Uchenna Dance workshop at Trinity Photo @ Khali Ackford

Through the Dance Connect project, Bristol Dance Futures, are pleased to announce the open call for four £8,000 residencies for dance practitioners.

The residencies will embed a Bristol based artist in a cultural, health, education or public 'setting' in order to create opportunities to get to know how these settings operate and, understand how creative practice can take place within the organisations priorities. Further to this artists are encouraged to find out how these spaces could understand more about the potential of dance.

On 24 Sept 2020 organisations and artists are invited to join a Zoom meeting to find out more about the opportunity including:

• Hear about experiences of artists who have co-designed residencies within both arts and non- arts based settings
• Hear from organisations who have hosted an artist residency
• Hear about the interests of other artists and organisation
• Explore synergies between what artists would like to do and what organisations would like to host Artists and organisations will have an opportunity to discuss their values, interests and the focus of their work, with the aim of forming partnerships between independent artists and venues/organisations.

Following the meeting there will be a call out to artists and organisations to submit a joint application for a residency idea to be part of the Dance Connect project by October 30th 2020.

About Dance Futures

Bristol Dance Futures - is a consortia of South West arts organisations and practitioners - to develop the city’s dance offer. The group is working together to grow investment in dance, and includes Emily Williams (Theatre Bristol), Rhiannon Jones (Trinity Community Arts), Kieran Swann (Arnolfini), Nic Young (Circomedia), Helen Cole (In Between Time) and independents Gabbie Cooke, Deepraj Singh, Katy Noakes and Lauren Scholey. Deborah Baddoo, Dance Futures Producer will lead this development and develop Bristol’s regional and national profile as home for dance.

Dance Futures supported by Arts Council England using public funding by the National Lottery.

Roxana Vilk 'Lullabies' Sharing, 2019 © Alexa Ledecky

As both a community and cultural asset, we face very different challenges and responsibilities in relation to the two roles we play. In the second of two parts, we reflect on Trinity's role as a community hub and what role we have to play in a post-lockdown recovery…

Lots of people in Bristol will know Trinity as a gig venue but that’s just one part of our story. Music provides us with a vital source of revenue to subsidise a much wider programme, which includes providing over 4,000 hours of free and subsidised space for community activities. The COVID-19 outbreak has left the voluntary sector facing some of its biggest challenges to-date. It has also demonstrated just how important community hubs, groups and organisations are. This has been highlighted by the recent Locality report: "We Were Built for This" which details the crucial role the Voluntary and Community Sector (VCS) has played in the initial crisis response and why this sector should be trusted and resourced as part of the UK's post-pandemic recovery.

Locality found that community organisations have been the quickest to mobilise and adapt their services to the crisis, the glue that has held together the community response and a notable ability to harness an upsurge in community spirit. The way communities and organisations across Bristol have mobilised and formed new partnerships to deliver food, supplies and care has been brilliant. Bristol City Council, Voscur and individual organisations big and small have come together to get help to where it is needed most. There are still gaps, but it’s been amazing to see this joined-up approach - and for Trinity to play a small part in the city’s response. “

When crisis struck, across the country community organisations were early responders, coordinating volunteers, delivering emergency supplies, supporting isolated groups, and finding creative ways to keep communities together.” - Locality

Trinity’s charity focus as 'A Centre for The People' is about creating an open, accessible space for people to come together, connect, learn, share and celebrate across a progressive programme of arts and cultural events and grassroots activities. This obviously proves much more challenging with social distancing measures in place - though not impossible. Our successful Youth Music programme to engage and support children who’ve fallen out of mainstream education has moved online, providing sessions to young people 121 as well as supporting music making through our partnership with The Teenage Cancer Trust. Our garden project - supporting people to access nature to develop skills and improve mental heath - has continued through providing online garden tips, nature-hunting challenges and activity resource packs for children and families.

As a venue, we’re home to a range of community groups - from Gerry's Attic and Gentle Dance classes for over 55s to long-standing groups such as Hype urban dance troupe and Bristol Samba Band. We hope to get back to our face-to-face functions as soon as we can and are working with groups and regularly reviewing Government advice to find ways of reinstating activities within the physical space. As a space for celebration, we even hosted our first 'socially distanced' wedding ceremony on Saturday 11th July - which is a key part of our centre's heritage.

