Ania sharing her work in progress at Trinity (photo @ Alastair Brookes)

A few thoughts about sharing Guayabo at SPILL Festival of performance 2018

"I just didn’t know how it would go until I had this experience"

Ania Varez is one of four Bristol based artists who are developing exciting new work in collaboration with communities at Trinity over six months as part of our IGNiTE theatre and dance programme.

During her residency Ania is developing ‘Guayabo’ a participatory work that invites people to gather around their pain and the pain of others and is heavily influenced by Ania’s move from Venezuela to leave her country’s violent dictatorship. The crisis is rarely mentioned in mainstream media and Ania has been using her art to share her and her family’s experiences with others.

Ania recently took ‘Guaybo’ to Spill Festival, an international festival of contemporary arts and activism in Ipswich. We asked her to tell us the four things she learnt while she was there.

Maybe not all works are meant for art festivals (or maybe they need a bit more help)

Guayabo is a very challenging piece to share for different reasons. Mostly, because it requires placing myself in a very vulnerable state, my family is also exposed through the videos and texts I read, and the topic is extremely painful and difficult on its own.

I was concerned that those who came to experience the work might not have the capacity to offer the mental and emotional investment this piece requires due to the festival environment which is overwhelming with people quickly moving from one performance to another. I also felt the audience needed more time to process the difficult information that Guayabo conveys, whilst in a safe environment, before leaving the room and returning to a conventional social mode.

Towards the end of the work, I invite people to stay in the room for as long as they need and to chat with me if they wish, but since people had to rush to another show, most of them could not have that time, which felt important in terms of caring for themselves and for me. To know this for future sharings is really positive!

I will think about what needs to change inside the work to ensure people receive the care they need. However, the context is also important. I’m sure SPILL would have made a bigger effort to ensure these things happened if I had spoken about them beforehand, but I just didn’t know how it would go until I had this experience. Maybe arts festivals are not the right context for Guayabo, or maybe it just needs some programming adjustments (have more time altogether, organising a meal to share right after, for example) would really help to overcome these difficulties.

Guayabo connects people in the UK with Ania's family in Venezuela

It’s nicer to meet people outside of performance settings

Whilst being at SPILL I slightly regretted not having the time to see other works and meet many people. Sharing this piece took all of my time and energy and I didn’t have the space to experience much more. In hindsight, I notice that I naturally felt more inclined to encounter people outside of the performance settings (at breakfast, or in the artists green room) in a more relaxed and meaningful way, and most of the time we didn’t even talk about our work which I enjoyed much more.

Before arriving to SPILL, I was quite worried that everyone around me would be trying to constantly pitch their work at each other, but I was glad to discover that most people seemed to agree that having a good time and laughing together was more important.

Self care and support kept everything together

I had severe technical difficulties during my first show and right until the beginning of my second show. This uncertainty added pressure to sharing such personal work, which massively compromised my mental health during the performance days.

Having my producer, Katherine Hall, with me during the first two days really kept me safe and capable of getting through the difficulties, as she took care of many things and allowed me to concentrate on the work. Sadly, she could not stay for the last two days and that would have really affected me if it wasn’t for Shabnam Shabazi (the Wellbeing Liaison of the festival) and Manon Santi (part of the SPILL team) who were there to support me. They gave such gentle and caring attention to me and to the work: this meant I could present the work without having a breakdown or feeling like I was delivering it on my own.

It’s not the end of the line

SPILL felt like an incredible opportunity for me as an artist and a person. It’s the biggest platform I have ever shared work on. But I didn’t want it to feel like the ultimate platform, or the culmination of this long process. I wanted it to feel like another island I stumble upon in the middle of this long trip. A place to pass by, gather things that felt valuable, meet great people and then continue on the journey. Almost one month after the festival, I see this opportunity has brought a few open doors, some new friends and a lot of learning. I enjoy holding on to this feeling of continuation, this long process that exists independently of the platforms that I visit, but continues to be nourished by them. I am looking forward to continuing my research at Trinity Centre next year.

Read more about our IGNiTE programme and artist in residence just here.

