Movema perform on the Trinity curated Bristol Dances stage at Bristol Harbour Festival

We have partnered with award-winning dance charity Movema to deliver a programme of work with local schools and community groups.

The programme, made possible with support from the Coutts foundation, launches in Autumn 2022. Activities are planned throughout 2023 and will focus on children, young people and communities whose opportunity to take part in the arts is limited by background or circumstance.

“Dance is a powerful tool for communicating feelings and messages individually and collectively. Movema will explore dance styles and approaches that evolve from people standing up, pushing back and finding a physical voice in response to inequality and oppression”

Penny Caffrey, Director of Movema

Movema will work with schools local to Trinity (including Hannah More Primary and St Nicholas of Tolentine Catholic Primary) and a neighbourhood in Trinity’s immediate catchment.

The first schools-based project – ‘Dances of Resistance’ is inspired by Trinity’s Heritage Lottery project, Art of Resistance. Through a series of dance sessions the company will use their engaging learning tool ‘World In a Box’ –introducing children to places, people, festivals and cultures from around the world, helping to develop a greater understanding of the wonderfully diverse society we live in.

Children taking part in the school workshops will then be invited to weekly dance sessions at Trinity, hosted by Movema. Here they will take part in dance routines, make costumes and build connections - culminating in a Carnival Celebration.

The partnership responds to pledges we made following an in-depth community consultation in 2021 and aims to provide a continued offer of engagement – enabling and building connectivity with creativity and culture.

Gardna - Image Credit: Khali Ackford

Ahead of Gardna's headline show at Trinity on the 14 Oct, we sat down with the man himself to chat humble beginnings, highlights from 2022, and what makes Bristol such a special city to perform in.

Trinity are collaborating with Gardna as part of Trinity Presents, our in-house programme celebrating our diverse city and platforming emerging talent.

Can you tell us a little about the origins of Gardna?

This question immediately took me back to being a young wild and free G Man aged 13, I'd always be blue toothing grime riddims to my mateys on my flip up Sony Ericson phone outside the local skatepark standardly. Then bars became a hobby then it became something more serious, making tracks regularly so on and so forth, then gigs, hundreds of free gigs, and then yeah I haven't really stopped since.

How's 2022 been for you so far? Any particular highlights?

It's been absolutely crazy to be quite honest. The albums done alright, my tune R.A.V.E.A.S.A.P has had over 100 plays on Radio 1, it's even been getting smashed out on the Breakfast Show, my tune is on the Playstation game FIFA 23, I am currently BBC Radio 1 Future Artist of the month this month? Tore up Glastonbury, opened Boomtown and did 30+ festivals. Toured America with Mungo's Hi Fi. Been on one this year mate.

How has your relationship with Trinity developed over the years?

I've been coming here for a while now. Loads of unreal nights here over the years, the venue and it's love for sound system music is unmatched in this city. Jamell has had my back and put me on for a few things at the venue including their legendary Garden Party. He believed in me to put on my headline show at Trinity, it's a big leap of faith, but its happening.

In your opinion, what makes Bristol such a special city to perform in?

Bristol is Bristol innit. We know what we're doing here in this city. No messing about. There's really no place like home.

The lineup for your event at Trinity is quite something - how did you choose who to include?

First and foremost, I'm just a massive fan of everyone playing at this event. I've booked them to be there because they're flippin great and they know how to really work the dancefloor in true Gardna & Friends style and flavour. Whether I've met them this year, or we've known each other our whole teenage lives - this line up is my musical family and it's a representation of emerging artists, long time collaborators, Radio 1 DJs and absolute foundational legends. Everyone on this line up has in some way single-handedly changed the game for me at some point and I owe them ALL a pint. Or just a good gig in October.

What should the audience expect from your night at Trinity?

A celebration of the spectrum of sound system music. My biggest headline Gardna show to date. Amazing guests. Oh, and tears. There will be tears. And rum.

What's next for Gardna?

We have some banging R.A.V.E.A.S.A.P remixes and we're already deeply in the zone writing my next album right now. Can't stop won't stop. See you in October gang.

Gardna + Friends will play Trinity on 14 Oct as part of Trinity Presents, our in-house programme of music and arts. Click here to get your tickets.

