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 Alistair Brookes

Are you aged 14-18 and of Black heritage? Join us and become part of this exciting programme...

Following an initial two-year investment from WeMove, Trinity has secured further funding to amplify the voices of young people through The Speak Out Collective.

“I was a part of the Speak Out Trinity session where we were able to explore and enhance our creativity, speak and express our thoughts on topics such as culture and creativity, and then develop a project or an idea afterward!”

This next phase will embed social action through creative practice, supporting young people to share their stories and learn from peers. We're welcoming back young people from previous Speak Out cohorts alongside a call out for young people in the community, primarily aged 14-18 and from Black heritage backgrounds to join this next part of the programme, which includes:

• Monthly collective sessions: Young people will co-create and, where appropriate, lead these sessions, shaping the content to meet their creative needs. These will be facilitated by Moyah and Sukina.
• One-to-one mentoring: Participants will receive monthly 1hr mentoring sessions with industry specialists to develop their creative practice and support personal growth.
• Creative commissions: Commissions to create a final piece, linked to their participation, which will be shared with their peers and an invited audience at the end of the year-long programme.

Key info

Collective sessions will be held on the second Monday of each month launching on 14th April.

Future dates: 12th May; June (TBC); 14th July; (August off); 8th September; 13th October; 10th November; 8th December; (January off); 9th February; 9th March; 13th April (Final Sharing Event).

Contact jenny@trinitybristol.org.uk to sign up.

The story so far...

Over the past two years, Speak Out has engaged young people in three cohorts, exploring themes of Home, Neurodiversity, and Future Proofing. This work has provided participants with a platform to develop their creative voices while gaining confidence and skills. Thanks to the exceptional work of previous cohorts, we have been fortunate to receive extension funding to continue and expand the project.

Speak Out has made a real difference in young people’s confidence and skills. Over the last two years:

The Speak Out Collective is a direct response to this consultation, ensuring young people continue to have a platform to express themselves creatively and shape their own narratives.

For more information, visit: Speak Out at Trinity

Booklet produced as part of 2017 heritage project with Local Learning

Trinity has been awarded a development grant from The National Lottery Heritage Fund towards the next phase of works as part of our ambitious restoration project to save Jacobs Wells Baths

“This investment acts as a vital next step toward reviving this cherished Bristol asset, and I’m thrilled with the progress Trinity Community Arts has made on the project since being awarded the lease to the building." Tony Dyer, Leader of Bristol City Council

Trinity is excited to announce we have been awarded a £252k Development Phase grant from The National Lottery Heritage Fund to continue the restoration of Jacobs Wells Baths in Hotwells, Bristol. This grant will help advance plans to restore the Grade II Listed building alongside developing an engagement and participation plan for community and youth activities.

Thanks to National Lottery players, this funding will empower the local community to shape the next phase of the project, focusing on the voices of young people, city-wide arts networks and local residents. As part of this development phase, Trinity will work with local groups to create a new programme of heritage learning opportunities, building on past community-driven projects such as Washing In The Well, delivered with support from Local Learning.

Jacobs Wells Baths has a rich history, dating back to 1889, when it served as a public swimming bath and in the 80s, became Bristol’s only dedicated professional dance centre. The next phase of the project will include design work for the North Wing of the building, to support plans to apply for a £2m+ grant from National Lottery Heritage Fund to complete the site's transformation into a new hub for Hotwells.

Join the team

To help facilitate this exciting development, Trinity is seeking a full-time Heritage Project Manager to join the team lead the development phase of the project, with a focus on managing community engagement, overseeing stakeholder relationships, supporting design team consultation and creating a learning and participation activity plan to be delivered in 2026 alongside the phase 2 capital works.

Photo credit: redManhattan

This spring, we are excited to announce a bold line up of theatre, dance & live experiences - stories that challenge, celebrate & ignite conversation as part of Trinity Presents.

The series features a partnership with Gloucester based Strike A Light, bringing The Grip to Bristol on Thursday 20 March. This special one-night-only live radio event explores Windrush, family & separation, produced by Phillipa Smith and hosted by BBC’s Kevin Philemon.

On Friday 28 March & Sunday 30 March, we welcome back Roadside, a theatre show inspired by the untold stories of roadside dwellers, free parties & festival culture, written by Maddie Wakeling in collaboration with Trinity.

Thu 10 Apr: Tiata Fadhozi brings a triple bill of plays named EVERYWHERE - Breaking the boundaries of theatre, this iteration features new stories from Yusra Warsama, Magero & Anyebe Godwin.

Tue 13 May: Artists Divija Melally & Saili Katebe bring new work One Foot in the Dark - A poetic fusion of dance & movement, exploring identity, change & the stories we inherit.

Thu 5 Jun: The Season Culminates with choreographer Dam Van Huynh's Exquisite Noise - A rebellious dance performance blending music, light & movement-protest in motion.

About Trinity Presents:

This is part of Trinity Presents - our in-house programme of music and performance, bringing world-class artists and emerging talent to inner-city audiences.

Exciting developments are underway at Jacobs Wells Baths as restoration efforts continue...

As local residents may have seen, works are progressing on site at Jacobs Wells Baths as part of our repair and recovery efforts. The latest bat surveys have returned positive results, confirming no signs of a roost. With this assurance, a bat license has been submitted, allowing planned works to proceed as scheduled from the start of March.

Work has begun on dismantling the parapet wall, revealing the impressive strength of the original Cattybrook brick (see image, above). Our contractor has noted that the mortar is some of the toughest they’ve ever worked with, further testament to the building’s historic craftsmanship.