A survey recently completed by over 500 people has shown us that you would like us to continue our online offer, develop our offer for children and families and provide reassurance to people coming back into to the Centre. In response to this, we plan to provide hundreds more art packs to children across the city thanks to extra support from Children in Need.

We’re continuing to connect people across the world online through our work with Associate Artist Roxana Vilk and her project, ‘Lullabies’, as well as through the digital launch of our new heritage project – The Art of Resistance: exploring 100 years of social activism and protest in Bristol and the art that underpinned each movement. We are thankful for all the love and respect we’ve received in response to our survey and we’ll continue to adjust our focus to support the community however we and in response to your feedback.

“I'm a huge fan of Trinity and have had some of my favourite Bristol experiences there. Possibly one of the reasons why I ended up moving to Bristol. I know I'm not the only one who feels that way, you have a huge community behind you who love what you do and respect your place in the Bristol scene and will support you through this time, myself included.” Survey feedback, June 2020

Locality’s report includes some asks of the Government; the need for a community-powered economic recovery supported by an investment plan for community assets and a collaborative public services approach to unlock community power and sustain the energies harnessed by new mutual aid groups. Though some financial support has been announced, the #WeWereBuiltForThis message is still very much one that needs to be driven home. We're keen to help grow the Government’s understanding of the critical role community organisations and hubs play in times of crisis and how they are key to building the strong and thriving communities of the future.

We’ve written to our local MP about these issues and are continuing to work with other grassroots groups to ensure the long-term future of Trinity Centre and other important community hubs across the city - big and small.

Locality has info on its website for writing to your MP about the community and voluntary sector - better still, write to them with your story about how much organisations like ours matter to you.

Thanks for reading! Click here to read Part 1: Arts

You can also head over to Trinity Presents to join us for some online arts and culture.

Big Love, Team Trinity & Trustees

Trinity Garden Party 2019 ⓒ Alexa Ledecky

As both an independent grassroots music venue and a community arts charity, Trinity straddles two very different worlds. This first of two parts, reflects on Trinity's role as an arts space and what the future might hold for us in a post-lockdown world...

Trinity's vision is for everyone to have the chance to access great art and culture. As an arts centre, we bring music to young people from challenging circumstances, deliver a range of heritage and cultural activities, projects and events and support artists with affordable space, residencies and producing time, as well as providing a platform to reach new and bigger audiences.

Since lock-down, we've continued in our commitment to ‘empower communities through arts’ via Trinity Presents - our online arts programme featuring live music, DJ sets and performances, which included partnering to bring St Paul's Carnival to a digital audience. With some restrictions now easing, we're exploring what we can do with regard to 'social distanced' residencies and outdoor performances.

However, all of this - whilst delivering social impact - doesn't mitigate against the financial impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Our dedicated team has worked hard to grow a range of revenue streams to ensure we're sustainable and our funding model is centred around 'sweating the asset' - making use of the listed former-church building in Old Market we look after on behalf of the local authority.

As soon as the Government announced lockdown restrictions in March, most of Trinity's income disappeared overnight. No live music or club nights. No bar sales. No car park income. No private hire fees for weddings or revenue from large events such as our annual Garden Party, which takes place every May and would've been celebrating its 15th year in 2020.

Though restrictions are beginning to ease, guidance remains confusing and is yet to address Trinity's main income generating activity: gigs and club nights. There is no clear indication as to when we will be allowed to #LetTheMusicPlay and operate at break-even capacity. Some are anticipating this return won’t be until the next financial year, or even until a vaccine is in place.

We have thankfully been able to access some Government support and grants including Arts Council and Power to Change. However, like many of our counterparts in the city and up and down the country, we still face a very uncertain future. Trinity can likely get through the next few months but, if we cannot re-open as a venue in the Autumn, then we are going to start to really struggle without further financial support.

We’ve seen similar organisations go into administration already - including Square Chapel Arts in Halifax and Nuffield Theatres in Southampton. These are huge losses both to arts lovers and to local communities; the arts are not only invaluable to people’s health and well-being but arts centres are also valuable local economic multipliers, as shown by a 2018 Locality report on comparable community venues.

Uncertainty for some venues is even worse than for Trinity, with many facing ongoing rental charges and large business rateable values, excluding them from available grant schemes. Campaigns such as #SaveOurVenues led by the Music Venue Trust (MVT) call for specific consideration to be given to the plight of grassroots music venues, whilst Future Arts Centres call to place arts spaces like Trinity at the heart of the country’s post-pandemic recovery.