Grove - Image Credit: Sophia Stefelle

Kahn ft. Rider Shafique - Image Credit: Sophia Stefelle

After The Fire - Image Credit: Sophia Stefelle

Rita Lynch - Image Credit: Marley Small

Hip Hop Garden - Image Credit: Sophia Stefelle

Image Credit: Sophia Stefelle

Solomon O.B - Image Credit: Sophia Stefelle

Irish Mellow + Cxption - Image Credit: Marley Small

Garden Party: Revolution Sounds was our second free-community event of the year where we said goodbye to the summer with a mix of live music, workshops, performances and an immersive exhibition: After The Fire.

As always we welcomed some of the best artists in Bristol and the South West all playing on The Den stage. From punk to experimental we had the likes of Rita Lynch, Talisman and Kahn. Kept a secret until they came on, headliner Grove closed out proceedings with an epic mosh pit.

"Inspirational people and artwork" Feedback, Garden Party: Revolution Sounds

In the Fyfe Hall, we hosted an immersive exhibition 'After the Fire', a thought-provoking odyssey through the sounds and sights of Bristol’s protest history in recent years. This exhibition allowed us to present a culmination of artwork made as part of the last two years of Art of Resistance - pieces created by participants including pottery and murals, alongside placards made as part of our Visions of Resistance including a mural made by Tanith Gould which was displayed outside People's Republic of Stokes Croft on Jamaica Street.

We also had a number of workshops running throughout the day, including Movema Dance Workshops and Button-Up Badge Making Workshop in the Main Hall, plus Hip-Hop Workshops in the Trinity Garden.

Big thanks once again to everyone that made this event possible - from the artists that performed, the exhibition curators, the workshop facilitators, the lighting and sound team working behind the scenes, the bar staff and Trinity Team, and of course all of you that came down on the day - over 1,200 of you came along, and we raised over £1,000 in donations so that we can put on more events like Garden Party for the local community.

If you'd like to stay in the loop with everything on at Trinity, head to our What's On page for all our upcoming events, or follow our Instagram, Facebook and Twitter and sign up to our mailing list to stay updated.

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

Community Painting Day part of the Wish List. Photo credit Khali Ackford

We have joined forces with St Paul’s Carnival to launch an ambitious project that aims to pilot a new people-led model for culture. Together, we want to support people to take decisions, make change and create culture that matters to them.

St Paul’s Carnival and Trinity are both grassroots, independent organisations based in East Bristol. Alongside delivering citywide events, we both work with local communities to design and deliver creative and cultural provision throughout the year.

The Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation (UK Branch) has committed funding for this research and development project, to test a process in which citizens could lead the creation and design of a cultural strategy for Bristol and the surrounding region.

Trinity and St Pauls Carnival will collaborate with the Gulbenkian Foundation, David Jubb of Citizens In Power and others to develop a bottom-up approach within the city that speaks of the collective experiences of diverse communities in order to better shape future decision making.

“We want to explore a different approach - one in which the very people who make and enjoy culture have a voice to express what this means for our city.” LaToyah McAllister-Jones Executive Director of St Pauls Carnival

Over the next year, the pilot will explore tested models such as Citizens’ Assemblies - used in Bristol in 2021 as part of the city’s post-COVID19 recovery planning - to input and shape democratic decision making in Bristol; a city known for its arts and culture.

This research phase will run until Summer 2023 and will involve a series of targeted workshops and open sessions, that will explore different ways of co-creating with communities.

If you would like to get involved, or for more information, please contact esther@trinitybristol.org.uk or sign up to Trinity’s Mailing list.

Photo Credit: Sam Howard

For the last 15 years, Teachings in Dub has been a staple of the Bristol dub scene and has become one of the longest running club nights in Bristol. Formed by Stryda (Dubkasm) and Pinch at Clockwork Nightclub on Stokes Croft until 2008 when Teachings found its new home here at Trinity.

Dub and soundystem cultures have been an integral part of Bristol’s music scene. During the 1970s and 1980's a DIY culture of soundsystems sprung up, particularly around East Bristol, allowing young people in Bristol to participate in the city’s music scene from the ground up.