We’re also thrilled to announce that Historic England has awarded £89,743 to deliver a focused scope of works to the South Studio roof over the coming months. Stay tuned for updates as this next phase progresses.

Emma Brown, our new Facilities Manager, has been working closely with the design team to develop a secure access plan for the site and overseeing essential tasks such as site clearance and graffiti removal.

With these key milestones in place, Jacobs Wells Baths is moving closer to its restoration goals.

Thank you for your continued support and watch this space for more updates!

Radix Big Tent compilation 2022

Do you have images that showcase Bristol’s vibrant creative sector, or challenge common perceptions of our city? Have you captured a short video that highlights the wonderful heritage of Bath & North East Somerset, or that sees the area through fresh eyes? Do you have visuals that celebrate what makes South Gloucestershire a great place to be, or reveals hidden aspects that go unnoticed?

If yes, we want to hear from you!

As part of the Citizens’ for Culture, we are inviting artists, cultural institutions and individual makers, to contribute existing photos and video clips captured over the last year to form part of a public campaign leading up to a Citizens' Assembly for Culture in September 2025.

We’re looking for content you already have that reflects the unique cultural identity of the West of England Combined Authority (WECA) regions - Bristol, Bath & North East Somerset, and South Gloucestershire.

We are particularly interested in content that captures both perceptions and realities of the region, highlighting what makes each area’s cultural identity unique. Submissions should either align with or challenge key demographic and cultural characteristics, represent regional identity through diverse community perspectives, and/oror explore the contrasts between how the region is seen and its lived reality.

Submissions

This callout is for existing content that aligns with our themes and is not an artist commission. Our Oversight Panel will review submissions and select content for use as part of the Citizens for Culture campaign.

Selected content will be used on our website and social media, as part of Assembly invitations and across printed promotional materials.

Payment

All selected images will be paid at a rate of £50 for use as part of the campaign. Selected video clips will be paid at a rate of £75.

Submission guidelines

• If files are too large for email, please use WeTransfer

• Images must be high resolution 300 DPI minimum JPEG (JPG), or TIFF.

• Videos clips must be MP4 or MOV; Length: 30 sec - 1min (clips may be edited to fit the final campaign film); Orientation: Landscape; Quality: High-resolution, uncompressed preferred (for large screen projection)

• Send files to contact@citizensforculture.info

• Include a brief description of your content for context

Deadline for submissions: 1 March 2025

About: Citizens for Culture is an initiative by St Pauls Carnival CIC, Trinity Community Arts, Citizens in Power, and the West of England Combined Authority, supported by funding from Arts Council England, Paul Hamlyn Foundation, and the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation (UK Branch).

Disclaimer: By submitting your images or videos, you confirm that you hold the rights to the content and have permission from any identifiable individuals featured. Citizens for Culture reserves the right to use selected submissions for campaign and promotional purposes.

We recently attended the Festival of Flourishing Regions 2025 (#FoFR2025).  The Festival aims to promote and celebrate the role that cities and regions play in the economy and prosperity of the country and look at how regions can drive the growth agenda of the government. Read Emma Harvey, CEO of Trinity Community Arts review of the event:

“At the heart of this week’s Festival of Flourishing Regions 2025 (#FoFR2025) at the Watershed was a recurring question: Who truly benefits from growth? Economic expansion and large-scale developments continue to bypass existing communities, leaving people clinging desperately to their sense of place, fearful of disruption. Nimby-naysayers, blocking our prosperity.

Bristol City Council leader Tony Dyer began with early reflections – and perhaps a warning – about the risks of growth without stability and prosperity without equity. He highlighted the need to shift toward preventative public services that operate proactively rather than merely reacting to crises. This was echoed by experiences of Stephen Peacock, the leader of the Combined Authority, who highlighted the real pressures of escalating expenditure on temporary accommodation hindering efforts to implement permanent solutions.

Palie Smart from the University of Bristol captured a key theme: The power of powerful relationships… only when we get together can we tackle complex challenges. But, how do we come together to build a vision for region that flourishes for us all when so many are paralysed by the continual threat of precariousness? As Andy Westwood surmised, people are putting more in than they’re getting out”. Why should any of us care about an empty promise of productivity when wealth accumulates at the top while wages stagnate in the middle and those at the bottom are propped up by a living wage that can’t keep pace with an out of control rental market? Why should  I care who’s in charge if power remains centralised and only deepens the majority’s sense of powerlessness? As Arrested Development’s lyrics go, the word ‘cope’ and the word ‘change’ is directly opposite, not the same.

"Citizens for Culture is an opportunity to do just that – in a region of rural and urban wealth and deprivation how do we build a shared identity, weaving and crafting an authentic narrative to define our place in the world." Emma Harvey

If we want real progress, we need to move beyond survival and towards meaningful transformation.

Iain Gray spoke about the need for innovation and the importance of setting clear priorities and pursuing them ruthlessly and talked fondly of memories of the 2012 Olympics. While many remember this fondly for artistic ceremonies celebrating the best of British culture, I can’t help but think about what that ruthlessness looked like in reality; the permanent loss of century-old  covenanted land, the Manor Gardens allotments. I think about that and wonder, more than a decade on, do people still feel the benefits of that cement walkway in the same way as the communal land it replaced?

This tension between social mobility, productivity and asset-based community development ran through many discussions. Harriet Fear touched on the power of new ideas in old buildings with an example of a startup thriving in a former pigsty. It was a reminder that we overlook the value of what we already have we lose those in unusual corners and crevices where minds connect, imaginations are ignited and ideas are formed.

