact upon the lives of its users, transforming insights, forging identities, and providing lasting well being."

Dr Edson Burton, Heritage Curator

Newtown mural making, image by Alistair Brookes

Why the route to reconnecting with audiences (and voters) might include citizens assemblies

This week, the National Gallery announced their new five-year plan to embed a citizens assembly as part of their decision making structure. This was followed by Melanie McDonagh’s Evening Standard piece (swiftly edited but originally titled, I'm sorry, but plebs shouldn't be curating the National Gallery) making the case for the Gallery’s direction to continue to be decided - as it has been for the best part of two centuries - by the appointed experts who know and care about art and who know what it is they want the rest of us to engage with.

Scepticism about the unfamiliar is expected. When Citizens for Culture started with a notion to embed citizen decision making in cultural strategic thinking in The West of England Region, I was both optimistic and wary. As we embarked on a citizen-led design stage, I expected to meet a bunch of citicynics wondering why we were asking them about culture when - from cost of living to global conflict - there were bigger fish to fry. I was instead met with engaged thoughtfulness and a unique bredth of cultural perspective that reinvigorated my enthusiasm about what a citizens assembly could offer to the arts.

It is not news to anyone that our sector is in crisis. Costs have gone up whilst funding has, at best for many, remained static. With public sector investment declining as statutory obligations grow, the UK's cultural sector once again grasps for an idea of sustainability that moves ever further from reach.

People more used to getting their voices heard may want to keep things as they were, but business as usual is no longer an option. Post-pandemic visitor numbers are down as curators scratch their heads wondering why their engagement team have failed to get the bums on their seats. Decolonising themes intended to reach diverse audiences can miss the mark if they only retell old stories through old structures.

Just as our traditional two party politicking needs a rethink, so too do the structures that underpin our creative industries that - as well as many other key industries from the civil service to our judicial system - are significantly lacking in working-class representation.

Columnists with platforms may have no interest in taking part, but that sentiment is not shared. Polling of Reform voters shows replacing the House of Lords with a citizens assembly would increase their trust in politics. With visitor numbers for many cultural institutions failing to pick back up to pre-pandemic levels, ignoring us plebs is costly.

Consulting communities can miss the mark either because the right questions weren’t asked or space was not made for unexpected answers. Yes, we’re all biased and opinionated. We're also your audiences, your electorate your customers and (hopefully) your future employees. The more we cling to decision making models that don’t account for that spectrum of voice and opinion, the more we'll continue to decline.

Assemblies may not give us all the answers, but they allow for deeper conversations about who we are and how we want to be governed, washed or unwashed. In a global network of online communities and distributed narratives, they can help to covert that which is reductive and disperate into a shared course of action, that gives us at least that bit of hope to catalyse change.

This is the model pioneered by Nottingham’s New Art Exchange, which has shifted the balance of power from one that is top down to one where their citizens assembly embedded in their structural governance. Participation isn’t forced. It is paid. Assembly members aren’t expected to replace the expertise of staff. They’re there to bring relevancy and meaning, with a board that continues to govern risk and a creative, curatorial crew who bring their relevant skills and specialisms to convert, elevate and actualise ideas. Artistic expertise isn’t being superseded, it's being enhanced through the power of that collective lens.

The UK’s spectrum of heritage, identity and opinion is so broad, the idea that any one person could curate that in isolation is for the dinosaurs. Deciding together might feel messy but, as the models we know are failing us, assemblies give us a way to realise a kaleidoscope of possibility. We have an opportunity to start that decision making process from a different point, even if we’re not sure where we might end up. Will citizens assemblies solve our problems? I don’t know. I do know in an era of decentralised content and political discontent we are both our own curators and our best advocates.

We ignore that at our peril.

This is a personal opinion piece by Emma Harvey

BDP’s Bristol Sober Spaces

New partnership kicks off with sober event headlined by Roni Size and Nicky Blackmarket

A new partnership between Trinity and Bristol Drugs Project’s Creative Communities, rooted in shared values of creativity, connection and inclusion kicks off with a line-up feat Bristol's Drum & Bass Legends

Creative Communities is BDP’s long-running arts programme, supporting people affected by drug and alcohol use through weekly creative groups and events. For over ten years, the programme has helped participants build confidence, express themselves and reconnect through creativity.