Teachings in Dub has allowed for a new generation to participate in Bristol’s history of dub music. Teachings co-founder Stryda writes that the event has “always been about bridging the gap between the older generation and the new and ensuring the culture is maintained and respected but the vibes are passed on”.

"We aim to give elders a space to enjoy the music and vibes they grew up on as well as a window for newcomers to enter a music scene they may have otherwise not even known existed” - Stryda, Teachings in Dub co-founder

Stryda attributes Teachings’ long-standing popularity to providing “an authentic space to experience real undiluted soundsystem vibrations. The Bristol music scene is respected worldwide but is built on Reggae and soundsystem. We aim to give elders a space to enjoy the music and vibes they grew up on as well as a window for newcomers to enter a music scene they may have otherwise not even known existed”.

Teachings has hosted some of the biggest names in dub and roots reggae, including Jah Shakka, Iration Steppas, Channel One Soundystem and Aba Shanti-I, and will host celebrations for 50 Years of Jah Tubby this month on 17 Sep, before celebrating 15 Years of Teachings in Dub on 25 Nov.

Creative Community Play - Photo Credit: Sam Prosser

Creative Community Play was a 12-week pilot project that targeted parents and carers of babies and toddlers born in, or significantly impacted by, the isolation caused by Lockdown. The project was created in partnership between Trinity, creativeShift and Central Bristol Children’s Centres as part of a city-wide initiative connecting partners working in arts and health.

“I've had a chance to really connect with my child in a way that I don’t think I really had before and I wanted to before he went to school […] I feel a lot more connected to him and more calm”. Participant Feedback

Central Bristol Children’s Centre identified nine families with children aged from four months to four years who would benefit from taking part. All participants lived in Trinity’s locality with many families living in high-rise flats with little or no access to green spaces.

CreativeShift director, visual artist Barbara Disney and puppeteer and artist Araceli Cabrera Caceres looked at how to use natural objects, crafts and outdoor spaces to support connections between parent/career and children as well as with one another.

As part of the pilot participants watched a puppet show performed by Araceli Cabrera Caceres. For many this was their first experience of live performance.

Participants fed back that this has been the first time they had “really got to know [their] child” and others commented how the sessions really helped improve their wellbeing through connected with each other “there’s something very special about integrating that positive experience from my wellbeing with a positive  experience for his wellbeing. I feel like that has been really holistic and I really  appreciate that”.

During the sessions community health workers were also on hand to offer guidance for families or to signpost to other services.

Due to the success of the pilot project, we have secured funding for further sessions. These will be running from until March 2023. Referrals to Creative Community Play are via Central Bristol Children’s Centres. If you would like to find out how to take part please visit their website.

This project is part of Thriving Communities

Trinity have partnered with Coexist Community Kitchen to deliver a series of community gardening and cooking sessions. The sessions are aimed at bringing people together from a wide range of backgrounds to learn more about gardening, harvesting and cooking in our beautiful garden.

“I’ve loved learning to cook authentic meals from different parts of the world, coming together with people from different backgrounds and learning about their food” - Toby, Participant

Coexist Community Kitchen work with individuals who are accessing support for mental health issues, addiction, loneliness, and anyone who would benefit from taking part in outdoor activities to improve their personal well-being. The group learn about and take part in harvesting fresh produce such as carrots, marrows and radishes, before coming together to cook a meal as a group. In one session, participants made Vietnamese-style vegetable spring rolls and pancakes with vegetables and herbs picked garden.

Over the summer we delivered six weekly sessions, with around 30 people taking part. Participants spoke about how these sessions help with mental well-being, reduced isolation and loneliness, and offered the chance to learn more about cooking and gardening. Being able to offer free, outdoor sessions is something that has become increasingly important, especially post-pandemic when isolation has become more common.

We launch a new series of Community Cooking Sessions on 13 Sep. Click here to find out more.

These events are part of Eastside People and Places, made possible through funding from Bristol Impact Fund.

Eastside People and Places is three-year project delivered by Trinity, Eastside Community Trust and Somali Kitchen (CIC). Together, we are delivering a programme of events and activities aimed at bringing people together; reducing loneliness and isolation and helping people feel included and welcome.

As part of the project, Trinity is offering support, help and guidance to people who have an idea for a community activity. Community Activities Coordinator, Stefan, works closely with community groups/ individuals to help shape ideas, create connections and plan activity.