From public infrastructure projects, the much lambasted HS2 to regional funding pots and the constant churn of central government infrastructure funding pots locked needlessly to short-term political cycles. That churn of out with the old in with the new. 14 growth strategies in 16 years. Yet here we are, no closer to a solution that works for everyone.

Jim O’Neill places some of that blame at the foot of the merciless 247 news cycle that reduces everything to 15 seconds of infamy. As does former Bristol Mayor Marvin Rees who talked of the toxic trolling limiting our ability to attract and keep people even wanting to work in a political space.

With so much focus on productivity centred around, aerospace, tech, and defence, what actually makes a city like Bristol ‘sticky’ place people want to call home? It’s all about food and friends and gigs and carnivals and sound systems and heritage, and culture and and and…yet if it wasn’t for Katy Shaw who said, “culture isn’t an add-on—it’s intrinsic to regional growth strategies”, you’d be forgiven for thinking our route to happier healthier lives could be delivered by chips and wings and missile nose cones.

When mulling over our collective lot, we can all be too good at talking about what we don’t have. The poverty of capacity, devolved funding for culture that still remains fragmented, or the challenges in land use, where freehold sites are given away for developments never realised. Using your powers wisely, has never been more important. This tied directly into our work with partners to deliver Roots of Resilience, which explores how community buildings can be leveraged by the voluntary sector to safeguard spaces, creating a holistic approach that blends the old with the new.

If we start from a place of what we do have – our wealth of talent, ideas skills, assets – as investment decisions shift to combined authorities – we can try to ensure that investment isn’t just about top-down economic development but enables communities to shape their own futures. As Nick Pearce spoke of the urgent need to structure deliberative democratic processes as part of these devolved regions – ensuring citizens have a direct say in how their regions evolve – I was bouncing out my seat ready to shout about our work to deliver the first regional Citizens’ Assembly for Culture, in September 2025 – giving people a stake in shaping the future of devolved investment in the creative and cultural industries.

In a fractured system where few understand how regional authorities operate, John Denham noted, rarely do we get a chance to sit down and ask, what do we have in common? Citizens for Culture is an opportunity to do just that – in a region of rural and urban wealth and deprivation how do we build a shared identity, weaving and crafting an authentic narrative to define our place in the world.

This isn’t about growth. It’s about betterment. Creating places where people can hope for more than just to survive. Where economic strategies don’t just serve a privileged few but create lasting, equitable prosperity.

The Festival of Flourishing Regions made it clear: the power to shape our future exists, but only if we have the courage to grab hold of it.”

Emma Harvey, CEO Trinity Community Arts

#FoFR2025

Image Credit: Paul Blakemore

Trinity looks forward to welcoming back Maddie Wakeling, actor, theatre maker and community theatre facilitator, for the Roadside theatre show on March 28th & 30th. We started supporting Maddie in late 2023 with the first iteration of her theatrical show Roadside, a unique and flowing one man show centring on the experiences of Milly, a young woman’s life on the road.

The support followed after Art of Resistance, a three-year programme celebrating creative expressions of activism funded by HLF came to a close. Keen to continue supporting artistic work focusing on the strands within the programme such as counterculture, we gladly supported Maddie on the development of Roadside.

We interviewed Maddie last summer to ascertain how the partnership had helped her develop her work.

“Trinity's support gave us time and space to make the show happen! The recording spaces increased the quality of the voiceovers used in the show and we reached new audiences through their promotion. Trinity is a venue rooted in community and so is our show, so it felt like a really good collaboration.” Maddie Wakeling

Previous audience feedback

"A very poignant coming of age story. Very poetic and engaging on so many levels. The staging and sound were excellent."

"So beautiful it really resonated with me. I have so many mates who need to see this!"

"I’ve never found a play that has my life in it before! It's so amazing to see! You have to keep doing this. I grew up in a truck and came to see the show in London because my mate in Bristol told me it was amazing. I have so many more friends who need to see this!"

More event info & tickets

Sunday 16th  February - Traveling Tales - Grab Free Tickets

Friday 28th March & 30th March - Buy Tickets

Roadside is supported by ACE, Trinity Community Arts and The Cockpit Theatre.

All Ah Wi 2024 Credit: Francisco Vicaria/KoLAB Studios

This March - we are launching Women Who Make and Do - an all-day market celebrating women and non-binary makers.

Taking place on Sunday 9th March, the market will host stalls from local traders selling various goods such as craft, beauty and haircare, stationery and much more. Supported by Fun Palaces, there will be local makers sharing their skills in henna, movement and various craft. There will also be activities for kids and refreshments available.

We recognise that Bristol is a creative and cultural city and would like to honour independent makers of all backgrounds for International Women's Day. Last year, we hosted All Ah Wi, a female led collective that took over Trinity for a full day of workshops and discussions to celebrate the talents and interests of women and we are keen to continue supporting and championing local women.

"It was a really good day, all who came had a great time and got a lot out of it" - Participant of All Ah Wi

We’re keen to provide a wide range of stalls with original gifts and ethical products so are looking for a wide variety of traders. Slots are also available for demos or for traders to present and talk a little about your work. Let us know if you'd be keen to take up this offer by signing up using the form below. Please contact info@trinitybristol.org.uk with any questions.

Stall/Maker Sign Up

As this is a market celebrating women and non binary makers, we encourage people  that fall in this category to apply and welcome applications from independent makers. Deadline for applications is 5pm 24th February.

