Over 12 weeks children and families from local school Hannah More primary took part Trinity’s ‘Art Club’ project, in partnership with Take A Part. During one session we headed down to Hannah More to chat with the children and families to ask them what they thought of 'Art Club', press play above to hear what they had to say!

"When I was their age, we didn't get the possibility to draw - we couldn't afford it" Baktiar and Asenat's Mum

In total 25 children and families came along to ‘Art Club’. During the sessions they explored different art-forms, such as clay making, model making using with different types of art materials.

The group also went on ‘go see’ visits to arts organisations and museums in the city. This included a trip to see the Grayson Perry exhibition in the Bristol Museum and a visit to the newly established arts organisations 'St Anne’s House' where they met resident artist Rachel Clarke.

‘Art Club’ is a Trinity commission, delivered by Take a Part in partnership with Hannah More Primary and made possible through funding from the Cultural Recovery Fund

Photo credit Zack Henry

Photo credit Zack Henry

Photo credit Khali Ackford

Dr Edson Burton, curator of Art of Resistance, reflects on curating weekend of activity exploring creative and activism

The Final Frontier was a two-day festival, programmed as part of Art of Resistance, that celebrated the rich history of activism that has happened in Bristol. The festival, and the wider project, explored creative expression in relationship to political movements, ideologies and philosophies.

As the festival curator I have a conceptual oversight of the project and work closely with the wonderful team at Trinity to help build the relationships and coordinate the activities and also problem-solve the things that don’t go according to plan.

"...artefacts, they’re not just Benin Bronzes, they’re simple manifestations of a time"

Dr Edson Burton on 'Art of Resistance'

For the Final Frontier we wanted to curate a 'conference style' event to explore how creative outputs have been integral to particular protest movements. We invited contemporary artists and activists who use creativity as a form of protest to take part in Keynotes addresses, panel discussions and lead workshops. Guests included environmental activist Mikaela Loach, Bristol ‘artists and activists’ Doug Francis (Invisible Circus) Chris Chalkley (PRCS) and Michelle Curtis, plus comedian, programmer and tutor Angie Belcher (Aftermirth) whose recent calls for ‘comedy on prescription’ made headlines, and many, many more.

As part of the weekend, we curated a 'pop-up' mini exhibition that pulled together artworks that used different forms, textures and mediums that celebrated the different kinds of protest that have happened in Bristol. These drew upon the key themes of the wider project including workers' rights, anti-racism, anti-fascism, women’s equality and counter-culture (people breaking out of the mainstream, expressions of living that counter the societal norm). We picked those movements because what was key with a project like this is trying to look at a broader span of mass participation.

We were able to display pull-out banners from The Central Library that charted the history of the suffragette’s movement in Bristol alongside a number of placards from the Black Lives Matter March of 2020 that the Mshed had collected following the protests of 2020. These are simple wood and cardboard placards on posts - that’s the irony of artefacts, they’re not just Benin Bronzes, they’re simple manifestations of a time and when put together with other kinds of sources tell us about what we were thinking and the immediacy of what we were expressing.

People’s Republic of Stokes Croft has been a wonderful ally throughout the project, and it was through them we were introduced to Jamie Gillman who was the artist behind the Bristol Bear, that sat in the Bear Pit and was the herald of the City, the soul of the city. As it was so large, we were only able to display the head and arms!

We had some provocative work by Tamatha-Ann Harris, whose an artist who looks at women’s bodies, sexuality. There was some really evocative work there but I think at the same time for many of us who are looking at these issues it's celebratory rather than offensive.

Through Final Frontier, we’re really keen to, and what I hope we did, honour and acknowledge other communities, and other forms of protest that haven’t had mass participatory scope but nonetheless have been a critical part of activism in the last 20-30 years. We also want to celebrate and engage and honour the activism of movements that are to some extent outside of our chronology, hence we had the banners by Vince Laws hung from a wonderful rope structure that allowed us to display various kinds of disability rights banners charting the history of the disability movement and some of the awful, shocking cases of exclusion that have happened over the years.

Click here to watch a (very) quick tour of the Final Frontier 'pop-up' exhibition

About Art of Resistance

Art of Resistance is a two-year, National Heritage Lottery Funded project charting 100 years of protest in Bristol.

Trinity believes that the best art is created and experienced by the 67 million voices that make up UK society today. This is why we support and nurture creative communities, creating opportunities for artists and communities to co-create and experience culture together.