IGNiTE Artist Ania Varez is developing the performance piece “Guayabo” as part of her residency (photo @ Alastair Brookes)

Ania Varez is a young Venezuelan artist who left her country’s violent dictatorship and moved to the UK. The crisis she escaped is rarely mentioned in mainstream media but Ania has been using art to share her and her family’s experiences with others.

She joined Trinity as an IGNiTE resident artist in September to develop her new show “Guayabo”, or “heartbreak” in Venezuelan slang. In late October, she invited people to join a sharing session in which she presented her work.

Ania's homeland, Venezuela is experiencing a silent humanitarian crisis (photo @ Alastair Brookes)

All the elements that formed part of Ania’s performance painted a sharp nightmarish picture of her city, a place that has lost all of its warmth and safety. It was brilliant to not just watch but to actually actively take part in the interactive performance Ania created as part of her residency with Trinity.

Prior to entering the performance space, we were greeted by Ania and added to a WhatsApp group by her assistant to receive messages and media during the performance. We were then invited to walk into the space – a dark room with two rows of seats lined up to face one other. At one end of the rows; a TV, at the other end; a large lamp, switched off. The only other light source in the room was dim, the atmosphere was heavy.

Only a few minutes in, Ania invited us to lie down on the floor while she told the story of a murdered corpse being found in a park while she and her lover were peacefully laying down on the grass. This was a tipping point in the performance; by involving our bodies in the story-telling, it felt like we were brought incredibly close to Caracas, her home city, and to the terror that reigns there.

People wrote who they loved on apples as part of Ania's grief party (photo @ Alastair Brookes)

From writing the name of our loved ones on an apple, a mundane fruit that is now impossible to find in Venezuela, to joining efforts to smash a piñata, we were all made part of her grief party. The poems she wrote and read and the ongoing TV screening of the footage she gathered during a rare visit to her family were striking and raw. “In this city, laughter feels like a miracle”, “The last second of panic before you close the front door”, “Until there’s a bullet in the back of everyone you know”.

During the Q&A that followed the performance, we were asked if the stories that involved violence were too descriptive and shocking, but were all positive that they gave the show strength and impact.

Guayabo is about creating connections between places where the connections have been broken. (photo @ Alastair Brookes)

One thing felt very clear: “Guayabo” is not a teary-eyed drama seeking the audience’s compassion. It’s an invitation to connect Ania’s isolated family in Caracas and England. An attempt to create a positive link between two places that have been completely disconnected, if only for an hour. The large lamp that stood unlit in the room was set up to switch on if Ania’s mother replied to her WhatsApp message: “Are you safe today?”. We all sat waiting for the lamp to turn on for a solid minute, but it didn’t. Instead, Ania recorded a voice message of all of us clapping and cheering for her mother as a gesture of acknowledgement and support.

The 31st of October marked the 2 year anniversary of Ania hugging her sister for the last time before leaving. She marked the day by performing “Guayabo” at SPILL Festival in Ipswich.

About IGNiTE

IGNiTE is Trinity's in house programme of world-class, innovative theatre and dance about issues that matter to people now, starting conversations and sparking debate. IGNiTE is supported using public funding by the National Lottery through Arts Council England and buy Bristol City Council

Workers hand carved new stone - even during the snow! Photo@Khali Ackford

#1 Emma Harvey, Centre Director

“It has to be when we did some researching into the last wedding that happened on the 26th March 1976 at Trinity. We managed to find someone whose name matched the couples on social media and decided to direct message them. It was moment of high anxiety to see the icon that they where messaging us back!

Thankfully it was to say that they where still happily married and that they were super happy we had contacted them. Cheers from us to them for 42 years together!”

Our Heart & Soul project took place alongside major repairs to Trinity. Here a participant creates woodcuts, inspired by Trinity's history. Photo@Khali Ackford

#2 Fidel Meraz, Trinity Board Member

“Sharing pizza and drinks during an afternoon with the staff and the stonemasons who were doing most of the the material work on the building, is such a wonderful memory.”

#3&4 Karina Castro, Project Manager

“ I am going to choose two .. if that is allowed … first up has to be 'A Waltz Down Memory Lane' (20 April) - a great afternoon of dancing, cakes and memory sharing attended by over 40 people over 55. This was made even more amazing by having Norma's Groovers back at Trinity entertaining our friends.