Sign up to be a stall holder or a skill sharer: https://forms.office.com/e/jnFLLC7Sj9

See more event info here.

Part of the Fun Palaces programme.

Festus Market, 2023. Credit Alastair Brookes/KoLAB Studios

Coming to Trinity on the 20 March  The Grip explores the stories of family separation that are part of the Windrush experience. Created as a live radio show, featuring live performances, and interviews the Grip is a live production about families, separation and the Windrush

“Growing up in Jamaica, all my cousins knew their mother because they grew up with her – I was the only child that didn’t really have her mum around and it was an isolating experience. You know, I still haven’t overcome it fully“ The Grip interviewee

Get involved

The creators of the Grip, Strike A Light, are inviting Bristol residents to sign up to be interviewed for The Grip and share thier stories about Windrush. This could be about the lives of people left behind to those separated from family or friends for a significant period of childhoods/formative years.

If you are one such person, know someone who may be interested or you yourself are a child of this generation (born here in the UK or abroad) and would like to be interviewed as part of the project, then we would love to hear from you.

The themes can be broadly categorised in the following ways:

1. Those who were left behind

2. Those who had to leave children and loved ones behind

3. Those who were born in the UK and have siblings in the Caribbean who may or may not have joined them.

All interviews will be recorded and added to a Podcast (with the interviewees' consent). Extracts of two of the interviews will be chosen to be shared during the Grip event at Trinity on 20 March.

If you would like to take part please get in touch with Philippa Smith or Edson Burton by emailing: philippa@strikealightfestival.org.uk and edson@trinitybristol.org.uk or you can call the Trinity office on 0117 935 1200.

Understory, credit: Alastair Brookes

We are working in collaboration with Bristol School of Art to offer adult learning courses for adults living within Trinity's locality. The courses are an opportunity for adults to learn and build upon creative, employment and job related skills.

The first of these course focusses on Arts & Crafts and life skills will take place over 15-weeks and will lead to a competency-based qualification - all designed to promote progression into education and employability. This will be through by exploring core transferable skills including speaking and listening, ESOL and digital skills.

"We're looking forward to working with Trinity to bring creative educational opportunities to the local community where we hope to inspire and support learners in our friendly, inclusive environment". Lynette Evans, Bristol School of Art, Art Lecturer

The idea for the courses were first developed during the Spring of 2024 where we collaborated with Bristol School of Art to deliver a ten-week Creativity in Nature for Wellbeing course in our community garden. We shared the opportunity with local groups, partners and through out Community Connectors.  People who took part in the sessions fed back that they built confidence, met new people and felt at ease in exploring creativity in a familiar environment.

Following the success of this  Bristol School of Art offered a 10-week art course, providing taster sessions in a range of art forms, for participants to build confidence and understanding in different approaches, and the opportunities to develop and follow their interests as the course progresses.

Through this research and development we have now created a regular programme of adult learning and education to meet local need and addresses health, wellbeing and educational inequalities. Working with cross-sector partners we will strengthen recruitment and progression opportunities and co-design a new employability framework - identifying key competencies to further progression.

Find out more about our community programme and explore upcoming events here.

Photo credit: Khali Ackford, Art of Resistance

As part of our interviews exploring the future of culture in the West of England, we spoke with Cleo Lake, an artist, producer, and community leader with nearly 20 years’ experience in curating performances, cultural events, and engagement activities.

In this interview, Cleo highlights the importance of equitable funding, accessible spaces, and fresh, inclusive cultural experiences.

“We will all need to be prepared to be open to whatever is presented if we are truly to have something democratic.”

Tell us a bit about your work in the cultural sector and what drew you to this field.

I didn’t consciously enter the cultural sector, but went from an underground dance artist to doing a dance degree and then curating performances for myself and other artists. Over the last almost 20 years I have produced a number of cultural events spanning music, theatre, dance. I have also led community engagement activities and most of my work tends to relate to my African descent heritage.

What do you feel are some of the current challenges within the cultural sector and how would you suggest these could be addressed?

The challenge will almost always be funding and also spaces to create and deliver at free or low cost. Also, I think the distribution of funding is unequal because organisations with more staff and capacity will likely do better than those who don’t. I like the redistro model of funding.

How do you think the regional cultural sector could benefit from a Citizens’ Assembly model or other democratic decision-making tools?

It will open things up and get the views of ordinary people - not just middle class in-the-know artsy types. So we will all need to be prepared to be open to whatever is presented if we are truly to have something democratic! On the whole I also see it as an opportunity to lobby and/or put forward a collective view.

What are your hopes for the future of Arts and Culture in the West of England?

I hope we’ll have more opportunities for different people to be excited, moved, challenged and energised by totally new and fresh ideas and experiences. I also hope for high streets to be reignited with art, and funding to be more fairly distributed.

What are your thoughts on the upcoming Citizens' Assembly for Culture in the West of England?

It will be interesting and I hope that there will be a broad mix of people from all backgrounds. The ballet go-ers to the ravers!

Anything else you would like to add?

Arts and culture can bring people together and keep people well. I hope this platform will further champion the necessity of arts and culture.

Interested in finding out more?

• Follow Cleo on Instagram
• Read Maca Gomez-Gutierrez’s interview on leadership, inclusion, and the potential of a Citizens Assembly for Culture
• Read our six month look back at Citizens for Culture
• Read the recap of our Citizens for Culture online information sessions

About Citizens for Culture

Citizens for Culture is an initiative from St Paul Carnival CIC, Trinity Community Arts, Citizens in Power and West of England Combined Authority and is supported through funding by Arts Council England, Paul Hamlyn Foundation and Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation (UK Branch).