At Trinity, we believe in the power of the arts to empower communities. As one of Bristol’s largest grassroots venues and a vital cultural space that prioritises meeting the needs of the communities we serve through arts, music and cultural events, this partnership is a natural step forward.

Together, we’re proud to offer a programme of sober, inclusive events and creative groups that prioritise connection and wellbeing.

This Sunday, 3 Aug, we launch the first in a series of sober club events at Trinity as part of our new partnership, Summer Day Rave, headlined by none other than Roni Size and Nicky Blackmarket.

When asked what he enjoys about Bristol Sober Spaces events, Nicky Blackmarket said:

"This crowd has got so much energy. At the last event, I remember playing and the atmosphere was incredible, the vibe had incredible energy - mad"

This event marks Trinity’s official recognition as one of BDP’s Bristol Sober Spaces, offering people the chance to enjoy world-class music in a welcoming and substance-free environment.

Find out more about the event here.

At the end of Spring Jude joined the team as the Heritage Project Manager to lead on community engagement at Jacobs Wells Baths, supporting the consultation process as well as developing exciting arts and heritage activities.

Jude has extensive experience from managing the Circomedia Centre for Contemporary Circus and Physical Theatre in St. Paul's, a Grade II listed building that transformed from a church to a performance space.

Since then, she has worked with Wellspring Settlement in Barton Hill to co-design and deliver creative research projects in partnership with University of Bristol. Her special focus has been on engaging with and amplifying residents’ voices around key social issues, experience she's bringing into this role.

She met with Rachel McNally, Hotwells & Cliftonwood Community Association Chair, as well as Sally Silverman and members of Jacobs Wells Hub to hear about previous community use and enjoyment of Jacobs Wells Baths as well as needs and ideas for activities that are bubbling up for members.

“I’m now in the process of meeting with stakeholders and residents to develop ideas for activities which explore the importance of the building in the past, such as reminiscence events gathering memories, as well as ideas for its use in the future in the form of community consultations alongside the architects” Jude explains. “There will also be opportunities for creative activities celebrating the story and importance of the building particularly its development as an inclusive and dynamic dance space for learning and international performance as Bristol Community Dance Centre. We are also really interested in celebrating the committed action of local residents and activists to protect Jacobs Wells Baths as a community space for public use.”

While the building is currently inaccessible due to structural work on the roof and decontamination work, we hope to offer site tours for Heritage Doors Open Day on the 20th and 21st September. There is a great deal of work yet to be undertaken and funds to be raised, regular activities in the building are some way off so we will be meeting in other spaces.

Alongside being very excited to start the journey of imagining the new space with the local community, Jude is particularly looking forward to opportunities to connect with the residents with opportunities to get involved with reminiscence events, arts activities as well as consultation events this Autumn.

Join us on 13th August at Trinity Arts for ‘I Danced At Jacobs Wells’ to share memories, photos and film clips from Bristol Community Dance Centre’s heritage and consider its role in the future.

To join the mailing list and receive updates and invitations for events – or to express your interest in getting involved in community consultations please contact Jude on jude@trinitybristol.org.uk or 07352616234.

Summer Family Sessions - Image Credit: Alastair Brookes

Are you a maker? Want to share your skills, interests or hobbies with your community?

On the 05 October we are teaming up with Eastside Community Trust and Somali Kitchen to host a free celebration of community creativity. This free event will take place at Easton Community Centre from 10am –4pm as part of the UK-wide Fun Palaces weekend.

During the day, there will be community volunteers offering a range of skill swaps – from a Fix It cafe to craft activities. Alongside this we are looking for other community makers to host their own skill swaps. This could be anything from a crocheting workshop to a keynote on stamp collecting – the day is all about sharing your skills with your neighbours!