Dr McClymont's talk looked at how we repurpose old buildings. Photo@Khali Ackford

Then, Dr Katie McClymont's 'and the spirit lingered on' (19 June) - a really engaging talk that got everybody involved (inc Khali, the photographer!) about how historic buildings, particularly former churches, are now used as sites of secular worship and as community hubs."

Centre Director Emma Harvey shares the floor with TCA founder Matthew Hewitt and long standing DM and former Centre Manager Derreck Sterling. Photo@Khali Ackford

#5 Glyn Everett, Chair of Trustees
“I really enjoyed the talk 'Reconstructing Trinity from Disrepair to Glory' (31 July) - A wonderful conversation around the different moments of history that the Trinity has seen, and all the heartfelt effort that has gone into keeping the building open, safe and working for the communities that surround it."

About Heart & Soul

From January to October 2018 we celebrated Trinity's place at the heart of the community through a programme of accessible heritage activities, workshops and events. The activities took place alongside our most recent capital works to conserve and renovate the building and where funded by Heritage Lottery Fund, Historic England, Bristol City Council and other charitable Trusts & Foundations.

Vicki Hearne is part of this years cohort of  IGNiTE artists in residence (photo @Megan Ashton)

Alexa Ledecky, our very awesome project assistant on our IGNiTE programme, went along to IGNiTE resident artist Vicki Hearne's sharing of the work she is developing here at Trinity - sharing's are an opportunity for artists to receive feedback about their work.

Read on to find out Alexa's thoughts about 'Practically Perfect'.

Last month, Vicki Hearne and her Untold Dance Theatre fellow female performers brought their work in progress to Trinity for a sharing session. Audience members were invited to attend the performance for free and encouraged to share their feeling and impressions about the ideas that have been developed so far. Vicki has been working on “Practically Perfect” as part of her IGNiTE residency with Trinity since early September.

"Unity definitely shone through the dancers and musicians during the performance."

The show uses dance and theatre to explore how most women are often pushed to mould their body into an idea of perfection that society dictates. As the performance began, the lights dimmed and two musicians sat by the side of the scene set the atmosphere with an acoustic guitar and synth live soundtrack. The dancers entered, carried by the ethereal melody and began to tell us their story. A recurring theme became apparent: the female body being objectified with harsh humour and sarcasm.

Vicki had several solid scenes to present to the audience. To mention a few without giving too much away; robotic Barbie dolls, a restaurant serving perfect female bodies on a platter, a “cooking” class on how to make a flawless woman. All those scenes involved folding, crushing bodies and treating them like objects, quite literally making them submit to society’s vision of perfection. The audience was also very receptive to the challenging subjects tackled and invited Untold Dance Theatre to go deeper and make them feel even more uncomfortable. The exploration of a serious subject did not cut out artistic creativity. Each scene was different and the audience stated it will be interesting to see how the “chaos binds with the more flowy parts” in the final performance. Discussing the overall tone of the show, a viewer pointed out: “There are kitsch moments, but those were so precise and clean. The comedy helps with the more earthy parts”.

Vicki and the cast listened to the audience with poise, eager to use this sharing session to develop “Practically Prefect” further. Some open expectations were expressed: “The rhythm was building into something that was establishing. I would like to see everyone go completely wild at some point”. The viewers repeatedly showed excitement about finding out the answers in the finished piece: “What happens the the reject; are they ‘put right’ or are they ‘celebrated for being imperfect’?”.

A woman concluded the discussion by encouraging to celebrate our imperfections rather than to condemn them: “We don’t have to be whole as an individual, we’re whole as a group”. One thing is for certain - unity definitely shone through the dancers and musicians during the performance.

The sharing of the work took place in Trinity's Ffye Hall (photo @Megan Ashton)

Stay tuned for updates on Vicki Hearne and our three other artist residents here on our website.