"I can't tell you how much we enjoyed it. It was perfectly pitched for this age group. This is exactly what we need more of” - Head Teacher from school’s audience group

Collaborating with communities

In March 2021 we launched an ambitious community arts project, 'What I Want To Be, What I Want To See' that asked communities to share their hopes and dreams for the future, post-pandemic. From this initial idea we commissioned community arts practitioner Michelle Roche to collaborate Newton Network and the local community to programme a series of ‘creative happenings’.

Throughout 2021 Michelle, Newtown Network and local residents created a programme of activities including a weekly 'coffee morning and lantern making' session that culminated with a mid-winter Dolphin Parade. Residents also took part in a series of collective actions – a community painting day and a public playlist of their favourite songs – sharing the unique identity of this vibrant corner of Bristol.

Creating opportunities for children and families to access and shape culture

Spilt Ink Theatre Company was awarded the Young Audiences Commission, which was introduced following a consultation, to offer more young people and family activities. Through our on-going partnership with local school St Nicholas of Tolentine, the company delivered a series of workshops collaborating with over 60 children to devise a new work, ‘Home’ that culminated in a public sharing in May 2021.

Trinity joined forces with Take a Part and Hannah Moore primary school to deliver 'Art Club', a project for children and their families to explore what culture they enjoy and what issues matter to them. Art Club took place for 12 weeks after school and included group trips to visit organisations such as Spike Island and The Bristol Museum, meeting staff and volunteers and having an opportunity to ask questions and see behind the scenes of some of the biggest cultural venues in the city. We will also be hosting a pop-up exhibition of artworks created by children and families who took part in the project.

Supporting the development and sharing of new and exciting work

In the summer we welcomed a range of performances in our pop-up outdoor venue, in the community garden and, for the first-time since Mar 2020, inside the building. This included a Trinity ‘take-over’ by associate artist Roxana Vilk, The Vilk Collective and immersive tech-artists Squid Ink with their 'Lullabies Celebration' celebrating the culmination of Roxana’s Lullabies project. The project collected and responded to songs from the many languages spoken in Bristol and beyond. Roxana is continuing to develop her creative practise including performing at St Georges Hall and through her residency at Watershed’s PM Studio.

Through micro-commissions and subsidised space we continued to support the creation and development of new work, including Houston Dance Company who devised Like Mercury in the Fyfe Hall. The show was selected to be programmed as part of the spring season of theatre and dance in 2022 and premiered to sell-out audiences. The show explored gender, sexuality and identity and positive feedback from audiences included people commenting that the show ‘taught me to embody and celebrate my sexuality’. The company will be touring the performance in the UK throughout 2022.

Click play to watch Stokes Croft Lands Trust's campaign video

As part of our continued commitment to advocating for shared community and cultural spaces, we have pledged £1,000 to become a shareholder in the Stokes Croft Land Trust, matching the pledges of grassroots arts groups, The Invisible Circus and Artspace Lifespace.

“PRSC is a contemporary example of radical art in Bristol that represents the themes we’re exploring in our heritage project. Though this pledge, we hope to strengthen our ability more closely with PRSC and create shared outcomes for communities in relation to the art of resistance theme.” Rhiannon Jones, Programme Director

In early 2022, Trinity published the ‘100 Beacons’ report: A Community Canvas - building the case for community infrastructure, to shine a light on the importance of – and understand the risks posed to – Bristol's community and cultural assets. This report identified sustained underinvestment in civic assets coupled with the city’s rapid regeneration, poses a risk to Bristol’s unique identity that has led to it regularly topping the list of the "best places to live in Britain."

Bristol is a city renowned for its cultural offer and its activist spirit. However, parts of the city such as Stokes Croft that have historically shaped this identity have seen a huge growth in private development, which has already impacted on the cultural offer of this locality, with artists leaving Hamilton House in 2018, due to increased rents.

In response to this, the Stokes Croft Land Trust (SCLT) has been created to purchase 17-25 Jamaica St, Stokes Croft, which is home to the People’s Republic of Stokes Croft HQ (PRSC), in order to protect one of the area’s remaining cultural landmarks. Through a community shares offer, members of the community and like-minded organisations are able to come together to help ensure the building stays in the hands and ownership of artists, protecting its use for the benefit of the community. This is a model much like the Cube Cinema, which secured its building back in 2012 through community fundraising.