We are offering each maker £50 towards materials/costs of your choice

How to get involved:

• Fill out this form, letting us know what skill you want to share.
• Deadline is midnight on Sunday 15th September.
• If you have any questions, please contact esther@trinitybristol.org.uk

Event information

• Fun Palace, 05 October 2024
• Easton Community Centre, Kilburn Street BS5 6AW
• Cost – free no registration required – just turn up
• Click here to find out more

VACANCY: Children & Young People's Programme Manager

📍 Location: Trinity Centre, Trinity Rd, Bristol

💰 Rate of Pay: £33,024-£36,648 (depending on experience)​

🕒 Contract: Full-time (37.5 hrs/week)

Do you believe in the importance of creative opportunities for children and young people?​

Are you an experienced manager with a commitment to inclusive youth work? ​

If so, we want to hear from you. We’re looking for a dedicated and organised CYP Programme Manager to lead the delivery of Trinity’s CYP programme, supporting children and young people to access consistent, high-quality creative activities both in and out of school.​

You’ll be responsible for managing a varied programme, working with partners to ensure activities are well-planned, safe, and meaningful. The role includes managing delivery timelines, monitoring budgets, overseeing safeguarding and compliance, and ensuring outcomes are effectively captured and shared.​

please read more in the JD link below.

🔗 Apply now

Download the application pack here

Please provide application form in word or pdf format

📅 Deadline: Monday 18 August, 9am

🎤 Interviews: Monday 25 and Tuesday 26 August

Trinity is an equal opportunities employer and encourages applicants from historically underrepresented communities.

Trinity has been awarded one of the first grants through the Heritage Revival Fund, by the Architectural Heritage Fund, providing match funding for The National Lottery Heritage Fund-supported Development Phase of the Jacobs Wells Baths project.

The new £5million Heritage Revival Fund, launched earlier this year is delivered in partnership with the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS), Historic England and Architectural Heritage Fund, helping communities across England to take ownership of historic buildings, to rescue and repurpose them into vibrant spaces that meet modern needs.

A Project Development Grant of £78,850 awarded through The Architectural Heritage Fund (AHF) will enable us to advance plans to transform Jacobs Wells Baths - a much-loved iconic heritage building within Bristol city centre – into a multi-use hub for community, arts, youth and education.

This grant is a crucial contribution towards professional fees to help finalise the building’s detailed design and inform the next phase of capital and conservation works.

Heritage Minister, Baroness Twycross, said: "The Heritage Revival Fund is rejuvenating abandoned treasures up and down the country. I'm delighted that we have been able to support this through our Arts Everywhere Fund and I look forward to seeing the results of these first fantastic projects, including Jacobs Wells Baths being transformed into a community hub for arts, music and education. By restoring these loved buildings, we're ensuring these local assets can thrive for future generations."

You can read the full announcement here.

Sukina Noor, Simon Armitage & Edson Burton

We are delighted to be a part of Future Arts Centres’ new UK-wide programme 'Our Freedom: Then and Now', reflecting on what ‘Our Freedom’ means to local people and their communities, following the 80th anniversary of VE/VJ Day.

Trinity is one of 60 venues around the UK taking part to create an exciting programme of events, artworks and more. Supported by the DCMS, Arts Council England and Libraries Connected, Future Arts Centres will lead the programme, working with 60 arts centres and libraries, their communities and artists to create special cultural events, exhibitions and performances that are meaningful to people living in these places and across the UK. This is a unique opportunity to reflect on the end of the second World War and to explore what freedom means to us in the present day, as individuals and within our communities.

Last week, we travelled to Contact Theatre in Manchester to launch the programme, and share our plans with all the other partner venues. We also listened to Chief Executive of Arts Council England, Darren Henley and the Poet Laureate Simon Armitage, who has been commissioned by Future Arts Centres to write a new poem for the project. The poem, Freedom Road, will act as a centrepiece and a starting point to explore what freedom has meant across generations and how it is felt and understood today. Click here to read the poem.