IGNiTE is supported using public funding by Bristol City Council and by the National Lottery through Arts Council England

Abi & Jack's Wedding at Trinity Centre

"Everybody wanted to get married there at that Trinity Church. My Auntie Marge and Auntie Iris got married there, I was bridesmaid there. What I do remember is where the vicar used to stand, it was a lovely eagle that he had the Bible on that he used to read the service from." Gloria, recorded on 22nd August 2018

Designed by our awesome intern Tess Sieling (who alongside her archive work has spent the year blogging about the Heart & Soul project) the booklet presents a sample of weddings, wakes and parties spanning the life of Trinity. View the booklet in its full glory here, or you can pick up one of the limited printed copies from Trinity. Previous heritage projects include What's Your Trinity Story and Vice & Virtue.

We welcomed Wilbert Smith from Heritage Lottery Fund to the celebration

Andy Council's Trinity Fox finds a home in the main hall

We opened up Trinity so all could have a look around - here participants from The Democratic Set check out The Visible Girls exhibition

Heart & Soul intern Tess chats with attendees at the celebration

Trinity member Stacey from Up Our Street places her vote

Trinity Centre Director Emma Harvey talks about the Heart & Soul project

Simi from Awaz, a weekly community group held at Trinity takes a moment to say thank you

Volunteer Rob's History of Trinity music set awed us all

Love this album? Then check out our Facebook for more photos.

Trinity Centre, finally revealed photo @ Sarah Koury

After nearly a year of being covered by scaffolding we are finally set to reveal our iconic towers again after completing our programme of critical repair works.

“We have been overwhelmed by people’s support, generosity and love of Trinity,Support from funders and members of the public means that we’ve been able to secure the building’s future for generations to come and we want to say a big thank you to everyone involved. We will continue to work hard to make Trinity the diverse and pioneering community venue that the city deserves” Emma Harvey, Trinity Centre Director

Works to the centre, a Grade II* listed building, began in October 2017 as part of our long-term plan to conserve and renovate The Trinity Centre and protect its future, both as a community arts hub and also one Bristol’s most respected live-music venues.

In January 2018, investigations revealed extensive historic damage to the building, leaving the us to raise further funds to stop the building from further deterioration and prevent the former-church from being placed back onto Historic England’s ‘At Risk’ Register.

Following a public appeal to help secure Trinity’s past, present and future, we were fortunate to receive an uplift grant from Historic England, alongside support from the Heritage Lottery Fund, Bristol City Council, other charitable Trusts & Foundations as well as generous donations from the public.

A 51 week critical work programme has been undertaken, overseen by Bristol-based Ferguson Mann Architects and construction firm Carrek – locally based specialists in historic conservation. Works included repairs to the roofing, stained glass windows and iconic ‘Trinity towers’, as well as intricate repair of the historic Bath-stone fabric of the building.

After a year long programme of conservation works the Trinity Centre awaits the removal of the final scaffolding (photo credit @Khali Ackford)

Since 2008, we have invested over £2 million in repairing and restoring the Trinity Centre - which is owned by Bristol City Council - transforming it from a dilapidated space into a thriving participatory arts centre for inner-city residents. These latest repair works are the final phase of repairs to restore the fabric of the building and further improvement works are planned, to increase the centre’s usability and sustainability.

Stonemasons take a break after inspecting their work, with East Bristol in the background (photo credit @Khali Ackford)

We had to prioritise what works we undertook meaning that we had to omit some of the planned sustainability improvements, such a second solar PV installation and solar battery storage as well as some additional sound proofing measures.

With Trinity Road Police Station earmarked for a possible residential development, we are aware how important these improvements are both for existing and potential new residents. Therefore we are committed to continuing to ensure there is investment in venue improvements in order to maximise use and sustain the building’s future.

Improvements to the building mean that centre we can continue to be home to over 160 community and voluntary groups who run a range of regular activities from dance classes for older people to the monthly Rhythm of the Night, a nightclub for adults with learning difficulties. We support community groups with over 1400 hours of free and subsidised hall space each year to ensure that the centre continues to provide invaluable public benefit. Activities like these are made possible in part through income generated through our car park and support from public donations.