"I never have have thought I would ever enjoy doing anything like this, but I've absolutely loved it - thank you". Creative coffee morning participant at Rosevear House

Stefan has helped residents of retirement housing Rosevear House establish a regular creative coffee morning following Trinity's Community Arts Project - The Wish List. In these coffee mornings an established artist supports participants to develop their creative ideas. Alongside this, local families whose children attended our Green Shoots After School Club will be launching their community-led regular playgroup for early years in the new term.

Regular groups have also been supported to re-ignite or establish activities, including 'Rhythm of the Night', a club night for people with learning disabilities and their friends, the new community-led LGBTQ+ theatre group, AmQueer, plus a new a relaxed and friendly social for over-55s East Central Mingle.

We are now looking to programme our Autumn/Winter activity and invite Community groups/ Individuals who have an idea for an activity that brings people together to contact stefan@trinitybristol.org.uk for a chat.

Click here to find out more about the Eastside People and Places

Eastside People and Places is supported by The Bristol Impact Fund

Ahead of their day party takeover at Trinity on 27 Aug, we sat down with Club Djembe co-founder Ryan Foster (DJ Stolen) to chat about the label's beginnings, thoughts on the Bristol music scene and what's next for Club Djembe.

Trinity are collaborating with Club Djembe as part of Trinity Presents, our in-house programme celebrating our diverse city and platforming emerging talent, to host a day party in The Den, our new seasonal outdoor venue situated in the historic grounds of Trinity.

How did Club Djembe start?

Ryan: Club Djembe started all through a lack of events within Bristol that were pushing & promoting our music. We were playing UK Funky, Afro House & a lot of percussion led music on radio but never heard/saw of anything happening within the clubs in Bristol, so myself (DJ Stolen) & Jake decided to launch Club Djembe. Luckily for us at the time Josie was working behind the bar at The Love Inn so we managed to throw our first party and it all kicked off from there back in 2017.

What do you think Club Djembe offers to the Bristol music scene?

We know for ourselves and hear from our community that it is hard to find these genres of music in the events scene. Consistency (which is always key), as we guarantee that no night will stray from the vibe and atmosphere that we like to create - we have an open the door attitude and welcome a variety of people/cultures We also want ticket prices and venues to be affordable and accessible for everyone. And mostly, which we are most proud of, is that we love to support and put on new artists, that's something that excites us the most.

What kinds of events do you think are missing from the Bristol club scene?

Bristol has pretty much been the epicentre for Drum & Bass in the UK for as long as I can remember. It’s really refreshing to see a few more nights popping up that are pushing and promoting the same kind of music as us, Amapiano, UK Funky, Afro House like Lockmars for example. However it would be good to see more of these across Bristol, I think a lot of would be promoters get afraid by the prospect of an event not going well, however the best events from our experience are the ones you put on through a love & passion for the music rather than focusing on the monetary side of events.

What's next for Club Djembe?

The remainder of 2022 is looking RAMMED for us can’t lie. We’re throwing our first proper London event in September which is going to be massive, it’s falling inline with the release of our next compilation, Club Djembe Vol. 3 which is also huge! We then have one more release to go for the year which is from one of our favourite Bristol producers and we also have three more Bristol events in the pipeline including a big Christmas knees up with another sick London/Bristol based promoter so keep your eyes firmly planted on Club Djembe socials over the next few months as we have a lot going on.

Club Djembe will be playing at Trinity's outdoor venue The Den on Sat Aug 27. Click here to grab your tickets.

Teachings in Dub regular sound system night @Trinity, ©Khali Ackford

Trinity Community Arts Statement re Trinity Road Police Station Redevelopment (Application Ref. No: 21/04338/F) – Updated August 2022

Trinity welcomes the prospect of increased affordable homes and social housing offered by The Guinness Partnership. As such, since 2019, we have been liaising with Guinness and have worked closely with other community representatives including the Old Market Community Association (OMCA), as part of a shared effort to deliver the best possible outcomes for new residents.

Our main concern stems from the findings of an independent acoustician, who has concluded the noise measurements that underpin the acoustic assessment are not fit for purpose. Specifically, that the metrics adopted in the assessment fail to specifically consider the high potential for disturbance caused by low frequency music noise.