Edson Burton, Trinity’s Heritage Curator, and Sukina Noor, Bristol’s City poet, joined us up in Manchester, representing Trinity on a small panel speaking about early plans for interpretation of the project. Trinity will begin with poetry, using spoken word to explore and connect World War Two with contemporary Britain. As Edson says “World War Two doesn’t belong to a bygone Britain. It accelerated the End of Empire, forged a New Deal for the average citizen, was a catalyst in the campaign for the decimalisation of homosexuality and challenged gender roles in the work place. World War Two is a shared story, for better or ill, that connects our diverse and sometimes disharmonious nation”.

Take a look at the map showing all of the 60 venues participating in the project, with Trinity as https://ourfreedom.org.uk/venues/

At Trinity

From our home in the heart of East/Central Bristol, Trinity will bring together different members of our wide-reaching communities to understand how war has impacted and shaped modern Bristol, sharing and celebrating the diversity of the city that exists today.

Guided by Edson and Sukina, participants will be supported to share thoughts and stories, listen to differing perspectives on the themes of freedom and community and build a response through spoken word and poetry. From there, we’ll springboard into commissioning an artist to develop a bold, large-scale creative response to these words, to be showcased at, and around, Trinity towards the end of the year.

Interested?

We’ll run a series of workshops over the summer months with a different focus at each session.

Contact jen@trinitybristol.org.uk to find out more and register interest or stay tuned to our social media channels as we share behind the scenes of our work, and for announcements on our upcoming events and workshops as part of the programme.

Follow us on:

Facebook - @trinitybristol

Instagram - @bristoltrinity

Podcast: How to Save a Community Building – Insights from Trinity’s CEO Emma Harvey

How do you bring a historic community building back into public hands? In this insightful podcast episode, Emma Harvey, CEO of Trinity in Bristol, shares a step-by-step account of what it really takes to save a civic asset; drawing on her leadership in the campaign to revive Jacobs Wells Baths.

From launching capital campaigns to navigating complex asset transfers, Emma breaks down the practical, political, and emotional aspects of community ownership. The conversation explores:

• Why community buildings matter — and what we lose when they're gone

• How to build grassroots support and conduct meaningful local consultation

• The value of phased fundraising and realistic feasibility studies

• The role of local authorities, funders, and national policy in supporting asset transfer

• Lessons learned and advice for others facing similar battles

Whether you're a community organiser, policymaker, or curious citizen, this episode is packed with knowledge, encouragement, and a clear-eyed look at what it takes to protect the spaces that matter.

🕒 Runtime: ~50 minutes
📍 Featuring: Emma Harvey, CEO of Trinity, Bristol and Priyanka Raval, Editor, Bristol Cable

If you liked this you can also listed to our BBC interview here.

We Out Here Festival 2022, credit - Rob Jones

Trinity are proud to be invited for a take over at the Rhythm Corner this year at We Out Here Festival, hosting a huge Bristol takeover.

WOH have invited some of their favourite parties and projects from across the country to give them a helping hand across the stages. Alongside familiar faces they welcome Pineapple records, Trinity, WET LDN and Distant Planet Vs Future Retro to the WOH family.

Sat 16 Aug, Rhythm Stage line up:

• Roni Size
• DJ Krust
• DJ Die
• Om Unit
• k means & i-sha
• Neffa-T
• Kahn & Pinch
• Phaeleh
• Rose Holland
• amaia

‘This is my Church. This is my Church’ this famous line from the late Great Maxi Jazz is a mantra to many for Bristol’s Trinity Centre.

Although deconsecrated in 1976 Trinity remains a Church for many, its DJ’s priests reinventing new religions from the embers of past sounds, and from the rewiring of old and new technologies.

Trinity’s life as a temple of Bass began in 1976 when the Church sold the building to members of the African Caribbean community who were keen to find a community building that could serve a variety of community needs.

The centre was envisaged as a multipurpose community hub providing vocational training and a cultural space for the Windrush generation and their descendants. Things did not quiet go to plan. the crumbling lichen covered gravestones outside the Church proved off putting for Caribbean elders raised on duppy stories.