“I’m 75 and still dancing – this means so much in term of fitness, socialising and even mental fitness. This wouldn’t be possible without Trinity – who provide amazing spaces for classes” says Adrian Longstaffe who attends Gerry’s Attic, a dance group held weekly at Trinity.

The Trinity Towers awaiting their big reveal (photo credit @Khali Ackford)

We will be celebrating the completion of these works at our celebratory ‘Heart & Soul’ event and AGM and warmly invite all to attend-  on 4 October.

You can play your part in Trinity’s future, by donating to Trinity and help support groups like Gerry’s Attic to find community, happiness and opportunity.  Donate online www.3ca.org.uk/donatenow, or text TR1N13 £5 to 70070

IGNiTE resident Roxana Vilk shares her project during the induction day Sep 2018 photo @ Alexa Ledecky

“My hopes for the residency are that the idea will grow in a very collaborative, beautiful way into a piece that reflects the incredible diverse communities around us here and the heartfelt stories that bind us together as humans.” IGNiTE resident

We’re delighted to introduce the 2018 cohort of IGNiTE artists in residence. Over the next six months, these four Bristol based artists will develop exciting new work in collaboration with communities at Trinity.

Roxana Vilk will invite people to collectively celebrate heritage though lullabies sung at night in her project ‘Across Our City At Night’.

Ania Varez's invites people to experience emotional pain as a collective and across borders in her project ‘Guayabo’ (or, Grief Party).

Vicki Hearne’s ‘Practically Perfect’ is an intergenerational project exploring the common pressures felt by generations of women.

Viki Browne’s ‘Hyper Fem’ explores gender empowerment and the performance of femininity in a male dominated drag world.

Photographer Anita Corbin shares some thoughts with the 2018 cohort during their induction day photo @ Alexa Ledecky

Each artist has been chosen because their practice puts co-creation with communities at its core, aiming to connect to new audiences and sparking debate. Their projects tackle big issues to do with identity and our place in the world, exploring themes such as migration and gender empowerment.

Our  residency programme is now in its third year and aims to increase the diversity and representation of art, artists and audiences, whilst offering artists an opportunity to test out new ideas, reflect on their practice and make new connections.

Julia Thornycroft is a member of the IGNiTE programming forum, who collaboratively help select this years residents. Photo @ Alexa Ledecky

Whether artists are at the very beginning of an idea or taking a project they have already developed in a new direction, we encourage artists to use their time with us to take risks and experiment – all within a supportive environment.  All four artists will receive professional support, the use of Trinity’s performance space the Fyfe Hall, and a bursary. You can find out more about the featured artists and their projects by visiting their profile pages here.

Roxana, Ania and Vicky in the studio listening to music tutor Dave as he explained more about our Youth Music project, Making Tracks. Photo @ Alexa Ledecky

Through the year we will be blogging about Roxana, Ania, Vicki and Viki’s journeys and letting you know about sharing any opportunities for the public to take part. Sign up to our mailing list to keep updated.

We wish the artists all the luck and cannot wait to see their projects take shape, find out more about IGNiTE here, including our Autumn Season of shows.

About IGNiTE

IGNiTE is Trinity's in house programme of world-class, innovative theatre and dance about issues that matter to people now, starting conversations and sparking debate. IGNiTE is supported using public funding by Bristol City Council and by the National Lottery through Arts Council England

Jackie Hagan's This Is Not A Safe Space celebrates the weird, the wonky, the unruly, and the resilient (Oct 19)

Our Autumn 2018 season of our in house theatre and dance programme, IGNiTE , presents four shows whose themes ask: How far have we actually come?

"Politics, race, gender, sexuality, poverty, crime, austerity, pay gaps, #metoo our society seems deeply polarised. IGNiTE presents four shows that are in different ways providing a snapshot of our divided times and ask: how far have we come?” Rhiannon Jones Programme Manager

Launching on October 19 with award winning comedian and writer, Jackie Hagan’s This Is Not A Safe Space. Commissioned by Unlimited, Jackie conducted interviews with people from all over the country living on the fringes and the spaces in between. These are not sob stories - they are well rounded lives full of the spiky humor and the complicated weirdness of being human. Jackie weaves these narratives together with poetry and anecdotes, in a performance celebrating the weird, the wonky, the unruly, and the resilient.