“Stokes Croft is a significant artistic destination in Bristol. With the scale of redevelopment happening and in the interests of social welfare, Trinity wants to help ensure our city’s cultural spirit and radical identity is nurtured. We’re working with the PRSC team to celebrate Bristol’s history of art in protest and we want to pledge our support for the Stokes Croft Land Trust so future generations of misfits have a space to call home.” Emma Harvey, CEO, Trinity Community Arts.

The Fundsurfer set up to help the SCLT purchase its first building and bring it into community ownership is already over 50% of the way towards their minimum target of £272,000.

Trinity’s commitment also supports our current work to document and celebrate 100 years of art and activism in Bristol through the National Lottery Heritage funded project, Art of Resistance.

Click here to pledge your support to Stokes Croft Land Trust today

Joy Crookes. Credit: Khali Ackford

Kokoroko. Credit: Luke Macpherson

Ezra Collective. Credit: Ash Harnett

With Self Esteem’s recent sold-out gig and Wet Leg coming up (21 Apr), we thought we'd take a moment to reflect on some of the best acts who've played at Trinity on their breakthrough tours in the last few years.

Alt J (2012)

Indie pop makers Alt-J came to perform live to a sell-out crowd the day after they won the Mercury Prize for what was to be one of their last intimate gigs.

Ezra Collective (2019)

London jazz collective Ezra Collective fuse Afrobeat, Hip-Hop and Soul to create a distinct sound. Known for “pioneering the new-wave of UK jazz music” (Boilerroom) their sell-out gig was yet another sell-out in 2019.

Freddie Gibbs (2019)

American rapper Freddie Gibbs is known for his technical proficiency and provocative lyrics as well has two collaborations with critically acclaimed Madlib.

Loyle Carner (2019)

One of the most popular rappers to come out of the UK in recent years, Loyle Carner played here following the release of his second album ‘Not Waving, But Drowning’.

Mick Jenkins (2019)

American rapper Mick Jenkins had released two far reaching albums, The Healing Component (2016) and Pieces of a Man (2018) prior to playing to a very ecstatic hip-hop loving audience.

Kokoroko (2020)

London-based eight-piece musical group Kokoroko play a fusion of Jazz and Afrobeat and came to us just before Lockdown restrictions in Mar 2020. Despite this, they are making waves in the UK Nu-Jazz scene.

Joy Crookes (2021)

An essential new voice in the burgeoning UK Neo-Soul scene, Joy Crookes played an incredible sold-out show in November last year.

Self-Esteem (2022)

Hot off the press, we knew Self Esteem was going to be popular by early requests for press passes and how quickly it sold out. The crowd jumped to the performance of I Do This All The Time and we think this will be a gig that forges itself in many memories. We are sure this will be one of her last gigs playing to smaller crowds.

Not-to-miss breakthrough gigs coming up:

Bakar (03 Apr)

A melting pot of indie, rap, rock, and punk, Bakar's music bridges the gap between genres, drawing influence from a wide range of artists such as Madlib and Foals.

Wet Leg (21 Apr)

The Isle Of White two-piece drew international acclaim with their breakout single Chaise Lounge, which went viral last year.

Yard Act (11 May)

Spearheaded by James Smith (vocals) and Ryan Needham (bass), the four-piece have built a sound that explores observations from all walks of modern British life.

Roxana Vilk's Lullabies Celebration Day. Photo credit Khali Ackford

The past few years have been a testing time for our industry. Looking to the future, we want to change how we work together in Bristol and the South West — as a small group of venues, we have started thinking about how as a collective we might find moments in the year to link our pathways and programmes for artists, celebrating and sustaining them alongside platforming their work in the places they call home.

Throughout March, join us in exploring what a connected city offer for theatre-makers might look like. Co-delivered by Trinity, Bristol Old Vic, Tobacco Factory Theatres and The Wardrobe Theatre and with input from many others, Connecting the Dots is a joined-up initiative piloting how we can work together to present and cross-promote shows, free workshops, meetups, residencies and open forums for artists and audiences here in the South West.

This is a pilot – a work-in-progress, even. It’s the beginning of an idea pulled together at pace with a want from all of us to build for the future. The initiative will have events that take place in-person and a small digital programme. We want to know what you think of it and to hear your feedback and your ideas for what this could become.

With love, Trinity, Bristol Old Vic, The Wardrobe Theatre & Tobacco Factory Theatres.

Important information

We will gladly book interpreters and/or captioning for any events as needed. If you have booked for an event and require interpretation, captioning, or another access adjustment, please email and we will book it.If possible, please give us at least 5 day’s notice so we can ensure captioners/interpreters are available.