This was accompanied by concerns that proposals for a Deed of Easement - while providing additional protections to the venue - may not be suitable for a social housing development due to lack of social mobility of incoming tenants. Tenants with choice limited by their means will be more likely to accept an offer of unsuitable accommodation and will have less social mobility to relocate in the event that they find the conditions and impact of living in such close proximity to a venue to be unsatisfactory and unable to complain about this due to restrictions in their tenancy.

In addition, solutions such as mechanical ventilation, may offer little comfort to those who are most at risk of the impacts of rising energy costs and the current cost of living crisis.

As with other developments in the city and country, the 1st of 10 principles from the Govt’s National Design Guide, is ‘context’. Too often, the rapid re-imagining of our cities comes at the expense of existing social, cultural and physical landscapes.

Were the development to be permitted, we hope that Guinness will continue in their efforts to address these concerns to ensure every step is taken to mitigate against impact of our existing operations on our new neighbours.

Protections promised byAgent of Change remain largely untested and sadly the responsibility to protect what exists already falls to individual citizens to speak up in defence of the things that matter to them.

So far, there has been a lot of good will expressed by all parties including the Local Authority. We now need to ensure this translates into clear conditions and robust mitigation measures as part of the planning process, to legally safeguard Trinity’s future as a cultural institution for East Bristol and to ensure a duty of care is undertaken for the future tenants of those living 50yd from our front doors.

We recommend anyone with concerns to direct these through the Bristol City Council planning portal (application ref no. 21/04338/F).

A new semi-permanent artwork created in collaboration with Tanith Gould – a local mural artist and member of Bristol Mural Collective - and the local community has been unveiled outside the People’s Republic of Stokes Croft building on Jamaica Street.

The mural is currently on display outside People’s Republic of Stokes Croft on Jamaica Street and will move on to Trinity next month to be displayed as part of Garden Party II on 18 September.

"This project has given people a platform to discuss issues they care about whilst also connecting them more deeply to their own beliefs and morals" - Tanith Gould

The mural, titled ‘Bristol Resists’, was created as part of a month long series of workshops teaching elements of mural design to the immediate community as part of our two-year long project, Art of Resistance, exploring 100 years of protest and activism in Bristol.

The mural was commissioned as piece of community art - made up of ideas from the public and around 50 participants over 3 workshops - featuring placards directly inspired by their submissions - to be displayed publicly across Bristol.

To create the mural, Tanith delivered a series of creative workshops, with the aim to provide a platform in which people were able to come together to discuss areas of social, political and environmental injustice and create a powerful piece of protest art in response.

Visions of Resistance launched at Trinity’s Garden Party back in May with a mural workshop. Participants were encouraged to think of artistic responses to the five research strands of the Art of Resistance project - Reclaiming the Environment, Women’s Equality, Counter Culture, Anti-Racism/Anti-Fascism and Working-Class Equality. These responses were expressed through a mix of mediums including collage, paint and printmaking.

The initial workshop at Garden Party was then followed workshops focusing on printmaking and collaging. These workshops encouraged participants to develop on the themes of protest and activist art with sessions focusing on printing radical imagery, slogans and lettering to make placards that represented social causes that resonated with them personally.

Tanith collated placards created during the workshops as well as illustrations representing significant moments in Bristol’s protest history such as the toppling of the statue of Edward Colston and the Bristol Bus Boycott to produce the final mural which represents a broad range of activism in Bristol over the last 100 years.

About Art of Resistance

Art of Resistance is a two-year National Lottery Heritage Funded exploring 100 years of social activism, protest and civil disobedience in Bristol and the art that underpinned each movement.

Trinity are proud to be the Bristol partners of The World Reimagined, a ground-breaking, national education project transforming how we understand the Transatlantic Trade in Enslaved Africans.

“If we’re going to make racial justice a reality for all, it calls on us to courageously face our shared history with honesty, empathy and grace" - Michelle Gayle, The World Reimagined Co-founder

The project features 103 unique globes placed across seven cities in the UK, including nine in Bristol, forming an education trail to allow the public to learn more about the Transatlantic Trade in Enslaved Africans.