An all female cast feature in The Forecast, by Limbik Theatre (Oct 20). Based on George Saunders’ short story The Semplica Girl Diaries. Set in the not too distant future, the latest must-have consumer craze and status symbol are Human Garden Ornaments; women, from developing countries, hoisted up in affluent backyards, thin wires through their brains connecting them to news, travel, weather. In The Forecast, we hear what life is like for the four of them in this dystopian theatre piece. It could never happen...could it?

Rachael Young and badass band of super-humans embrace Afrofuturism and the cult of Grace Jones in: Nightclubbing (Nov 2)

Next up, join award winning Rachael Young and her badass band of super-humans as they embrace Afrofuturism, the cult of Grace Jones and intergalactic visions to start a revolution in Nightclubbing (Nov 2). This explosive dance performance traces the connections between Grace Jones’ 1981 landmark album ‘Nightclubbing’ and a London club's refusal to admit three Black women on the grounds of race in 2015?

'It is more than OK to be this way' in Sardoville's For Only An Hour (Nov 24)

Tackling the continuing oppression of LGBTQ++ community, Sardoville’s one man romp For Only An Hour (Nov 24) is a queer manifesto told through dance, song, spoken word and performance art. Created in response to the 2017 persecution of the LGBTQ++ community in Chechnya, this show is about celebrating who we are, and offering support to a new generation by saying: it’s more than OK 'to be this way'.

Get involved

IGNiTE resident artist Vicki Browne will develop a new piece of work 'Hyper Fem'

Throughout the season there are opportunities for public to take part and get more involved. From joining in the conversation in one of our post show talk backs, dancing the night away at our post show club night following Nightclubbing’s to signing up to one of our Artist led workshops. Keep an eye on our website for updates.

As part of the IGNiTE programme Trinity will be supporting four resident artists across the year who will receiving professional support and developing work in Trinity’s performance space – Fyfe Hall. Bristol based artists Ania Varez, Roxana Vilk, Vicki Hearne and Viki Browne will all receive professional help and support, rehearsal space and a bursary to develop new work at Trinity.

Previous IGNITE residents include performance artist Caroline Williams, dance practitioners Ella Mesma,  Sara Dos Santos and Latisha Cesar, theatre makers Uninvited Guests and Back in 5 Minutes Squad who joined up with disability led arts organisation Art in Motion.

Tickets to all IGNiTE shows are priced at £11 standard and £9 for concessions and can be purchased online at trinitybristol.org.uk

IGNiTE is Trinity's in house programme of world-class, innovative theatre and dance about issues that matter to people now, starting conversations and sparking debate. IGNiTE is supported using public funding by Bristol City Council and by the National Lottery through Arts Council England

Students gather in Fyfe Hall for a session professional DJ and Foley sound for film (photo @ Alastair Brookes)

Our Summer Music Sessions are an opportunity for young people of all abilities to come to Trinity and try out different accepts of music making. The sessions are delivered over two days, meaning young people have the opportunity to take part in a variety of workshops and sessions.

Young people perform with the in-house band (photo @ Alastair Brookes)

This year we worked in partnership with Access Creative College who delivered workshops in professional DJ and Foley sound for film, while our own in-house team of awesome tutors, Al, Ed, Matt, Oli and Jack, delivered sessions ranging from live performance to Vocal Recording to Beat Making.

"I love music. More time!! Make it longer, thank you!" Participant, Summer Music Session

Our highlights include a beat boxing shows case from professional performer Jack Salt (The Inexplicables, Ushti Baba) and welcoming Charlie Grier from Access Creative Music who shared his DJ’ing skills to the group.

Students had the opportunity to perform with professional musicians (photo @ Alastair Brookes)

"We should have these sessions more regularly for everyone to mix and share ideas" Participant, Summer Music Session

Some brilliant performances from young people – Sam performed his original songs (from his new EP recorded at Trinity), Collins rapped over live beats provided by Charlie from Access Creative Music, Rob playing Djembe drum as part of the live performance backed by Trinity house band
and the final live performance showcase with support from Oli (on the drums) Matt (on the bass) and Charlie on the decks.