As we prepare for the upcoming Citizens’ Assembly for Culture, we’re speaking to leading voices in cultural engagement and democratic decision-making to inform and inspire the process. The Assembly will bring together citizens - people living, working or staying in the West of England - to shape a regional cultural offer that is inclusive and accessible.

In this interview, we hear from Maca Gomez-Gutierrez, an engagement professional and creative research producer. Maca has a decade of experience connecting research, culture, and community. From co-producing public engagement programs at We The Curious to supporting grassroots organizations in Colombia, her work highlights the transformative power of arts and culture.

Maca shares her insights on the challenges and opportunities in the cultural sector, the importance of diverse leadership, and how a Citizens’ Assembly can help amplify underrepresented voices.

“The Assembly will provide a level of public participation with regional impact that could reframe the way we think about culture”

Hi Maca! Tell us a bit about your work in the cultural sector and what drew you to this field.

As an engagement professional and creative research producer, I am interested in bringing research (in its broadest sense) into the cultural landscape, out of confinement into a space where everyone can be part of the conversation, and everyone’s experience, knowledge and expertise is recognised, welcomed and valued.

I have c. 10 years’ experience in both the UK and global south, most recently (2018-2023) producing We The Curious' public engagement with research programme of activities, workshops and participatory experiences, co-produced with research and community partners. Besides that, a personal favourite of mine (and close to my heart as I’m Colombian!) has been to produce Bringing Memories in from the Margins where I worked with grassroots organisations in Colombia and supported them to bring their creative projects to Bristol. Part of the MEMPAZ Project on inclusive transitional justice and creative memory processes for reconciliation in Colombia, Bringing Memories in from the Margins was a public programme of events including food, theatre, music and photography that took place over a week in March 2023 across multiple venues.

Personally, I like to mull over things, question, get angry, celebrate, explore alternatives; and I enjoy creating collective experiences and spaces where others might do so as well. There are so many important conversations and developments happening in the research world and we should all be participating in these. I think arts and culture have the potential to bring together all sorts of topics, practices, and experiences in ways that are innovative, surprising, engaging and that talk to and challenge our humanity; that’s what’s drawn me into this field.

What do you feel are some of the current challenges within the cultural sector and how would you suggest these could be addressed?

Beyond the obvious (lack of funding!), I feel there is a lack of diversity at leadership level. Specifically, a lack of diversity of ideas which of course arise from a lack of diversity of life experiences. I believe that a step towards solving this challenge is to recognise that leadership exists in different ways, and that many leaders sit outside the hierarchical structures of cultural organisations; implementing a collective approach to leadership can only be beneficial for the sector.

An additional challenge for me is how can we, as a sector, provide a cultural offer that reflects the ever evolving and changing nature of culture; particularly when we often experience a version of it that is static and monolithic. For me, once we recognise that culture is not only what has been labelled as so in museums, galleries etc. but an essential part of our everyday life- what we eat, how we eat, how we dress, the music we listen to, the very expression of our selves- then the cultural offer will increasingly reflect this and inhabit an ever growing diversity of spaces and experiences.

How do you think the regional cultural sector could benefit from a Citizens’ Assembly model or other democratic decision-making tools?

A Citizen’s Assembly model has the potential to bring into the conversation voices that are not usually present, have very low representation or might be completely excluded. For people participating in them, there can be a sense of ownership, of being able to have a say in what cultural offer their community and beyond might be able to engage with in the future.

This can only benefit the regional cultural sector since a sense of collective ownership and belonging can lead to more engagement with existing and future cultural offer. What’s more, the Assembly provides an opportunity for cultural organisations in the region to better understand people’s wants and needs, especially of those who are not regularly, if at all, coming through the doors.

What are your hopes for the future of Arts and Culture in the West of England?

I would like the arts and culture sector in the West of England (and everywhere else as a matter of fact!) to be a viable career option for young people of all backgrounds and not just for the ones who can afford it; and I would like the required infrastructure to support this to be in place e.g., strong arts programmes at schools, access to culture, paid training opportunities etc.

I would also like arts and culture to be truly recognised and valued as an important vehicle for civic engagement. Arts and culture permeate everything, it is the soil where an infinite number of wonderful things can grow on. We need a well-kept and healthy soil, one from where conversations, interactions, partnerships, friendships and action can sprout.

What are your thoughts on the upcoming Citizens' Assembly for Culture in the West of England?

It’s very exciting! The Assembly will provide a level of public participation with regional impact that could reframe the way we think about culture- what is culture and who gets to decide it? what do people want to consume and where? etc.- as well as potentially catalyse a truly innovative cultural offer.

I also believe that it could be the beginning of a stronger relationship of trust and partnership between audiences and the cultural sector, rooted in that very sense of ownership and belonging, which makes the uptake of the Assembly recommendations even more crucial as there will be an expectation to see at least some of the outputs from the Assembly materialise in a future cultural offer.

Anything else you would like to add?

As I was typing these answers, a thought came to me: a Citizen’s Assembly model could allow the ones of us who cannot vote in any elections (not British, not Commonwealth, not European) an opportunity to participate in democratic processes; and this can only be a good thing.

Interested in finding out more?

About Citizens for Culture

Citizens for Culture is an initiative from St Paul Carnival CIC, Trinity Community Arts, Citizens in Power and West of England Combined Authority and is supported through funding by Arts Council England, Paul Hamlyn Foundation and Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation (UK Branch).