Trinity are hosting a globe entitled 'Legacy' created by Alex Grose - a local artist specialising in drawing, painting and printmaking. Since 2011, Grose has focussed upon the human condition and lost generations, layering to obscure, destroy, hide, cover, manipulate, strip and wash away images and materials, using these forms of making to symbolise the passage of time and the way history affects memory and knowledge in contemporary society.

The globe will be on display to the public in Trinity's Garden from 13 August - 31 October 2022.

With more than 2m trail visitors; 200+ schools; 75+ community organisations, The World Reimagined will be one of the largest art education projects for racial justice the UK has ever seen. The coming together of art, education, activism and community will make for a unique moment as we examine our shared history and help us to better understand what it means to be British.

Click here to find out more about The World Reimagined.

Everybody Dance Now - Dance Connect Residency at Filwood Community Centre

Moving Bristol (2020 – 2021) was a partnership project with leading Dance Producer, Deborah Baddoo, supporting the development of dance across Bristol.

Over two years, Trinity supported four paid artist residencies, embedding practitioners in a range of grassroots sevices and community arts and health settings, to explore new ways of collaborative working.

We welcomed a total of 2756 participants across 61 workshops, focus groups, meetings and performances, both online and in-person. Alongside this, the project supported 69 artists paid work opportunities. The learnings from the project were embedded into Thriving Communities a year-long cross-sector partner project. Read more about Thriving Communities here.

“It was really meaningful for people who did get involved, it was transformational for some of the young people who participated in workshops.” residency host venue, KWMC

Artist Residencies

Artist Lerato Dunn worked with Southmead Development Trust to develop Wellbeing Moves a project that explored a dance on prescription model.

Dance organisation The Original Spinners worked with Fresh Arts supporting the recovery of elderly and frail patients through working on dementia wards.

These residencies explored different ways in which dance can be used in health settings to improve wellbeing. This included targeted work with those experiencing life-limiting illnesses. Activities were co-designed by artists, service users and delivery staff.

Penny Caffrey and Helen Wilson collaborated with Filwood Community Centre to create Everybody Dance Now to promote a positive sense of place within communities.

Artist and Producer Katy Noakes collaborated with Knowle West Media Centre to develop a new contemporary dance piece 'Shuffle'.

These residencies explored ways that dance can be used to create a sense of place, community and belonging.

Dance Hubs

Producer Deborah Baddoo worked with participatory dance artists Helen Wilson, Julia Thorneycroft, Gather Up and Raquel Meseguer to develop cross-sector collaborations with target community, health and education services.

Connecting with venues The Trinity Centre, Creative Youth Network and Arnolfini, the artists established an active youth-dance network, produced and delivered a citywide Dance and Health Conference in November collaborated with venues to explore and understand how to break down barriers for people taking part in dance activities.

Read more about the background to Moving Bristol project and the Bristol Dance Futures partnership.

Trinity are hosting a new series of Music Masterclasses for young people aged 16 to 25 interested in learning more about performing and working in the music and events industries.

Trinity have invited top industry professionals from Bristol and beyond to come and share their knowledge and insights in a series of exclusive workshops and classes. This series will feature a diverse range of guests whose jobs include performing ,producing and mixing music, as well as assisting musicians in roles such as programming, label management, radio, and much more.

Music Masterclasses form part of Trinity’s ongoing commitment to providing vocational training for young people in Bristol who may otherwise experience barriers to accessing the arts and music industries.

This series will provide young people with industry advice ,guidance and practical learning, as well as opportunities to connect and collaborate with other young people in the city.

Click the title of the event that you'd like to attend to register your interest:

Batu + Saffron Records (10 Aug)

Bristol-based DJ, Producer and Record Label

Laurence Walker (14 Sep)

Bookings and Promotions at Lost Horizon

Young Echo (12 Oct)

Music collective based in Bristol

t l k (02 Nov)

Improvisation Workshop

NSL (23 Nov)

Lighting and Sound Specialists

Noods Radio (14 Dec)

St Pauls-based Radio Station

Do you know someone who would benefit from our Music Masterclass series? Send an email to fleurw@trinitybristol.org.uk to register your interest.