The debate on the future of the Arts sector in Parliament, in response to a petition which secured tens of thousands of signatures, touched upon some of these issues - including how the arts is more than just entertainment, supporting people through mental health struggles as well as showcasing the UK to the rest of the world.

What followed was followed by an announcement of £1.57bn to support UK culture. This offers some hope, however the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport Oliver Dowden, stated that the priority for grants and loans will be to preserve the "crown jewels" in the arts sector; venues such as The Royal Albert Hall and The National Gallery.

With MVT estimating that 90% of grassroots venues are at imminent risk of closure, smaller cultural organisations are waiting to see what this funding might mean for us.

Though financial support has been announced, the #SaveArtsUK campaign is still very much live. We're keen to support the Government to widen their understanding of those who work in, enjoy and value the arts in their everyday lives and that arts is for everyone, not just those who can afford to access it.

We’ve written to our local MP about these issues and are continuing to work with other grassroots venues to ensure the long-term future of Trinity Centre and other important cultural institutions across the city - big and small.

Future Arts Centres has info on its website for writing to your MP about the community arts sector - better still, write to them with your story about how much organisations like ours matter to you.

Thanks for reading! Click here to read Part 2: Community.

You can also head over to Trinity Presents to join us for some online arts and culture.

Big love from Team Trinity & Trustees

Trinity Presents: Bristol Dances Stage at Bristol Harbour Festival 2019 Photo @KoLAB Studios

We are proud to be the programmers of the Bristol Dance's stage at the annual Bristol Harbour Festival. This year as we can't celebrate and dance with you in person, we will be hosting a special day of live-streaming highlighting some of the UK's most exciting dance and circus artists with premiere streams excerpts from shows and especially curated short performances.

Get involved on the day by tuning in and sharing your best memories of #Harbour Festival on social media.

Balance of the Cosmos - 18th July - 12:00 noon

We have teamed up with leading Circus Company Cirque Bijou, who programme the Circus area at HarbourFestival, to bring you a premier streaming of their outdoor spectacle Balance of the Cosmos. The show featured over 80 artists and was a true multi cultural collaboration, celebrating artistry from the UK, France, USA, and Taiwan. It told a simple story of the need to to balance our desire to live interesting and exciting lives with our respect for the environment.

Balance of the cosmos will be streamed on Facebook and there will be opportunities to talk with the creative team and artists behind the show in the comments section.

Vogue Workshop - 18th July - 3pm

Don your sparkles and warm up those voguing muscles and start your afternoon right with Darren Pritchard Dance's Vogue workshop! Darren will take you through a gentle warm up followed by a beginners workshop on the five elements of Vogue Femme including Hand Performance, Catwalk, Spins and Dips, Floor Performance, Duck Walk.

Celebrating Dance - 18th July - 7pm

Join us for this special one off livestream, celebrating dance artists from around the UK. With short performances from amazing companies  Ella Mesma Company and Gerry's Attic and excerpts of shows from Toussaint To Move and Uchenna Dance

This is brought to you by Trinity Presents. Click here to see more arts, community, well-being and education content or follow us on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.

Trinity are working with external artists, partners and organisations as part of Trinity Presents Online to provide exciting content, relevant to Trinity's diverse audiences and in line with our Equal Opportunities and Free Speech Policies. Click here for more information about our Policies. While we endeavour to ensure content we share is relevant and appropriate, Trinity is not responsible for individual content created by third parties.

Named by the Bristol Post as one of the cheapest car parks in central Bristol, The Trinity Centre has reopened its 24hr Pay & Display car park offering 75 spaces around the building, including accessible parking bays for visitors to the Centre.

Trinity has operated a P&D car park since 2014, using Pay & Display revenue generated to fund charitable activities and cover running costs.

Rates have been increased in response to the impact of the loss of live music and event income caused by the Covid-19 pandemic. However, Trinity is still offers some of the cheapest parking spaces in the city and, what you pay to park at Trinity subsidises hall space, which will be of great help to support local groups and regular classes as they begin to return to the community centre.

Trinity is in walking distance of many city centre attractions and is a short distance from Junction 3 of the M32. Trinity is also within walking distance of Old Market (4mins), Stapleton Road (2mins) Cabot Circus (13mins) and Broadmead (19min).

In line with the latest guidance, customers paying to park will not be able to use cash payments - payment methods include cash, debit/credit card and Apple and Andriod pay. Rates start at £1 for 30min.