All rooms are wheelchair accessible via lift and have access to accessible and gender neutral toilets.

These workshops are offered for free but if there we have a limited number of stipends available for those that might experience financial barriers to attendance. This could go towards travel, your time, etc. To request one, drop us an - stipends will be offered on a first-come, first-served basis.

Find out more

Head to Bristol Old Vic's website to find out more about the programme of activity by following this link.

As part of Art of Resistance Rider Shafique sat down with Edson Burton to discuss his multi-faceted career and his thoughts on the activist community in Bristol.

Rider is a lyricist, spoken word and recording artist and a prolific and versatile MC at both live events on record.

Rider creates visual and performance art to educate and inspire for his project I-DENTITY, including photography exhibitions, films, interviews, workshops and a radio interview series for Noods Radio called I-MC.

Want to find out more about Art of Resistance? Click here to find out more about the project and upcoming events or keep up to date with events and news at Trinity by signing up to our mailing list.

Art of Resistance is a two-year, National Heritage Lottery Funded project charting 100 years of protest in Bristol.

Soundtrack by Grove

TLK performing in the Fyfe Hall as part of Trinity Presents. Image credit Khali Ackford/Trinity Community Arts

In the past year, Trinity has welcomed some of the best artists in the UK, from Brit Award-winning Sam Fender to singer-songwriter Joy Crookes (on her breakthrough tour) to post-punk band Goat Girl. We've hosted all-nighters welcoming the likes of Teachings In Dub and Electrikal Wall of Sound. In-house we programmed some of the best acts Bristol and the South West have to offer, from Booty Bass giving it everything in the Garden Sessions to sublime Jazz from Waldo's Gift in the Fyfe Hall.

We are pleased to announce in recognition of this and, for the second year running, Trinity has been nominated for a Grassroots Venue: Spirit Of The Scene Award as part of The Music Week Awards.

As the winner is selected by public vote, you can help by:

1. Vote for Trinity by clicking on this link 👉 (voting takes 1-2 mins)
2. Spread the word - Share the link on socials alongside pics of your fav gig you have been to at Trinity in the last year and don't forget to @ us and use #ReviveLive hashtag
3. Be quick - Voting closes at 5pm 18 March 2022

The Award is supported by Music Venue Trust whom advocate for Grassroots Venues in the UK and we are nominated alongside eight other grassroots venues in the UK: Le Pub, Night & Day, Omeara, Rescue Rooms, Sneaky Pete's, The Boileroom, The New Adelphi and The Sugarmill.

We wish everyone the best of luck and anticipate a very enjoyable evening together on Thursday 26 May during The Music Week Award Ceremony when the winners will be announced.

Here and Now was a national and local celebration of culture within communities, conceived to mark the 25th anniversary of the National Lottery. It gave communities an opportunity to articulate their hopes and dreams, share and bond over the realities that their communities experience and access creativity and culture.

"It was lovely to see how you've used the lullabies too as a way back into memory, roots and diaspora for adults" Participant, Lullabies

Trinity Associate Roxana Vilk artist was selected to develop 'Lullabies', a project she was inspired to make following singing her children Iranian lullabies at night and wondering how other lullabies where being sung from the many communities who call Bristol home.

Roxana worked with Trinity and local community organisation, Eastside Community Trust, to deliver music and sound workshops where Lullabies were shared. When Lockdown was announced in Mar 2020 Roxana quickly adapted deliver to online hosting Zoom music workshops. In total Roxana worked with over 240 families to collect Lullabies

As  Lockdown restrictions eased in the summer of 2021 Lullabies culminated with a 'Trinity Take Over' with immersive installations, live music and even a baby rave!

Lantern Parade in Newtown, part of The Wish List. Photo Khali Ackford

In March 2021 we launched an ambitious community arts project, 'What I Want To Be, What I Want To See' that asked communities to share their hopes and dreams for the future, post-pandemic.

"I would never have thought I would ever enjoy doing anything like this, but I've absolutely loved it! Thank you!" Lantern Making participant

Online we shared content from our partners and residents' groups Misfits Theatre, Hype and Dance For Parkinsons. Outside we took to the streets with a robot named S.U.S.A.A.N who collected (socially distanced) hopes and dreams from local residents. In our Garden people added to a temporary community arts sculpture.