Volunteers help maintain the gardens at Trinity

Putting Down Roots is a horticultural therapy and training project, using gardening as a tool to help people in their recovery. Delivered by St Mungo’s, the project helps to build people’s self-esteem, confidence and sociability through connecting with nature.

“It is a pleasure to work in such a beautiful space and to be part of something so positive that so well serves the local community.” Putting Down Roots Participant

The group meet weekly and help maintain the gardens in Trinity’s historic grounds and work in teams to plant blubs, prune trees, weed and even to take part in crafts activities such as mud sculpture.

On average about ten people attend the weekly sessions at Trinity. The team delivering Putting Down Roots say that taking part can be an up and down journey, but it is proven to help people take positive next steps in their recovery.

One client, Miriam*, took part in Putting Down Roots for about a year and a half. She particularly enjoyed being in the garden and the St Mungo's team saw her benefit therapeutically through being able to get involved, for example, in pruning the trees or weeding an area enough to unwind and feel much better after a few hours than she did when she arrived. Miriam recently moved on to start a new role as a Forest School Assistant.

Clients who take part in Putting Down Roots are referred to the project through their key worker - they may live at the St Mungo's hostel or are recommended by a someone who has previously taken part.

If you would like to find out more about the project please visit the St Mungo's website.

*name changed to protect privacy

Trinity is committed to creating opportunities for people to gain access to the arts industry and gain experience in the creative sector, particularly amongst groups with lower representation in the arts industry.

“At Trinity the opportunities for cross-departmental collaboration are massive. I’ve learned so much being here that I wouldn’t have at other venues” Aysha, Event Production Coordinator

Many of our permanent team members initially joined Trinity on an internship. Aysha, Trinity’s Production Coordinator, started her journey at Trinity in 2019 on a three-month internship. A role was created to suit both Aysha’s skill-set and the needs of Trinity. Trinity feels that this individually focused approach to hiring staff leads to more meaningful, fulfilling employment, and means that employees are in roles that best suit their skills, experience and long-term ambitions.

Like many members of Team Trinity, Aysha was offered a permanent contract after the end of her internship, moving into the role of Production Coordinator, and having additional responsibilities such as line management.  Further to this Aysha is part of a city-wide campaign to create safer environments for everyone to enjoy nightlife in the city.

Trinity believes strongly that investment in staff is one of the most effective ways to democratise employment in the arts industry.

We are working in partnership with South Bristol Youth (SBY) to provide opportunities for KS4 students to experience insights into working in the creative sectors as part of their 'insight into apprenticeship' initiative.

We also became an accredited Living Wage organisation and have created opportunities for young people to develop skills in the creative sector. Through the Kickstarter scheme we offered entry-level roles to nine individuals including CPD, training and mentorship for young people to gain paid experience in the cultural sector including in event production, marketing and communications and operations.

Over ¼ of employees who start at Trinity on internships go on to stay as permanent members of staff. By offering both secure and meaningful employment alongside opportunities to progress and develop a career in the sector, Trinity can help ensure that careers in the creative industry are a viable option for everyone.

Ashton Court Future Ville Launch. Photo credit Caroline Thake

Bristol City Council has announced The Community Resilience Fund to be made available to community groups delivering provision in some of Bristol’s most deprived areas. The announcement of the grant follows the publication of Trinity’s 100 Beacons Report that we submitted to the City Council.

The report, created in partnership with other venues and the Council, shines a light on Bristol's community and cultural assets, including the critical role they played in providing local services as part of the COVID19 response.

"Huge thanks to Trinity for advocating for other community buildings in some of Bristol’s most neglected areas and to Bristol City Council for engaging and responding to this need” Katherine Chiswell Jones, Art Space Life Space

We created the report with the intention of building a collective case for capital investment in the city’s youth, community and cultural assets and we are pleased that Bristol City Council has now announced the commitment to funding these much-needed spaces.

The one-off pot of £4 million is also available for city-wide self-organised equality groups and is intended to help groups invest in costs, such as works to improve access, upgrading ICT infrastructure or works to a community building.

Our 100 Beacons report was part of our continued commitment to advocating for shared community and cultural spaces. We are members of Locality, support a ’Community Power Act’ and, have invested in Stokes Croft Land Trust.