An animated history of the Trinity Centre, Heart & Soul

As part of this years National Lottery Heritage Fund's, Heritage Treasure Day we are taking a look back to some of the heritage projects at Trinity over the years.

Art of Resistance 2020-2022

Art of Resistance was a two-year project exploring 100 years of social activism, protest and civil disobedience in Bristol and the art that underpinned each movement. In this project we explored how key movements and their messages have been amplified by different art forms such as poetry, textiles, posters, banners, music and performing arts. We also charted the lived stories of inner-city Bristolians and, explores the city's history of grass-roots artistic, community and cultural movements.

Heart & Soul 2017-2018

In Heart & Soul we explored the different uses of the Trinity Centre as a place for celebration. We explored the history of the building as a place for weddings and civil ceremonies and explored it’s journey from church to music and community centre.

Vice and Virtue 2013-2015

Vice & Virtue took a look beneath the area's reputation to explore the many cultures that have lived here, its national significance as an area of architectural conservation and key moments of historical interest. Themes included: the riots of 1932, the British and GI experience, business, trade and leisure in Old Market, the sex industry, the Gay quarter and new communities in Old Market.

What’s your Trinity Story? 2010-2012

Funded by Heritage Lottery Fund Your Heritage Grant - featured an an oral history and archiving project about Trinity from 1960-today, with specific reference to its role as a music and community venue.

The Bristol Sound Project: 2008-2010

As part of our heritage project exploring Trinity’s role in the development of the Bristol Sound we collaborated with The Wonder Club to produce a spectacular site specific promenade theatre performance At Tether's End. The show was inspired by the true story of a local young man William Pullin who tragically stabbed a police man, PC Richard Hill, to death. The show was part of the Bristol Sound Project and featured artwork, set and performances from a large number of young people working alongside professional artists from Bristol.

Explore more:

• The history of the Holy Trinity Church
• The Bristol Sound project
• The Art of Resistance
• Community at Trinity

Trinity patron, Miriam Margolyes, visits Jacobs Wells. Photo Alistair Brookes, KoLAB Studios

The last year at Jacobs Wells we have been focussing on leading further investigations of previously out of reach areas to determine the condition of the building, leading to some fascinating and unexpected discoveries.

By uncovering elements of the building, including removing stonework and cutting back the vegetation that has been creeping into the building, we can determine what is salvageable and which areas might need to be entirely rebuilt.

The Pump Room

Further works have now been paused in the Pump Room, following the discovery of a small bat roost of the lesser horseshoe bat - Rhinolophus Hipposideros. These species are listed in Annex II of the EU Habitats directive and so are protected by European legislation which means no further works can take place as long as they are there. Once we have undertaken the safe relocation of any bat roost with advice from Natural England, we can continue with planned asbestos decontamination that will enable the professional team to gain greater access to some of the more mysterious and unusual elements of the site.

“It is a real privilege to join the team at Trinity and help move the ambitious project to restore and reopen Jacobs Wells forward. I am excited to bring my in depth knowledge of the conservation of historic buildings to the role” Emma Brown, Facilities Manager

The Pump Room is a unique area of heritage significance, featuring intact Victorian engineering, including large iron-cast water tanks that once held 60,000 gallons of water, fed by an ancient natural spring redirected from several local sources, including Jacob’s Well. By collaborating with industrial heritage engineering specialists, we will gain better understanding of this remarkable setup and develop a clear plan for the best use of this natural resource.

Our vision is to transform this space into rehearsal studios, informal performance areas and a café/bar, making this hidden gem accessible to the public for the first time.

Victorian Tiles

We are making strides with other repair works including the deconstruction of a parapet wall on the southern aspect of the building, roof repair works on areas not used by bats on the northern and eastern aspects and other small-scale works.

During recent cleaning trials, including external graffiti removal, specialists have uncovered yet more Victorian glazed tiles in the entrance corridor of the building, which have been painted over and hidden for decades.

This discovery accompanies the tiled finishes already uncovered within the Main Hall and underscores the importance of our investigation works, so that we can fully understand what lies beneath more modern finishes in order to ensure the building’s historical richness is sensitively restored and conserved for future generations.

Welcoming a new facilities manager

We’re excited to welcome Emma Brown as our new Facilities Manager. Emma will be working with our professional team to oversee capital repairs and maintenance at both the Trinity Centre and Jacobs Wells Baths.

With a wealth of experience in heritage conservation, Emma has previously served as Estates Manager for Tewkesbury Abbey and as Church Buildings Adviser for the Diocese of Bath & Wells.

She is also a Trustee of the Somerset Churches Trust and St Andrews Conservation Trust and a member of the Wells Cathedral Fabric Committee.

Emma’s passion for heritage, history, and conservation, combined with her extensive expertise, makes her the perfect addition to our team as we continue to care for these two iconic historic buildings.

Fundraising & support

We are grateful for the continued support from our funders and community, including the recent awards:

• Centrica: Energy for Tomorrow - £84,600 to advance our renewable energy scheme

• Historic England - £89,000 for expanded South Studio roof and masonry works

• Support from individual donors on our Fundsufer

Thank to everyone who has made the magic happen at Trinity this year- it's thanks to the generous support from people like you that we can continue to inspire and strengthen local communities through arts and culture.

This year we’ve made strides towards our vision of Creative Expression for All offering a year-round cultural offer.

We launched the Cultural Alliance - a two-year arts-based learning programme in three local primary schools, ensuring every Key Stage 2 pupil now receives weekly dance & drama sessions.