We created an open call for a paid commissioned for an artist to collaborate with local residents to creatively respond to drawings, poems and other creative responses collected. The commission was awarded community arts practitioner, Michelle Roche whose community arts project ‘The Wish List’ encompassed the spirit of 'What I Want To Be, What I Want To See' .

Collaborating with Newton Network, a community development organisation and local community members The Wish List curated a series of ‘creative happenings’ across the community of Newton. Events included weekly 'creative coffee mornings’ to create the lanterns for the magical mid-winter Dolphin Parade. A resident community painting day with artists Rose Popay and a public playlist of their favorite songs – sharing the unique identity of this vibrant corner of Bristol. A lasting legacy of the project is residents continuing the creative coffee mornings at Rosever House, a retirement complex.

Projects like these are part of our commitment to creating opportunities for artists and communities to co-create together, find out more about how we support creative communities here.

Cleo Lake is an activist, artist and elected representative, her activism spans the BLM movement, environmentalism and gender equality.

A former Colston girls school student and a leading voice in the Countering Colston movement Cleo, on taking office as Lord Mayor of Bristol, removed a portrait of Edward Colston that hung in the Lord Mayor's parlour.

Dr Edson Burton caught up with Cleo as part of the oral history research for Art of Resistance and captured the inspirational story of how she remains rooted in grassroots activism whilst navigating local and global corridors of power.

Watch the highlights of the interview above or view the whole interview by clicking here.

Want to find out more about Art of Resistance? Click here to find out more about the project and upcoming events or keep up to date with events and news at Trinity by signing up to our mailing list.

Art of Resistance is a two-year, National Heritage Lottery Funded project charting 100 years of protest in Bristol.

Soundtrack Soft Cheeks by Grove

Booty Bass, Trinity, 2021. Photo credit: Khali Ackford

This policy has been updated in response to updated Government guidelines, and is designed to help visitors decide whether or not to attend the Centre during the pandemic.

Attending the venue

To keep others safe, we strongly advise all event attendees to:

• take a PCR/lateral flow test prior to coming on site
• wash and sanitise hands regularly
• respect the personal space and boundaries of others

in addition to the above, we strongly advise all other Centre users to wear a face covering when walking around the building.

Please DO NOT come to the Centre if you:

1. have recently tested positive for COVID-19 and/or
2. have been asked to self-isolate via the NHS Test and Trace app and/or
3. have symptoms of COVID-19 - click here for latest Public Health England guidance

Unable to attend?

Due to the lifting of isolation requirements, we will no longer be issuing refunds due to COVID-19. Please use an ethical resale site, such as Twickets or TicketSwap, if you are unable to attend.

If you have purchased your tickets from an external ticket vendor, please contact them directly for their refund policy.

If you have any concerns about tickets, please contact us at info@trinitybristol.org.uk.

What we’re doing

The health and safety of those using our Centre is our top priority. Trinity has been, and will continue to, closely monitor Public Health England (PHE) guidelines in relation to COVID-19.

We are working to take all reasonable, practical steps to ensure the safety of visitors and minimise risk of infection.

During gigs and club nights:

• We will have screens up at the bar
• We have installed hand-sanitiser stations at key points
• We have installed UV air filtration units at key points

What about air?

Trinity is a Grade II* listed building, with neighbouring residents in close earshot. This makes ventilating the building and air filtration difficult. We are being supported by Architectural Heritage Fund to develop a medium and long-term plan to improve ventilation.

We have installed UV air filtration units at key points around our main events space; eliminating high levels of respiratory viruses, bacteria, and pollution from indoor air. For more information on these UV air filtration units, please see here.

We will continue to provide updates as this plan emerges. If you would like to contact us about our advice for attending Trinity, please email us on feedback@trinitybristol.org.uk.

Your safety

We want to make sure The Trinity Centre is a safe space, where everyone can enjoy music, art, and freedom of expression, and be themselves, free from hatred and harassment.

If you witness or experience any bullying, harassment, unwanted attention or contact, or behaviour of any kind that makes you uncomfortable, please notify a member of staff or security immediately.

You can read our full Code of Conduct here.

Additional event information

All events will be cashless unless specified otherwise.

Credit: Mikaela Loach/Charlie Hyams

In March 2022 Trinity are hosting The Final Frontier, a two-day festival that will explore Bristol’s activism and the connection between art and activism that has affected change on a global scale.

Environmental activist Mikaela Loach, who famously took the UK oil industry to the High Courts in 2021, will share their story of using collective action to ensure that the government is held to account for their response to the climate crisis.