The young pioneers of Bristol’s sound system culture had no such qualms nor too the punk kids. Musically and culturally punk and reggae were persona non gratis for Bristol’s central venues still caught in the bright lights of late disco. Black youth faced the added problem of racial discrimination at the club door.

Pangea, credit Elliot Hingston

Trinity became an incubation and cross pollination space between artists and audiences. On its dance floor people from across were exposed to the booming reggae bass and punks' raw aggression. The classic Bristol Sound, as typified by collaborators such as Smith & Mighty, Roni Size, DJ Krust and DJ Die were born out of these encounters. Trinity was also one of the few spaces where audiences could see, then, underground acts The Specials, The Clash, Linton Kwesi Johnson and Benjamin Zephaniah.

Trinity closed in 1984 and after extensive refurbishment reopened under new management six years later. The new Trinity flourished with the growth of the dance music scene. Nights such as Tokyo Sex Whale, and Sundissential were broad umbrellas where clubbers could enjoy Techno, House, Trance and Jungle. Over time these genres splintered becoming singular promotions. The fusion between reggae, dancehall electronica led to jungle and Drum and Bass derivatives and became a mainstay of Bristol’s pioneering musical calendar.

Mala & Joey Armon Jones, credit Khali Ackford

Today Trinity remains a social conscious space, which heavily nods to its heritage and a space for community activities. As Bristol changes, so too does Trinity, but its heartbeat remains the same. More than bricks, basslines, and stained glass, it stands as a living monument to resilience, reinvention, and radical joy. From punk to jungle, protest to celebration, it has always been a space where the margins move to the centre.

Today, whether you're stepping into a community workshop, a club night, or a poetry reading, you're entering a continuum, a place where past and future harmonise in sound. Trinity isn’t just a venue for many; it’s still a sanctuary.'

Deep Medi, credit Khali Ackford

2025 marks the second year since the death of one of the country’s most loved poets. At the end of April, Bristol’s Lyra Festival will be hosting a celebration of his life, work and his unique connection to Bristol.

As a child growing up in Handsworth, Benjamin was inspired by Jamaica’s poet laureate Louise Bennet, or as she is most affectionately known Ms Lou. Folklorist, scholar and nationalist, Ms Lou brought a dignity and playfulness to Jamaican English which was hitherto described as broken English - this being one of the many legacies of colonialism.

His decision to become a poet came after a period of disruption. Benjamin was a bright, energetic child but struggled to read. Growing up in 1970s Britain dyslexia was often missed especially among children of African Caribbean heritage who were already racially othered by the British education system.

Frustrated, he became involved in petty criminality culminating in a spell in Brixton prison for burglary. Benjamin’s transformation began in earnest from this point. A popular performer, his journey into print began with rejections by major publishers unsure that an audience existed for his work. Reflecting on this period he noted that they "they didn't understand it because it was supposed to be performed."

Indeed, Benjamin was part of the new wave of second generation Black British poets. Along with Jean Binta Breeze and Linton Kwesi Johnson, he pioneered dub poetry – a form of spoken word inspired by the Caribbean orality syncopated to the sound of the drum. Venues such as the Trinity Centre were part of a receptive circuit welcoming new forms of poetry and music arising from Britain’s new youth cultures.

He published his first poetry collection Pen Rhythm by One Books in 1980. Since then, he has been one of Britain’s most prolific writers. As well as writing poetry for children and adults, he has written novels, and memoir. He has been an actor, activist, scholar and musician. It was this in vain that he is best known to Trinity’s audiences. Benjamin’s 2017 performance at the Centre was one of the standout gigs of the year. His lyricism and energy were enthralling; his combination of charisma and generosity truly unique, and his humour heartwarming. The iconic image of Benjamin skanking freely locks flowing will live in the memories and digital files of all those who attendance.

But, away from the stage, to Trinity’s staff he was the star who came to earth. During his second visit Benjamin met with young people taking part in Trinity’s flagship initiative Making Tracks. He spent far more time than was originally agreed speaking candidly about his life, art, and the challenges of dyslexia. The memory of this encounter still lingers among the young people who came that day.