We’ve increased our commitment to young people, including weekly Speak Out sessions, giving young people the creative tools to take action about issues they care about.

By nurturing young people’s creativity, we’ve welcomed rising talent onto Trinity’s stage including the Next Gen Sounds performance at the annual Garden Party.

We’ve appointed three Community Connector roles to better understand the needs and interests of residents and community groups within the Newtown area, Stapleton Road as well as people accessing services at the Wild Goose Cafe.

We are continually working to enhance our heritage building, ensuring it remains accessible, inclusive and sustainable for all. This year we launched the Ticket Levy, a fee applied to all bookings to help us fund essential improvements to Trinity Centre.

Our Citizens for Culture, delivered in partnership with St Paul's Carnival, and Citizens In Power, is bringing together people across the Southwest to meet with creative practitioners, cultural providers and decision-makers with the aim to create a Cultural Plan for the region.

Advocating for our shared community spaces remains a priority for us as we progress in our mission to save Jacobs Wells. We’re now working hard to raise essential funds to restore and re-open the building as a multi-purpose community hub by Autumn 2025.

We are hugely proud of everything we’ve achieved throughout this year, and the impact we continue to create for our local community.

None of this would be possible without the longstanding support and friendship of our supporters, partners and audiences.

In Autumn 2024 we celebrated the rich creativity in Old Market through a programme of free creative happenings throughout the inner city suburb.

Amplifying the wide-ranging grassroots musicians in Bristol we took over shops and restaurants transforming them into pop-up DIY music venues hosting the likes of d Young Echo, TLK, EJ:AKIN and Rider Shafique and Sarahsson.

Audiences also explored Old Markets history through a promenade performance devised by writer Edson Burton and artist Tom Marshman. The performance uncovered the hidden stories of residents from Old Market’s past as well as exploring the sites and sounds of the area.

In addition to celebrating the rich cultural offerings in Old Market the programme of work intended to help encourage new audiences to Old Market – an often overlooked suburb of Bristol. Over 90% of audiences who came along to one of the free events shared that they were visiting the area specifically for the show or performance – and 55% shared that having come along to an event meant they were more likely to visit Old Market in the future.

In total over 700 audience members attended one or more of the events as part of Destination Old Market. As part of the programme we created paid opportunities for 48 musicians, 5 actors and 15 creative practitioners.

About Destination Old Market

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

Image credit: Amy Fern

As we move towards the Assembly’s delivery in 2025, here’s a look back at what we achieved in the second half of 2024.

Outreach and Partnerships

Building strong connections has been central to our progress. Since the project’s launch, we’ve worked to establish a wide-reaching network of partners, supporters, and collaborators - from cultural organisations, to community groups, to political leaders.

Over the last six months, we’ve:

• Engaged with more than 100 organisations across the cultural sector, led by our Assembly Producer, who joined us in May.
• Hosted online information sessions in August to connect with cultural organisations and individuals interested in becoming Assembly Associates.
• Secured £100,000 in funding from the Paul Hamlyn Foundation, with additional funding prospects in development.

Designing the Assembly

Creating a representative and impactful Citizens’ Assembly remains central to our work. The Assembly’s design principles have been shaped through collaboration with citizens, community partners, and cultural organisations, with a focus on accessibility and inclusion.

Key steps in the design process include:

• Developing a detailed sortition process in partnership with the Sortition Foundation to recruit a diverse and representative group of Assembly participants.
• Complementing this recruitment process with targeted outreach to historically underrepresented groups, including working-class citizens, young people, and rural communities.

Adjusting the Timeline

The Assembly is now scheduled to take place in autumn 2025, a shift from the original spring timeline. This adjustment ensures we can brief the region’s incoming mayor on the initiative after the spring elections, securing their full support.

Meanwhile, we’ve begun public engagement through events like the Trinity AGM and Speak Out with Young People. These initial conversations have helped develop provocations that will shape the Assembly’s focus on accessibility and inclusion.

What’s Next?

As we move into the next phase of Citizens for Culture, we’re committed to building a representative Assembly and developing an actionable Cultural Delivery Plan. With strong regional collaboration and growing support from funders, the project is positioned to influence cultural planning and governance locally and nationally.

In the comings months, we’ll be:

• Launching a public awareness campaign to engage communities across the region.
• Hosting summer festival events to spark conversations around ‘what culture means to me.’
• Preparing for the Assembly’s delivery in autumn 2025.

We’re excited to set the stage for a more inclusive and democratic cultural future in the West of England.

Interested in finding out more?

• Explore the Citizens for Culture website
• Read Martha King's thoughts on redesigning leadership for a more equitable future

About Citizens for Culture

Citizens for Culture is an initiative from St Paul Carnival CIC, Trinity Community Arts, Citizens in Power and West of England Combined Authority and is supported through funding by Arts Council England, Paul Hamlyn Foundation and Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation (UK Branch).

Heritage Talks, Heart & Soul, credit Khali Ackford

This summer, we hosted a series of Citizens for Culture online information sessions as part of our ongoing journey toward the UK’s first regional Citizens’ Assembly for culture, set to take place in 2025.

The sessions, held via Zoom, provided an opportunity to learn about the Citizens’ Assembly, ask questions, and share ideas that would ultimately shape the assembly itself. Hosted by key project partners, including LaToyah McAllister-Jones from St Paul’s Carnival, David Jubb of Citizens in Power and Emma Harvey from Trinity, the sessions provided an open space to discuss and understand how democratic tools can shape and impact the cultural sector, and how they might address challenges that the sector faces.
Across three engaging sessions, participants explored the concept of Citizens’ Assemblies, the potential impact on cultural decision-making, and how individuals and organisations in the West of England can get involved.