Other guests include Bristol ‘artists and activists’ Doug Francis (Invisible Circus) Chris Chalkley (PRCS) and Michelle Curtis whose iconic paintings of ‘The Seven Saints of St Paul’s challenged stereotypes of the African Caribbean community that make the central Bristol ward their home; comedian, programmer, and tutor Angie Belcher (Aftermirth) & Stockholm Fringe favourite, the ever bold poet, performer, producer Isadora Vibes.

Throughout both days there will be workshops running that attendees can sign up to on the day. These include Hip-Hop, poetry, up-cycling fashion and an opportunity to help make a 'banner for Bristol' as well as an exhibition of artwork that uses creativity as a form of activism, including famous Bristol protest artworks.

Click here to book your tickets

Art of Resistance is a two-year, National Heritage Lottery Funded project charting 100 years of protest in Bristol.

The camera has long played a vital role in producing alternative narratives and creating a counter point to mainstream depictions.  Image from 'Activism Through the Lens' credit Khali Ackford/ Trinity Community Arts

Bristol based photographer Khali Ackford came to prominence following his powerful photographs capturing the spirit of the Black Lives Matters movement in the city. The events of which led to the toppling of Colston and a ripple effect around the globe.

“I’d seen his work and know the level of work that he brings across – that was the main attraction, to aspire to get to that level.” Zack, participant of Activism Through the Lens

In autumn 2021, as part of the Heritage Lottery funded project Art of Resistance, Trinity commissioned Khali to create a hands-on workshop series that would explore the role of photography in challenging the dominant narrative and highlight its power to support marginalised voices.

Khali designed the programme to introduce participants to his own journey as a photographer and offered opportunities to connect with his peers, including bringing leading artists/activists to sessions. He supported the group with key technical skills such as tips for shooting with DSLR’s, how to capture the spirit of protests through a lens, as well as shooting in a studio environment.

The programme included a mini-personal project, whereby participants used the skills they had learnt to create studio images that amplified the issues that were most passionate to them including the role and dedication of front-line NHS staff during the pandemic.

Art of Resistance continues to offer a programme of events and activities throughout 2022, including The Final Frontier, a two-day festival in March. The Festival features Mikaela Loach, who famously took the UK oil industry to the High Courts in 2021, as well as Bristol ‘artists and activists’ Doug Francis (Invisible Circus) Chris Chalkley (PRCS) and Michelle Curtis whose iconic paintings of ‘The Seven Saints of St Paul’s challenged stereotypes of the African Caribbean community that make the central Bristol ward their home. Click here to buy tickets.

Children from Hannah Moore Primary at a Forest School Session, children from the school will be taking part in the project

Trinity has teamed up with arts organisation Take A Part to deliver a community arts research project with local school children and their parents/carers.

Take A Part work collaboratively with communities using creativity as a catalyst for change, aiming to re-balance social injustices and models of collective action. In this project, made possible through the Cultural Recovery Fund, they are looking at ways to increase and understand 'cultural democracy'.

The project was developed in late 2021 and runs until Apr 2022. Take a Part are currently delivering creative activities and workshops in which children/carers are exploring what culture they enjoy and what issues matter to them. Alongside this, they will be going on group trips to visit organisations such as Spike Island and The Bristol Museum, meeting staff and volunteers and having an opportunity to ask questions and see behind the scenes of some of the biggest cultural venues in the city.

The project also aims to evidence the ways in which engaging in culture can support more families at the school, who have been separated by Covid19, to reconnect and build new relationships with one another.

The project will culminate in a public exhibition at Trinity on 21 April that will be curated and designed by the children. In this children will be supported to be both artist and curator and to show their work, findings and thoughts to the community.

We will be sharing photos and updates of the projects on our socials throughout the project. Keep an eye out here.

Making Tracks music programme for young people

Making Tracks was a four-year music making project delivered by Trinity in partnership with Basement Studios and ACE.

We worked with young people challenging personal circumstances offering space and guidance to develop their skills and confidency through music-making.

Activities included 1-2-1 and groups sessions delivered by professional musicians working in the industry, covering a wide range of music from guitar and bass to rap and post-production.

Trinity works in partnership with pupil referral units, schools and organisations to provide regular support and guidance, to help young people re-engage with school, find internships, work placements, employment opportunities or to go onto higher and further education.