Generations have been disarmed by his accessible verse, and amiability disarmed because belying his wide toothed smile and Midland's patter was an intense passionate commitment to humanity. He was a spiritual giant and a man of the people.

By Dr Edson Burton

Images © Khali Ackford, KoLAB Studios

Image Credit: Alastair Brookes

On the first day of the Easter Holidays Trinity partnered with The Scrapstore  to produce a day of crafting and fun in the sunshine for families from the local community.

This was a free event was generously funded by Scrapstore, giving families the opportunity to come and get creative in a beautiful setting with free recycled and recyclable arts and crafts.

More than 200 people came and enjoyed the activities in the garden that included a ‘cardboard city’ and ‘scrap-hat making’. Children had total free-rein to make weird and wonderful things out of cardboard with their siblings and peers, and some amazing creations were made including a go-kart and even a polaroid camera!

Trinity’s Nature Team were also on hand helping children make ‘fairy doors’ and ‘bunny ears’ from natural materials foraged from the Trinity garden.

There was a great atmosphere in the air and a real sense of togetherness as children of all ages played on the grass and made the most of the safe space and great weather.

The Scrapstore Team were fully immersed in facilitating the activities and making everyone feel welcomed into the space.

The session, that ran from 11am-3pm is something that we would like to bring back as a regular slot, so watch this space for updates and hopefully some more outdoor collaboration!

Photo Credit: Alastair Brookes

Step into history once again as Trinity's celebrated Destination Old Market experience makes its return on 31 May!

Back by popular demand, this isn't just a historical tour, it's a journey to Old Market's fascinating past.

As part of our exciting programme, Trinity invites you to experience two unforgettable activities that bring history to life right in the heart of Old Market.

A Medieval Promenade

Venture into the streets of Old Market as characters from the height of the renaissance appear before your eyes—plucked from the past and dropped into the present! This extraordinary theatrical tour won’t just tell you about Old Market's history—it brings you face-to-face with the very people that lived it.

Rub shoulders with bewildered characters from centuries ago as they navigate their once-familiar streets now transformed by time. Listen to their tales of bustling market days where fortunes were made and lost through clever bartering and sharp wit.

Tour Times: 12pm – 12:30pm, 1:30pm – 2pm, 2:30pm – 3pm, 3:30pm – 4pm, 4:30pm – 5pm

Buy tickets here.

A Medieval Fayre

Journey to a bygone era as Trinity Gardens transforms itself into a medieval playground.

Challenge friends to a spirited game of blind man's buff, test your strength in tug of war, or laugh at the antics of a comic, we welcome one and all to this market day celebration!

Feast like nobility or dine as a humble peasant - the choice is yours. From succulent spit-roasted pig to delicate mushroom tarts, our period-inspired fare satisfies every palate.

All while our town's finest jester keeps spirits high whilst Bristol's most talented musicians fill the air with melodies that transport you to days of old.

Buy tickets here.

Further Info

A £5 deposit is required when booking. This deposit can either be refunded or exchanged for a voucher that can be spent in Old Market business taking part in the Destination Old Market after the event.

Destination Old Market is produced by Trinity Community Arts and is part of the City Centre and High Streets Culture and Events Programme, funded by Bristol City Council and the West of England Combined Authority. The initiative aims to attract more visitors to the City Centre, boosting local businesses and the economy.

Image credit - Alastair Brookes

"The Trinity Centre Stay and Play includes a truly diverse mix of family members from all walks of life that is the most representative of Bristol itself that I’ve ever experienced ! The city centre location makes it convenient for so many people. As a person of colour with mixed heritage children, it’s a place I feel we all truly belong, and that isn’t the case for many places"

Every Friday for as long as we can remember Trinity has welcomed families to enjoy our beautiful space and play with friends at our Stay and Play which has been co-delivered by Central Bristol Childrens Centre alongside Lawrence Hill Health Visiting team.

The partnership made the very difficult decision recently to cease delivery of the group with our final session last week.