Georgia came along for the Summer Sessions and really enjoyed getting involved and trying out the different music making activities (photo @ Alastair Brookes)

Aged 13 - 25 and want to gain new music making skills? Then get in touch with Dave.

Trinity's Summer Music Sessions are delivered as part of Making Tracks, a collaborative project between Basement Studios, ACE and Trinity. Making tracks is funded by Youth Music.

Clare and Sam's wedding Aug 5 2017

'We got together around New Year and just clicked and ended up living together.' His wake was actually held at the Trinity. It's where we went back to..It was a strange circularness - saying hello and goodbye at Trinity.' (anonymous)

Celebratory, poignant, both weddings, christenings, wakes, funerals, parties - as part of our Heritage Project Heart & Soul we are looking for stories of your big event at Trinity to include in our online archive and celebration event.

It might be that you met a life long friend, a partner, here at an event. If you have a story and pictures to share with us contact Edson@3ca.org.uk or call Trinity on 0117 9351200 and ask to speak to either Edson or Karina.

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One of Trinity's charitable aims is to preserve, protect and improve for the public benefit the Trinity Centre - formerly the Holy Trinity Church - and promote the heritage of this building.

As a Grade II* Listed building, the former Holy Trinity Church is one of the most prominent façades in the Old Market Conservation area and a source of local identity and city pride.

Designed by renowned Birmingham architects Thomas Rickman and Henry Hutchinson, it was built 1829-32 as part of a national programme of church building approved by Parliamentary commission. Funds for the programme totalling one and a half million pounds came in part from the spoils of Napoleonic War, hence these churches are variously known as the ‘Waterloo Churches’.

Deconsecrated in 1976, the building was purchased by Bristol Caribbean Community Enterprise Limited and has since served as a community arts centre for East Bristol.

In 2009 Trinity was placed on Historic England’s ‘At Risk’ Register, due to significant dilapidation of the building’s stonework, roofs and structure.

Since then, Trinity Community Arts have been working to carry out a phased repair programme, which saw the building removed from the At Risk Register in 2014, followed by a full structural repair programme 2017-18.

People gather outside Trinity at the start of the walks

This year we have four free guided walks around Trinity and Old Market. The walks are part of Heat & Soul  – a year long programme of heritage events, talks, and workshops. The guided walks, led by Dr Edson Burton are an opportunity for people to find out more about the history, and present of Trinity and Old Market.  Tess, our excellent heritage intern – joined Edson on the second instalment of the walks.

People gather in Trinity's main hall photo@Khali Ackford

The walk began inside Trinity’s main hall. Edson talked us through the history of Trinity from when it was a Church, through to desconscreation and first transformation as community arts venue  managed by the Caribbean Community Association  through to its current custodians, since 2004 Trinity Community Arts.

A visual timeline of Trinity past, present and future hangs in the main hall photo @Khali Ackford

Trinity has a covenant on it stating its purpose must be for social good whether that is education or community. Therefore a thread which has run through Trinity’s history is its use as a vocational skills education centre. Alongside this, Trinity is known for its music history – and has been host to the likes of Public Enemy, The Prodigy, U2, Madness, the Specials and the home of the Bristol Sound.

Funded was secured to transform Ffye Hall into a performance space  photo @Khali Ackford

We then headed upstairs to Fyfe Hall, named after one of its founder members of TCA Nick Fyfe. As part of TCA’s commitment to repairing and conserving the building funding was secured that built on earlier renovation work. The second floor was transformed into a beautiful dance/theatre/wedding space with sprung floor and underfloor heating.

Learning about the not so pleasant Amelia Dyer... photo @Khali Ackford

Before leaving Trinity's gates Edson told us a little of the story of Trinity Road. Some of the local history isn’t particularly pleasant such as Amelia Dyer who lived a stone’s throw from Trinity. Over thirty years during the 1800s she took money to re-home babies unwanted babies. To  ‘make an angel’ to use the expression. She was found to have killed an estimated 200-400 baby deaths caused by many babies across the UK. Amelia was hanged in 1896.