The car park is open 24 hours and customers are able to pay for multiple 12 hour slots for overnight stays. Click here for further information about parking rates and terms.

Trinity’s car park is managed by Carflow Management company via an Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) system. All users of the site, including Blue Badge Holders, are required to pay and display the correct amount.

"What a beautiful venue, full to the brim with amazing work and gorgeous outreach programmes and artistic development opportunities. I'm really hoping to spend more time there once things have calmed down" Audience Feedback June 2020

Trinity have been awarded funding of £28,677 through Power to Change's £12 million emergency support package.

Power to Change support community led businesses, giving places and people more control over shaping their communities. The grant will contribute towards Trinity’s core costs following the ceasing of trading in March 2020, due to lockdown measures. These costs are usually covered by revenue generated from hires, bar sales and our pay and display car park.

The emergency grant follows funding from Power to Change to improve our ability to support communities in running grassroots activity through the Community Kickstart project, as well as enabling us to increase capacity for community hire through the Trinity Digs project.

Trinity is both a community asset and a community and cultural hub. Free and subsided hire allow community groups and residents to deliver their own activity and organise community led meetings and events.  Provision to support those struggling with mental health or social isolation is offered through project activity including our Community Garden and Youth Music project.

We are hugely grateful to the funders who have contributed emergency funds to help us bridge the gap in our funding, created by a loss of trading activity. This support means we can continue to deliver activities for the many communities connected to Trinity. As a Localis report on the sector recently outlined, this crisis has threatened the existence of community assets and has also shown just how significant they are to society in these most challenging times.

“We are delighted Trinity Centre has supported Full Circle youth services by giving us the nature packs to give out to our most vulnerable families and young people. We are also looking forward to deepening our connection with Trinity to benefit the families and young in Bristol”

Judith Davis, Youth Development Manager, Full Circle Youth Centre @ Docklands, June 2020

We know now more than ever, we need opportunities to take part, connect and celebrate. During lockdown we have worked to offer communities the opportunity to access cultural and community activity. This includes supporting groups and individuals to take Community Kickstart activity online through our Trinity Presents Programme. We have also been working with local organisations and schools to distribute activity packs to families - with more planned to reach others who maybe experiencing social isolation due to Covid-19. You can find out more about this activity and how we are reaching communities during lockdown here. Tutors from Making Tracks project have been working to support young people access music making provision through video sessions.

In the Summer the garden welcomed local children and families for activity days. Photo @Paul Blakemore

Local children, including Tate, received activity packs during Lockdown. Photo via Twitter courtesy of Tate's Mum

"@HannahMorePri huge thanks to you and @TrinityBristol for the fantastic kit for the windowsill grow challenge! Tate really enjoyed potting them. We will keep you posted on their growth" Charlene L. Twitter

Since the Covid-19 lockdown, we have been working closely with local primary schools and Up Our Street to find ways to reach out to young people in the community who can no longer access our community garden and may have limited access to green spaces during this time.

The first batch of activity packs, filled with simple DIY windowsill gardening ideas and craft activities for families, children and carers to get busy with at home, went out in May/June 2020. Activities include sowing seeds, making bird feeders, scavenger hunts and more. A digital version of the pack is downloadable from our website.

“I think the biggest benefit is that it gives children and families who might not be able to get outside, the chance to engage in nature-based activities. Being around nature and doing tasks like planting and looking after plants are great for mental health and well-being and get children engaged in the world around them!”

Natalie Barker, Deputy Head, St Nicholas of Toletine Primary, June 2020

The garden team are also creating videos on everything from handy gardening tips to fun activities you can do at home - keep up-to-date with these on our social media channels or catch up here.

10 ways to support the Black community

A spotlight has been thrown on racial inequality on both sides of the Atlantic. We, as an organisation, in concert with our partners neighbours, and friends, are committed to advocating for change in light of the tragic injustices faced by the Black community.

Black members of the Trinity family have compiled a list of 10 ways in which you can show your support. If you have any other ideas please contact us at info@trinitybristol.org.uk. We'd love to hear from you.

How can you help?

1. Educate yourself and then others

• Research and understand structural inequality, systemic racism and black history to decolonise your mind. Check out these resources from Runnymede Trust and Black Lives Matters.
• Advocate for Black History to be taught in schools.
• Enrol on a structured course of learning around Black Historical Studies.
• Share the knowledge and resources.