Each session covered a different topic. LaToyah McAllister-Jones offered an in-depth look at the assembly’s design, addressing questions about its structure and objectives. David Jubb highlighted the strategic potential of the assembly to impact the region’s cultural ecosystem, emphasising the roles of key stakeholders. Emma Harvey led a discussion on potential questions the assembly might tackle. These discussions sparked conversations and provided a space to reflect on how different people can play a part in this project.

We want to extend a thank you to everyone who joined us for these sessions. Your contributions have shaped the next steps of Citizens for Culture.

We’re now looking for more individuals and organisations in the West of England to become associates with Citizens for Culture. Associates will play a key role in guiding the Assembly, ensuring it reflects the region’s diverse voices and that its outcomes shape the cultural sector for the better.

Head over to the Citizens for Culture website, where you’ll find more ways to get involved, including opportunities to submit evidence, participate in workshops, and stay updated on our progress.

Interested in finding out more?

• Read our six month look back at Citizens for Culture
• Visit the Citizens for Culture website
• Become a Citizens for Culture Associate

About Citizens for Culture

Citizens for Culture is an initiative from St Paul Carnival CIC, Trinity Community Arts, Citizens in Power and West of England Combined Authority and is supported through funding by Arts Council England, Paul Hamlyn Foundation and Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation (UK Branch).

Through Citizens for Culture, we are creating the opportunity for people across the West of England to express their views to help shape an inclusive cultural plan for the region.

As we shape up plans for a 2025 Assembly, we are connecting with some of the people who have been part of the journey so far to ask them how they are exploring inclusive decision-making processes.

Knowle West Media Centre (KWMC), a Bristol-based arts and technology organisation, is a prime example of reimagining leadership and governance. Their commitment to creating fair and thriving neighbourhoods has led them to adopt more equitable and democratic practices.

In this piece, Martha King, co-director KWMC, shares their reflections on how the Bristol based arts organisation are embracing different ways of ‘organising’.

Martha King, Creative Co-Director, Knowle West Media Centre (KWMC)

KWMC is an arts and tech organisation in Bristol. Our mission is to ‘make fair and thriving neighbourhoods together, with arts, tech and care’. We believe in empowering communities and fostering non-hierarchical spaces for change making.

KWMC started in 1996. Back then it was all about democratising access to camera technology and supporting young people to tell their own stories. Now, we work with people of all ages, both locally and beyond, to imagine and co-create equitable futures through arts, technology, and collaborative making.

Being place-based, we want our organisational structure to reflect our commitment to inclusivity and non-hierarchical collaboration. This Easter, with the retirement of our founder-director, Carolyn Hassan, we saw an opportunity to re-evaluate leadership and explore new models of organising. We worked with Practical Governance Collective who helped us transition from a single CEO model to two co-directors as a step towards more distributed leadership.

Our journey towards more distributed leadership ….

During the pandemic, we connected with cooperative Outlandish, who supported our staff to use methods from Sociocracy, a values-based governance system, to embed consent-based decision-making within KWMC.

Sociocracy’s ‘circles’ method provides an easy-to-follow process where people bring forward proposals. All voices can be heard and decisions are made based on a process of iteration and consent, applying the notion of ‘good enough for now, safe enough to try’.

We support staff to use these tools through coaching and training so they can regularly develop these skills. We see coaching as a way of enabling staff, community, partners and artists to find their own solutions and assume leadership in relation to goals.

Our team of 30 is currently using Theory U, a systemic change method, to develop a refreshed collective vision. Through active listening and co-creation, we're forging a future built on shared understanding. This work is drawing on methods and approaches from the Clore Leadership Systemic change programme that I attended earlier this year.

Looking Ahead: Experimentation and Collaboration

There are many examples of good practices of organisations who are using alternative modes of organising. However, as the recent Arts Professional article highlighted, it is still not common for arts organisations to adopt non-hierarchical structures and use models such as Sociocracy. We are ready to go on this journey.

We are mindful, however, to make sure we don’t get too caught up on internal organising at the expense of delivering our activities. We are aware we need to keep thinking about how we can increase representation of our local community and other stakeholders at different levels of decision-making, inspired by models of Citizens’ Assemblies and the adoption of citizen juries by places like Birmingham Museums Trust.

At KWMC we are excited to go further towards more radical ways of organising that match our co-creating practices and are ready to experiment, learn and share with others.

Connecting and Sharing

KWMC are keen to connect with others doing similar things and are currently in conversation with FaCE about co-producing some talks that share inspirational practice in this field. Watch this space for more developments and feel free to reach out for a conversation: martha.king@kwmc.org.uk

Further Resources:

• Find out more about ‘Teal’ or self-managed organisations from ‘Reinventing Organisations’ by Frédéric Laloux.
• There are useful tips on the ‘Sociocracy for all’ website on setting up ‘circles’ and using consent based decision making.
• Dark Matter Labs blogs about organising beyond the rules.

Interested in finding out more?

Email Imogen@trinitybristol.org.uk to join our Citizens For Culture mailing list

About Citizens for Culture

Citizens for Culture is an initiative from St Paul Carnival CIC, Trinity Community Arts, Citizens in Power and West of England Combined Authority and is supported through funding by Arts Council England, Paul Hamlyn Foundation and Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation (UK Branch).