90% of young people taking part in Making Tracks saw an improvement in their musical practise and 85% reported that they have improved confidence and self-esteem.

Making Tracks was supported by Youth Music and using public funding by the National Lottery through Arts Council England, as well as support from match funders Youth Sector Support Fund.

If you are a young person who would like to take part in music making activities at Trinity or if you know a young person who would like to take part, please get in touch.

Anti-Harassment Statement

Everyone has the right to a self-expression and to not feel harassed because of who they are. At the Trinity Centre, our staff and volunteers aim to create a safe, relaxed environment for people to enjoy themselves and have positive social/cultural experiences. We want to make sure The Trinity Centre is a safe space where everyone can:

• be themselves free from hatred and harassment
• enjoy music, art and freedom of expression

If someone is harassed within our venue we want to know about this so we can take action. Our anti-harassment procedure is designed to support victims of harassment to feel safe and supported and to enable our staff to be able to take swift action to protect people from harm.

If you see or experience any unwanted attention, contact, bullying, harassment, or behaviour of any kind that makes you uncomfortable, please speak out and notify our staff immediately.

Sexual harassment, acts of aggression, racism, misogyny, transphobia, homophobia, religious bigotry or hatred and discrimination of any kind are not permitted. Anyone committing such acts will be removed from the venue.

If you would like to share feedback or report an experience please speak to a member of staff during the event, or after an event please email info@trinitybristol.org.uk or call 0117 935 1200 and ask to speak to our Safeguarding Officer in confidence. For more information, please see our Anti-Harassment Policy.

#ItsNotOK

Photo: Apple N Spice

Head to Trinity this Spring to get involved with a new season of theatre and dance featuring shows that amplify stories from across the UK and beyond, creating a picture of life in modern Britain.

From shadow puppetry inspired by Indian culture to spoken word, this season is one of highs, laughs and - as always - conversations.

"I loved this from the moment I read this two cultures mixing together with singing and dance and audience participation, great one for the children to get involved in" Forum member feedback on Apple 'N Spice, showing 17th Feb 22

Launching with Apple 'N' Spice (17 Feb), an interactive dance and theatre show inspired by Snow White and Ramayana (an ancient Indian story).

On the Inside (25 Feb) by Untold Theatre transports audiences to a dystopian world where four people are trapped inside and forced to live together and their morals and values are thrown out of the window when their true selves begin to emerge...

Dry Season (06 Mar) is a spoken word show that takes a candid look at the impact of experiencing the menopause in your 30's.

Like Mercury (12 Mar) is a powerful new dance and music collaboration by Emma Houston and Bellatrix. Developed with support from Trinity, the show explores the idea of identity through a queer lens.

The Big Trinity Picnic (26 Mar) is a family show hosted by poet Simon Mole and musician Gecko who will perform alongside a very special invited guest poet and is perfect for children aged 7-11 and their families/carers.

About Trinity Presents

The shows where selected following an open call for artists and companies responding to the theme, 'art of resistance'.

Trinity's programming forum made up of community members and independent representatives chose six shows to feature as part of our latest season of in-house programming.

This work is part of Trinity's commitment to amplifying the diverse voices of groups and communities who make UK culture today. To read more about what this means, see: #67MillionVoices.

All tickets are priced as 'pay what you can' starting at £7 + bf and all shows will feature a BSL interpreter.

Trinity stand in solidarity with the Bristol DIY Arts Network and call to keep Culture at ‘arm's length’

Arts organisations from Bristol have come together to create #67MillionVoices, to raise awareness of the possible risks to the future of creative freedom of expression in the arts.

As many were buried in the National Portfolio application, the newly launched Reviews of Public Bodies programme announced it will examine the operations of all arm’s-length bodies in England - including the Arts Council, the BFI, the National Lottery Community Fund and Historic England - to assess whether "they should be abolished or retained" (The Stage, 16 May 2022)

The UK have always held a firm ‘at arms length’ stance to the arts and heritage sector. Over the last two years, pressures from the 'Common Sense Group' has  sought to reduce this independence, and have lobbied the Government step in and take action against charities and arts organisations whose work is not in keeping with 'British values'.

What does it mean to be British and who should get to decide?

DIY believe diversity is strength. It makes our art better, our heritage stories richer and Britain greater.

It is the job of arts and heritage charities to reflect on our past and recontextualise history for audiences in the present day.

The presentation of narratives counter to those that we may be more familiar with is not about, ‘doing Britain down’. Instead, this provides us with an enriched learning environment and builds a more accurate picture of what it means to be British today.