Trinity Community Arts was grateful to the generous donation of toys from CBCC which will enhance all future delivery here, we are also looking into applying for further funding to continue to offer a regular opportunity for young families to connect here at Trinity.

Conversations are continuing both with CBCC and other partners to provide this service and we will keep you informed on our socials.

In the meantime, we wish CBCC and LHHV continued support and acknowledge all the hard work they do in supporting families in their local communities.

The Grip, March 2025, image by AlastairBrookes - KoLABStudios

"Well done to all at Trinity Centre for hosting The Grip. It was truly wonderful to walk into that crowded, warm, diverse room. The 'show' itself was sobering, raw, beautiful. I will be pondering its messages for quite a while." Audience Member

In March, Trinity played host to The Grip; a poignant, multi-layered live production from Strike A Light.

Blending live radio show elements with film, interviews, and powerful testimonies, The Grip delved into the deeply personal stories of families divided by the Windrush generation experience.

Told through real interviews and evocative film by filmmaker Daniel Folley and producer Philippa Smith, this reimagined performance (first staged at Gloucester’s Guildhall in 2023) was given new life with the inclusion of Bristol voices.

In partnership with Strike A Light, Trinity sought out and supported local contributors to weave their own lived experiences into the narrative: stories of those who were left behind, of parents forced to make impossible choices, and of siblings growing up across oceans.

BBC presenter Kevin Philemon hosted the evening with warmth and gravity, joined by an impressive lineup including Bristol’s first Poet Laureate Miles Chambers, psychotherapist Audrey James, and soulful local singer Celestine.

The result was an emotional tapestry of storytelling, performance, and reflection, shared with a full house of over 100 people. What unfolded was a communal experience. A space of healing, remembrance, and connection. Stories unheard were spoken aloud, grief and resilience given equal weight. It reminded us how vital it is to listen, to speak, and to hold space for stories that shaped generations.

Science Fair, 2025; image by Alistair Brookes

After years of consultation, experimentation and refinement, we’re now seeing the impact of our work come together; strengthening our ambition to be a nationally celebrated hub for socially engaged arts. By joining the dots across multiple projects, partners and communities, we’re reaching more people than ever and embedding creativity into everyday life.

At the heart of this transformation is our for, by, with methodology, which ensures that everything we do is created for communities, shaped by those with lived experience, and developed with the people and partners who help bring it to life. Through this approach, we’ve secured major multi-year funding, providing the stability needed to invest in long-term change and build deeper relationships that ensure our work is truly relevant and impactful.

Partnerships with Bristol Drugs Project and Bristol School of Art are creating new pathways for adults to engage with creativity as a tool for health, wellbeing and personal development. Through targeted workshops by expert facilitators and with individuals who may not otherwise access creative spaces, we are providing opportunities to build confidence, express identity, and develop new skills - whether in music or performance.

Our Cultural Alliance and after-school programmes are ensuring that creative opportunities exist for local children - many of whom are engaging with the arts for the first time. By embedding arts provision within schools and community settings, we’re developing work by and with young people that helps them discover their creative potential, make new connections, and gain valuable life skills.

Trinity's combined arts programme continues to flourish, bringing an exciting mix of dance, theatre and live performance from emerging artists both local and touring to allow new audiences to access this exciting work at Trinity and beyond. Alongside this, our Seeding Sessions are platforming some of the most exciting new sounds offering an enchanting and experimental evenings for true music enthusiasts.

By expanding our work for audiences in schools, community spaces, and public spaces, we are ensuring culture is more accessible than ever. Whether through powerful theatre performances by local artists, high-energy dance workshops with community groups, or participatory projects that put people at the centre of the creative process, we are bringing communities together in meaningful ways.

This progress has been made possible by an ambitious, empowered, and dedicated team whose passion for socially engaged arts is driving change. With strong foundations in place and an exciting future ahead, we’re ready to take our work even further - expanding our reach, deepening our impact, and ensuring that culture and creativity remain at the heart of community life for, by, and with the people who need it most.

By Adam Gallacher, Deputy CEO