Supported by Trinity, the meetups have been inspired following feedback from online workshops, delivered by Rider Shafique and Khali Ackford, as part of Trinity's community arts project What I Want To See, What I Want To Be.

Walk-ins welcome. Meetups are on every fourth Monday of the month.

CIP Network, image by James Allan

Trinity Community Arts is proud to announce its participation in The Citizens in Power Network as part of our work with Citizens for Culture.

The Citizens in Power Network (2025–2027) is a pioneering initiative designed to reimagine decision-making in the cultural and creative sectors and beyond. It brings together organisations, local government, and practitioners to explore how communities can take the lead in shaping their creative and cultural lives.

Cultural decision-making has historically been dominated by privileged groups. This new network is rooted in a clear belief: decision-making processes should reflect the diversity of the people they impact. Citizens in Power will embrace democratic models such as citizens’ assemblies and citizens’ juries, ensuring that those who live, work, or stay in a place have a voice in shaping culture.

Joining the network aligns with Trinity’s ongoing commitment to increasing community power through creativity in Bristol. Through Citizens for Culture, we are working to support cultural participation and decision-making that is more inclusive, representative, and community-led. We’re excited to collaborate with partners across the UK and contribute to shaping the future of the Citizens in Power Network.

Network members:

• Birmingham Museums Trust, Citizens’ Jury: Rob Lewis, Rosie Barker, Sara Wajid MBE, Zak Mensah
• Citizens for Culture, West of England: Anjali Prashar-Savoie (Trinity Community Arts), David Jubb (Citizens in Power), Emma Harvey (Trinity Community Arts), LaToyah McAllister-Jones (St Pauls Carnival), Sarah James (West of England Mayoral Combined Authority)
• Creative Barking and Dagenham, London: Sarah Wickens
• Everyone Here, Jury for Joy, West Cumbria: Kieran Sheehan, Sam Hunt, Unique Spencer
• Metal Culture, Liverpool, Peterborough, Southend-on-Sea: Laura Hensser, Susie Thornberry
• Moseley Road Baths CIO, Birmingham: Lucy Reid (Chair) and Trustees
• New Art Exchange, Voice Assembly, Nottingham: Adam Roe, Saad Eddine Said
• We The Curious, Bristol: Mark Pickering, Nicole Briggs, Rosalie White

Network funders:

• Esmée Fairbairn Foundation
• Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation

Network convenors:

• David Jubb, Citizens in Power
• Saad Eddine Said, Citizens in Power

For more information on Trinity’s involvement in the network, visit the Citizens in Power website.

Image by Khali Ackford

Trinity is proud to support the Black Creatives Network, a monthly meet-up designed to provide support, reflection, and opportunities for Black artists across all disciplines.

The Black Creatives Network offers a dedicated space for artists to connect, share experiences, and develop their practice in an environment rooted in community and collaboration. Open to walk-ins, meet-ups take place on the fourth Monday of every month at Trinity.

The journey so far

This initiative, led by Rider Shafique (I-Dentity) and Khali Ackford, emerged from feedback gathered during online workshops delivered as part of Trinity’s community arts project, What I Want To See, What I Want To Be.

The need for greater representation and support for Black artists has been widely discussed, as highlighted in this BBC article, which explores the barriers Black artists face in the creative industries.

The Network has collaborated on projects that amplify Black creative voices. In 2024, members of the network contributed to the New Black Narrative exhibition at the Royal West of England Academy (RWA), in partnership with the Diverse Arts Network. This was a groundbreaking showcase exploring new perspectives in Black contemporary art.

Click here for more info and dates of upcoming meet-ups.

Interested in joining? Just turn up on the day or reach out to jamell@trinitybristol.org.uk for more info.

Trinity's Garden Party. Credit: Alistair Brookes

Trinity join Eastside Community Trust, Windmill Hill City Farm and 13 other organisations to call for urgent action to protect and enhance Bristol’s shared spaces.

The initiative - Roots of Resilience - calls for urgent measures to safeguard and improve Bristol’s shared spaces, which are currently under threat due to various challenges, including legislation facilitating council property sales to address budget shortfalls.

“Unfortunately, without changes to how decisions are made about community infrastructure, the future of those spaces will always be at risk. The suggestions we are putting forward will enable us to secure a brighter future for our much-loved community spaces" Steve Sayers, CEO of Windmill Hill City Farm

In a published manifesto we join others in calling for several changes to ensure community buildings are appropriately valued. This includes:

• Review the Community Asset Transfer (CAT) process, to enable more community organisations to consider this route.
• Adopt a target and strategy for increasing the number of community owned assets, in line with the One City Plan.
• Delegate leadership for community assets to a member of cabinet or committee, recognizing the sector’s role across council departments.
• Delegate authority to officer level to award CAT leases, for 95 years, when these are up for renewal.
• Include representation from Neighbourhoods and Committees in the CAT decision-making committees.
• Create a framework for protection and disposal of council owned assets, including creating a new ‘community’ asset class which prioritises preservation of community spaces.
• Implement a fair rent structure which recognises the social and investment benefits of community-owned assets.
• Develop a capital investment strategy for organisations with CAT leases

Read the full manifesto here

How you can help

• Decisions makers, city and business leaders are invited to talk to us directly, understand more about the work we do and see how these changes could enable us to make a much greater impact across the whole city.
• People of Bristol are invited to share their thoughts and feelings on what their local community space means to them, by writing on a ribbon or sharing a word, sentence or memory on social media using the hashtag #CommunityRoots.