This freedom of expression is critical to the arts and enables us to celebrate our diversity.

Here's how to support this work:

✔  Keep culture 'at arm's length' #KeepItArmsLength #HandsOffOurHeritage

✔  Uphold the Human Rights Act #ProtectHumanRightsAct

✔  Protect freedom of expression #ProtectFreedomofExpression

✔Write to you MP, download a template letter

✔Amplify #67MillionVoices on social media

✔ Get Informed – read the online timeline of events so far

#67millionvoices make culture - use yours today

Bristol DIY Arts Network is an independent gathering of arts organisations and arts practitioners, large and small, who deliver cultural programmes within the city of Bristol. We meet regularly to advocate for the sector and to discuss and inform policy.

Image credit: Docklands Community Centre/Full Circle

Dubbed by agencies across the voluntary sector as, ‘The Great British Sell-Off’, our shared heritage and civic assets, community and youth centres, libraries and public green spaces are being lost as part of the council funding crisis.

Bristol City Council’s 2022-23 budget announcement is framed with the proviso that further cuts will be needed to plug a £19.5m deficit. This includes, “£3.5m by reviewing the buildings we own across all services.” With the statue debate still raging nationally, we’re sleepwalking into a future that, even prior to the pandemic, has already stripped Bristol of £30m worth of publicly owned assets.

"If we continue to deplete our supply of places where we can read our first book, become a Scout, learn a language or a new dance move or play Bingo in our retirement, we’ll continue down the pathway to polarisation."

The challenge is not in making such spaces loved, it’s in making them viable. We neglect the leaking community centre, or the inaccessible library, whilst trying to ‘level-up’, through investing in ‘transformative’ projects where the cost of the economic impact assessment alone would cover repairs and alterations across community spaces citywide. It’s hard to see how the building of an Arena or a multi-million concert hall refurb compensates us for the loss of the places where we connect with one another, make memories and build our sense of place and belonging in our everyday lives.

As costs of a few projects escalate to keep pace with aspiration, this increases the distance between the ‘viable’ and ‘non-viable’ spaces. If you’re a charity running a building, it’s almost impossible not to get caught on the capital conveyor belt to nowhere, in which we all chase an unattainable vision of the perfect building. Often, like Trinity, it’s what we’re legally constituted to “preserve” our asset. This means, even with the best intentions, we can end up leaving behind our stakeholders and our communities in the pursuit of building back better.

When we get swept up in the notion that a capital project is the priority above all else, we lose sight of the thing that makes buildings important in the first place; it’s the empty space within and the energy it’s filled with that matters more than the bricks and mortar.

We want to make Trinity the best venue it can be, just not at the expense of other venues or those who need the building in the first place and who have been happy using it even at its shabbiest. Balancing the need to future-proof and make a viable and sustainable Centre, whilst taking others with us and ensuring any investment is felt beyond our four walls.

This is why we produced the 100 Beacons report in partnership with other venues and the Council to evidence the contribution of Bristol’s community assets, including the critical role they’ve played in providing local services as part of the COVID19 response.

As part of Bristol’s One City Plan, early indications are a commitment from the Council to invest in improvements to concessionary lettings, such as those referenced in our report. This could provide a lifeline to buildings owned by the city and managed on our behalf. As the budget is still in draft form, we still don’t yet know how this will translate into money to make neighbourhood hubs useable, accessible, green and COVID-Secure. However, this is at least an example of what can be achieved if we work together on what matters to people, to ensure spaces are retained for community use for the benefit of ourselves and future generations.

If we continue to deplete our supply of places where we can read our first book, become a Scout, learn a language or a new dance move or play Bingo in our retirement, we’ll continue down the pathway to polarisation. Such catastrophic loss to communities makes it easy to develop false attachments to an effigy of a slaver not designed with us in mind, whilst increasing our resentment towards those we see as encroaching on any space we feel we have left, be it the immigrant or the gentrifier.

If only those advocating to preserve commemorative statues put even a fraction of that energy into campaigning to save their local heritage asset or civic space, volunteer at their local community or youth centre, or set up a regular social activity in their local library we’d all feel the positive effects. As we continue to navigate the isolating impact of a period of successive restrictions, it’s the spaces that reduce the distance between us that help us to level-up, culturally, socially and economically.

Emma Harvey, CEO

Read the report: A Community Canvas - building the case for community infrastructure 2022 - 2026