2. Show your solidarity

• On Wed 3 June, Stand Up To Racism ran a #TakeTheKnee campaign across the UK. Keep up the momentum by taking a knee, raising a fist, making posters, or any combination of these to show your solidarity. We propose a duration of 8.46 minutes in honour of George Floyd.
• It doesn't matter that it's not all on the same day or at the same time. What matters is the message.
• It's not about the show but posting a picture of yourself doing these things will encourage others to do the same.

3. Virtually protest

• Avoid using the official #BLM or #BlackLivesMatter hashtags in your posts as this drowns out the vital information posted by the movement. Instead use #TakeTheKnee #RestInPower #JusticeForGeorgeFloyd #JusticeForBreonnaTaylor #AmplifyBlackVoices and any other relevant tags you can find.
• If you're feeling brave, use social media algorithms to your advantage and add tags used by groups opposing the movement to get the message to those who need to hear it most.

4. Buy Black

• Buy and read books by Black authors.
• Buy gifts and treats from Black businesses.
• Spending locally supports your local economy and buying from Black businesses helps to support an often struggling sector.

5. Support Black platforms

• Follow and learn from Black activist like Tamika Mallory, Leslia Thomas QC and Janet Adler.
• Follow and read media championing Black voices, such as gal-dem and Black Girl Fest.

6. Donate money, time, skills and resources

• There are countless local, national and international Black causes to donate to, including Black Southwest Network, Black Cultural Archives, St Paul's Carnival.
• If you're unable to donate financially, think of what valuable skills you poses that could benefit a cause. This could be anything from designing artwork to stuffing envelopes, making teas to attending meetings on behalf of someone else. Volunteering time is just as valuable as money. Reach out to local Black charities and communities and ask how you can help.

7. Find, sign and share petitions

• Do your research and find petitions to sign that support Black communities and causes. Once you have signed, share the petitions to help spread the word.
• Relevant petitions include those advocating for changes to the national curriculum; justice for the victims and their families; and the proper prosecution of those at fault.
• We've put some links at the end to start you off.

8. Contact your local MP

• This can have a larger impact than you might think. Write to your MP to protest the UK sales of riot shields, tear gas and rubber bullets to the US; and to release the delayed report into Black  Covid-19deaths.
• Use the Find My MP tool to get your MP's direct email address.
• If you're not sure what to write, use templates like this to express your concern. Make sure you edit it to your own words so it doesn't register as spam.

9. Make equality a first thought

• Make equality a first thought not an afterthought when making making decisions. This is important in a wider context and especially important within business. By inviting Black input once the parameters in which you'll be working have already been set, you have already creating an obstacle to equality.
• Make a point of considering equality in all decision making until it becomes second nature.

10. Check in and support

• Check in with your Black family, friends, co-workers and neighbours to find out how they are. A simple phone call, text or meme could make all the difference to someone you know.

Don't let your takeaway from this be that Blackness is about pain. It is about recognising and celebrating humanity in its fullness; the joy and the pain.

Links to petitions:

Educate on Black History

Add Black books to the GCSE reading list

Justice for George Floyd

Justice for Breonna Taylor

Raise the degree charge

There are so many more petitions out there in support of the Black community. Together we can make change happen.

We are a founding partner of Bristol Arts Channel; a programme of online arts experiences for audiences missing the buzz and community of Bristol's vibrant arts scene. Bristol Arts Channel will launch for a pilot season from May 29 until June 30, in collaboration with The Space and Bristol & Bath Creative R&D.

Trinity will be sharing livestream theatre performances, live music and DJ sets form artists you know and love, as well as online community workshops with Associate Artist Roxana Vilk. The pilot programme will feature a variety of events including: streamed performances, interactive events, carnivalesque experiments, virtual tours, playful zoom experiences, lockdown lullabies, online exhibitions and mini-festivals; all curated by Bristol’s cultural organisations to give audiences moments of togetherness from the comfort of their own homes.

"Bristol Arts Channel feels wholeheartedly in line with the spirit of Bristol... There should be something for everyone – from experimental digital initiatives through to day long music festivals, some of the best theatre offering to live cinema watch parties, living room raves to more intimate conversations."