Find out more about the funding and how to apply here

Students from City Academy at Trinity

We are working in partnership with South Bristol Youth (SBY) to provide opportunities for KS4 students to experience insights into working in the creative sectors as part of their 'insight into apprenticeship' initiative.

Connecting with local comprehensive and community schools we have programmed experiences for students, who may be historically excluded from the arts, that aim to provide insights into the various careers available in the cultural sector.

"Dave and his creative team hosted a high energy, interactive and informative day ... providing a fascinating insight in the creative arts industry in all its many wild and wonderful forms." Mark Nixon, Project Coordinator, South Bristol Youth Consortium for Young People

Recently we hosted students from City Academy, a local school that is situated in Lawrence Hill, one of the most deprived wards in the city whose cohort of over 1000 students have higher-than-average EAL/SEND.

During the visit students were taken on a guided tour of Trinity, detailing aspects of the grade II* listed buildings historic and cultural significance, highlighting the impact Trinity has had on the local community and wider music and arts scene within the city over the years.

They also took part in a series of music workshops, including, DJ, drumming and live performance. Trinity’s Youth Music Activities Manager Dave then led a masterclass session on music events promotion and podcasting.

This exciting partnership will help young people to reach their potential in work and in life, by building the skills, knowledge and confidence to better understand the pathways to apprenticeships, higher education and suitable employment. We will be hosting more schools over the coming months as well as our free-to-access Masterclasses this summer for young people who are interested in working in the music industry.

Forest School in Trinity's Community Garden

As part of our commitment to creating opportunities for children and families to connect with nature and learn through play we deliver regular free-to-access Forest School sessions in our Community Garden, funded by Children in Need.

“Thank you so much, we have loved coming here. We enjoy having a space to run around in as we do not have a garden at home. It is important for the children to have a space to run around in and spend time outside. They love digging and watering”. Parent of child attending Forest School

The sessions are aimed at children who attend local primary schools as well as families who are signposted through our partnerships with community organisations and outdoor play providers. The sessions provide a much-needed outdoor space for children, many of whom do not have access to outdoor spaces or gardens at home. So far 357 children, families and carers have taken part in the provision since Sep 2021.

Our work with children focuses on improving confidence and well-being through nature based-education. Children work in small groups, led by experienced facilitators, take part in activities such as campfire cooking, lighting fires and organic gardening.

Many children who come to the sessions may struggle to engage with mainstream education, due to the impact of Lockdown or an additional educational need. 97% of the children who have attended Forest School have shown increased confidence in outdoor spaces and many have shown significant progress in their confidence and team working skills. For example one child presented initially as disruptive and disengaged however, following regular attendance they became an active and engaged participant working successfully with peers.

Due to the success of the project we are able to extend Forest School sessions and will continue working with schools and partners to continue to offer this much-needed provision. This includes our free Summer Holiday provision.

Don’t miss a rare chance to see Black Roots live at Trinity on 02 July as part of The Mid Summer Reggae Festival – hosted by Dub Legacy and one of Bristol’s top radio stations Ujima. Black Roots will be joined by some of the best soundsystems in the scene including Green King and Indica Dubs.

The history of Black Roots is intertwined with Bristol’s relationship with reggae and the reggae scene as a whole. Formed in St Paul’s in 1979, the group were an integral part of the early sound system culture in the late 1970s/early 1980s that defined Bristol’s music scene at the time. Set against a backdrop of rising racial tensions in the city, seen most clearly through the St Paul’s Riot in 1980, the emerging sound system culture was a way for young Black people in the city to carve their own space within the local music scene.

While discriminatory entry policy barred entry for many young Black people in a number of Bristol’s venues, Trinity opened its doors and soon became renowned for hosting reggae and sound system events.

Sound system culture was part of a wider DIY scene that still exists in Bristol today and the grassroots approach to music allows for local people to define their city’s music scene from the ground up. After garnering international acclaim for their raw, honest approach to roots reggae, Black Roots went quiet until 2004 when they went on to drop 4 new albums ‘On the ground’, ‘Ghetto Feel’, ‘Son of Man’ and ‘Take it’. Their newest release was in 2021 ‘Take it Easy’.

This event is not to be missed - click here below to check out the full line-up and get your tickets.