The Community Anchor Organisations (CAOs) who created the campaign and manifesto are:

• Eastside Community Trust
• Trinity Community Arts
• Windmill Hill City Farm
• Black South West Network (The Coach House)
• Lockleaze Neighbourhood Trust
• Knowle West Health Park
• Knowle West Alliance
• Southmead Development Trust
• Redcatch Community Garden Limited
• Ambition Lawrence Weston
• Bricks/St Anne’s House
• Artspace Lifespace
• St Werburghs Community Centre
• Filwood Community Centre
• Voscur
• Learning Partnership West

Trinity Joins Platform Places’ "mycelial movement"; a national peer network of leaders managing and developing some of the UK's most essential community assets

We are proud to be part of a new peer network launching in 2023 for community asset leaders, co-convened by Platform Places and Power to Change. This network brings together organisations across the UK who are working to secure and steward community assets for the long term. The initiative is rooted in collective learning, mutual support, and advocacy for sustainable funding, resilient partnerships, and community-led decision-making.

The journey so far...

In September 2023, Trinity took part in a gathering of community asset leaders at the Hawkwood Centre for Future Thinking, co-convened by Platform Places and Power to Change. This 36-hour residential brought together 25 experienced community asset developers from across England to build solidarity, share learning, and shape the future of the community assets movement.

• Developing transformational long-term funding – Advocating for sustainable, patient funding models that empower community asset holders.
• Creating a resilient, resourced peer network – Establishing peer mentorship, learning exchanges, and support structures for organisations at different stages.
• Collective storytelling – Amplifying the importance of community-led spaces, sharing inspiring stories, and advocating for policy change.

The discussions were inspired by the idea of mycelial networks—a metaphor for the ways community asset leaders can connect, support, and strengthen each other. We explored how working collaboratively can increase our collective influence when engaging with funders, asset owners, and policymakers.

Illustration by Visual Thinkery

Trinity’s involvement aligns with our wider partnership work on community assets, including Roots of Resilience, which explores sustainable models for cultural spaces. By joining this network, we’re contributing to a movement that champions community ownership, long-term stewardship, and equitable access to local assets.

For more information on our approach to community assets, visit the Platform Places website or contact the Mycelial Network Facilitator.

Bristol Commons Launch 2023, image by Ilaria Trees Meridio

Trinity are excited to be part of The Bristol Commons Launch, a movement launched in 2023 focused on co-created community power, land justice, and systemic change.

Led by Coexist, this initiative brings together individuals, community groups, and organisations across Bristol to rebuild the commons, ensuring that vital spaces, resources, and cultural assets remain in the hands of the communities that need them most.

This committment is part of our work to champion the importance of community ownership and creative spaces and ongoing advocacy for sustainable cultural assets.

Read about the 2023 launch in this BBC article.

What’s happening?

The Festival of Commoning, March 2025 s a day of action, discussion, and celebration, with:
🎶 Music & Arts – Exploring how creativity can drive connection and systemic change
❤️ Health & Care – Community-driven solutions for well-being and mutual support
🏡 Housing – Protecting and empowering fair, sustainable, and shared living spaces

The evening will round off with live music, storytelling, and a sound system session powered by 1Relation Soundsystem.

This movement is about shifting power, securing community assets, and building long-term resilience. Join us in shaping a more equitable, collaborative Bristol.

As part of the festival, we’ll be contributing to a People’s Assembly, creating space for communities to share their knowledge and help shape Bristol’s future.

Find out more about The Bristol Commons here.

©Khali Ackford

Not one room, but many

Trinity is a member of Bristol Culture Network (formerly DIY Arts Network); an independent, self-organising gathering of arts organisations and arts practitioners, large and small, who deliver cultural programmes within the city of Bristol.

The group’s members work across different scales and different artforms; some specialise in participatory opportunities, others seek out an audience; some charge, some don’t; and some provide complex programmes that sit across a number of strands. Network members include Bristol Old Vic, Watershed, Bristol Beacon, Knowle West Media Centre, Artspace Lifespace, St Paul's Carnival, Bristol Paraorchestra, RWA and many others including independent artists and freelance creative practitioners.

Together, we are committed to the successful future of our city, and the creativity of both Bristol and Bristolians. We have developed a set of saraed DIY Arts Culture Standards which aims to make Bristol’s arts sector fair, open and inclusive.

Meetings & Gatherings

We meet to advocate for the sector and to discuss and inform policy, as well as forming working groups in response to specific issues and to develop shared activity. Network meetings come together in the form of:

• Open sessions – for anyone working in the arts incl freelancers and artists, providing peer connection, information sharing, and surfacing challenges and opportunities from the wider sector
• Task-and-finish groups – taking action on behalf of the wider network
• Cultural Leaders – individuals with existing agency and capacity to act, serving as a bridge between strategy and the wider sector

This thinking feeds directly into the wider cultural conversations happening in the city through the One City Culture Board.

We also have social activities and peer gatherings online and in person so that people working in the arts can share ideas and support one another and to navigate the challenges of the arts sector, together.

Bristol’s cultural strength comes from a dispersed, interconnected ecology with power and ideas spread across many spaces rather than held in one central room.

If you are an independent artist, practitioner or smaller organisation unable to attend a meeting, you can share ideas, views and concerns with Trinity. Contact us if you have an idea/issue you would like to raise.

We're what you make us so get involved! #MaketheSpace.

Please contact We The Curious or RWA who help to administer the group to be added to the mailing list about upcoming meetings and gatherings.