Katherine Jewkes, Bristol Arts Channel Curator

Upcoming highlights include:

• Bristol Old Vic’s streamed season of plays, including Messiah (Fri 29 May), A Monster Calls (Fri 5 Jun) and The Grinning Man (Fri 26 Jun)
• Come the Revolution watch party with Watershed - Come the Revolution are hosting Sunday evening watching parties featuring some of the best Black Film & TV Netflix has to offer.
• Colston Hall and Simple Things Festival will be broadcasting archive recordings of some of their most memorable gigs including Omar Souleyman from 2017 plus more to be announced.
• Trinity Centre will be working with our Associate Artist Roxana Vilk to collect Lullabies from across Bristol in this time of quarantine for a digital exhibition later in the year.

The Trinity Centre has been given a grant of £35k as part of Arts Council England's £160m emergency package to support the arts sector during the Covid-19 pandemic. We are committing 20% of this grant to pay the artists and community members contributing to 'Trinity Presents'. This will include all artist contributions to our Bristol Arts Channel programming.

How to get involved:

For more information on how to attend or take part in the events and experiences, be sure to keep an eye on our website and social media. Stay tuned to find out what we've got coming up.

Head to Bristol Arts Channel to find out more.

Trinity garden, pre-lockdown by Alistair Brookes

Working with local schools to bring nature to your home

Our Trinity Garden Team have been working closely with local primary schools and Up Our Street to find ways to reach out to young people in the community who can no longer access our community garden and may have limited access to green spaces during lockdown.

“As the community are not able to come and visit us in the garden right now we felt it was important now more than ever, to have opportunities to be connecting with nature, however small!” Claire Goulding, Trinity Activities Coordinator

The team have created some exciting new activity packs filled with simple DIY windowsill gardening ideas and craft activities for you and your children to get busy with at home. Activities include sowing seeds, making bird feeders, scavenger hunts and more, perfect to activate and challenge young minds.

Normally Trinity would be welcoming groups to take part in weekly Forest School sessions in partnership with St Nicholas of Toletine, Barton Hill Academy and Hannah Moore Primary schools as well as offering open access activities during school holidays.

We have been in communication with our funders on how best to respond to the current situation and adapt our offer – making sure we don’t forget those who have less access to online platforms such Trinity Presents where we have been sharing a series of classes and activities.

How do I order a pack?

We have teamed up with local schools in the area to reach out to local families so keep an eye on their newsletters and emails. Alternatively you can also reserve your pack direct with us and we will be back in touch to arrange collection point either at your local school or a drop off collection to your door.

To reserve your activity pack call us at Trinity on 0117 935 1200.

Due to limited packs for our first run we are prioritising families living in BS2 and BS5.

Please only order one pack per household. The packs come with a few gardening materials to support the activities.

Activities are suited for children aged 5 years and up. Some may require more adult support.

Packs are designed for households that may not have access to a garden i.e. balcony only etc.

This project response to Covid-19 has been made possible from our funders Children in Need, Power to Change & Awards For All.

Click here to download a copy of our Nature to Your Door activity pack

Team Trinity, pre-lockdown

The Trinity Centre, Old Market, has been given a grant of £35k as part of Arts Council England's £160m emergency package to support the arts sector during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Over 80% of Trinity's revenue is earned income from live music, bar sales, a pay and display public car park, plus hall hire for a range of community events and activities. Trading has ceased since the pandemic and the venue is anticipating a slow recovery once restrictions begin to lift, due to potential extended restrictions on public gatherings.

The grant from Arts Council England will be used to support Trinity through its recovery plan as well as help us to adapt existing projects and move activities online. As this is also a very difficult time for artists and freelance practitioners, Trinity is committing 20% of its grant to pay independent artists and community members for contributions to 'Trinity Presents'. This will include online workshops with Trinity's Associate Artist and local resident, Roxanna Vilk.

"Never have the Arts been more important than now, in these peculiar times. Singing, dancing, painting, drama, poetry - people are reaching out to all the art forms for nourishment, comfort, entertainment & wisdom. We mustn’t starve our imaginations & Trinity has a part to play in refreshing & delighting its followers. I’m thrilled to be one of them." Miriam Margolyes OBE, Trinity Patron

Trinity will be releasing information about an open-call commission for an independent D/Deaf or disabled artist to create a new piece of digital work.

Speaking of the recent support, Tom Marshman, Board Member and Local Artist said:

“Not really a time for a massive celebration party, more of an opportunity to take a breath and pause whilst we all stabilize ourselves and look forward to life after isolation. With this promise of the Emergency Arts Council Grant, Trinity can feel more assured that they will continue to be at the heart of Bristol culture and community engagement that is always people centred”.