Even over grown gardens have a story to tell in Old Market photo @Khali Ackford

Edson started the walk down Braggs Lane so that we would begin the tour at the bottom of the Old Market. Edson pointed out various places of that were part of the meat trade a major industry in the Old Market area. This area used to be home to an abattoir, tannery and lard factory. We emerged at the Old Market roundabout where Edson spoke about the Empire Theater. Hollywood star Bristol born Cary Grant started his career working at the Empire. His friends remembered him having a broad Bristolian accent, not the transatlantic one he became famous for.

Building Temple Way changed the look of Old Market forever photo @Khali Ackford

We continued walking down Old Market Street and West Street, with fascinating snippets about the history of Kings Cinema, the Stag and Hounds pub and John Barstaple's almshouses, the Drill Hall and Kingsley Hall. As well as explaining passing on dates that the buildings were built Edson explained the changing fortunes of the street for example the decision to knock down a third of Old Market in order to create Temple Way. These explanations helped us to understand why some of the most iconic spaces in the street closed and how the Gay Quarter developed during the street's decline. The attendees added memories and family anecdotes of weddings, relations, working and socialising.

Our next heritage walk is July 31, places are free but you need to book online. We also have an online interactive archive of Trinity and Old Market, have an explore.

Heart & Soul: celebrating major life events at Trinity is a year long project running alongside our current works to repair and protect the Trinity building. You can find out more about the project here or find out about the building works, including how to support our current fundraising campaign, raising funds to secure Trinity's past, future and present.

Help secure Trinity's past, present & future

Stonemason Jim shows us the new stoneworks, replacing the damaged stone caused by corroded iron

“When they built this building, they just never expected it to last nearly 200 years” says Jim, who has been a stonemason for 10 years. He is using traditional skills to hand carve new stonework – mainly to replace rusted metal cramps and critically damaged stonework.

I am being taken on a tour of the building site by Shane, Trinity’s man for all things facilities. I am grateful for my hard hat as there is a lot of climbing the scaffolding. We climb right to the top and look to the farthest corner of the roof and see the pinnacle that Jim restored by hand.

The hand carved stonework is visible on the furthest pinnacle

As we go up hard not to notice the stained glass windows, many are buckled and bowed; a few put in upside down (possibly in the 1980’s restoration work); some cracked and others in a need of a deep clean.

The windows in the Graffiti Room are mid repair.

A boxing glove lost around the 80's is one of the many items found behind the windows come time capsules

Kerry, resident stained glass window expert, is carefully removing broken glass from a window on the north side of Trinity. By eye he manually cuts out a shape from some glass he has and skilfully places the glass between the lead, seals it and moves onto the next piece. He stands back and on the left is a window yet to do, and on the right is a window that is done. The contrast is quiet impressive.

Shane and I walk past an antenna that is attached to one of the towers (an echo back to the days when Trinity was host to its own community radio station) and head towards the West side of Trinity. Jim and his team have been busy up here, and you can see the repairs to the stoneworks, cracks that have been filled and hand carved stone replacing some of the most critically damaged stone.

I slowly edge towards the edge of the scaffolding and can see Old Market and further beyond, is central Bristol. It is a marvellous view, if not incredibly high. Going down is much easier than going up. Shane and I clamber down the ladders, past the stonemasons, the glaziers and site workers. I am grateful for my feet being back on the ground.

Walking to the edge of the scaffolding was really rather scary. But Bristol looked great

Back in January, with the scaffolding up, experts where able to do a full investigation that revealed the extensive critical historic damage to Trinity. These unexpected costs meant we launched our fundraising campaign to help us raise the much needed funds to undertake the critical repairs and have been overwhelmed by the support from funders and the public.

With only a few months left until the scaffolding comes down we need help to raise the much needed funds to undertake the critical repairs to Trinity. The public can help secure Trinity's past, present and future by donating directly to the campaign here.

What is clear is the commitment by the public, by us, by the craftsmen, the site workers, supporters and communities to renovating the Trinity Centre, ensuring that Trinity’s doors stay open for ours and for future generations.

Sarah Bentley (who really doesn't like heights ) Marketing Officer at Trinity

Help secure Trinity's past, present & future