Since we began our lockdown Trinity has been working hard to ensure that we continue to reach out to our community and support the independent artists that we work with. We have been providing a digital platform via Trinity Presents. Arts Council support at this crucial point, means we can continue this offer as well as find new ways to support artists to connect communities with relevant and much needed cultural experiences.

Before the lockdown a student takes part in a piano lesson in Trinity's music studios. Photo @ KoLAB Studios

When lockdown restrictions were announced Trinity's Music Team worked to move Making Tracks activity online.

So now instead of sessions in our building, young people meet with Tutors online for weekly music making sessions.

Since Mar 16, the team have worked with over 15 young people delivering music production workshops in: vocal tuition, guitar and bass tuition, songwriting, music production and skill sharing sessions. Tutors have also been creating online content, including short videos in industry skills and improving musical abilities. Emerging musicians from Making Tracks including Sam Neal have provided soundtracks.

"It's a lifeline. He loves it. It's really good for his mental health and autism to have these sessions scheduled during this time. It's really, really helping. Thank you so much'.

Parent of a Trinity Making Tracks young person

Partners ACE and Basement Studios continue to provide provisions, including checking in with young people online and providing workshops and bespoke masterclasses.

Trinity have hosted a virtual 3rd Space meeting, where organisations who provide music services for young people across Bristol come together and talk about ideas.

Making Tracks team members have also joined Youth Music’s online sessions; learning from and inputting to the wider sector transition to online working, safeguarding and working with young people who might not have access to equipment.

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

Making Tracks Tutor Pete is a drummer, keyboard and piano, backing vocalist and percussion player who has industry skills and experience in live performance, touring, street performance, studio work, event promotion, sound engineering, stage coordination, festival booking and organisation.

Pete plays in Bristol based Hip Hop outfit Almatic, as well as hot jazz and swing band the Gin Bowlers, and Bluegrass and Country band Feral Mouth. As well as multi tasking the management of several projects including running a rehearsal studio, providing PA and backline to events around Bristol and Norfolk, he teaches drums from his studio in Bristol.

Benjamin Zephaniah playing Trinity in 2019 Photo @KoLAB Studios

Trinity Presents is our in-house programme of live music, club-nights, theatre, dance and community activity all reflecting the rich culture of the building. During lockdown, we are going to be bringing you a selection of this programme...but online!

This includes live streams from DJ’s and artists; online sessions with Tutors from our music making programme Making Tracks; in focus interviews with the facilitators of our community activities. There will be opportunities to learn more about the heritage of Trinity through our online archive, connect with artists who take part in our IGNiTE arts programme and learn more about activities you can do in your garden/home with Trinity's garden team.

Content will be shared on our Website and Social Media channels, so don't forget to like our Facebook page and follow us on Twitter and Instagram.

We have created an online poll allowing people to share their thoughts and feelings for Jacobs Wells Baths.

The platform allows you to vote on other submissions, this is collected anonymously and gathers common themes.

If you would like to share please click this link and share with anyone who may want to join in.

About Pol.is

Pol.is is a survey technology where users can enter statements, which other users can express their positions on, clicking either “agree,” “disagree,” or “pass”.

It is an Open Source online tool that can be used to gather open ended feedback from large groups of people. It is well suited to gathering organic, authentic feedback while retaining minority opinions.

If you have any other feedback or comments, or would like to get in touch about something more specific, contact sarah@trinitybristol.org.uk

The Prime Minister has asked people to stay in their homes in a national effort to limit the transmission of the coronavirus (COVID-19).Read the announcement posted on Monday 23 March 2020.

The safety of the people using our Centre is our top priority. We are currently closed for public events and gatherings. However, Trinity is many things to many people. Therefore, we are continuing to liaise with city partners in our role as a comminity space, so the Trinity Centre can form part of a coordinated response to support those most vulnerable. Click here for more information.

Ticket holders

We will communicate via our website and mailing lists regarding all cancellations or postponed events.

Click here for details of each cancelled or postponed event.

If you have any questions regarding tickets, please contact your ticket provider in the first instance.

Hirers

Please contact your Booking Coordinator about your planned event to discuss either postponing and rescheduling or cancelling your event.

Trinity has been and will continue to closely monitor Public Health England guidelines in relation to the Covid-19 situation, in order to respond as necessary.

Advice for the Community

We would urge individuals follow Public Health England guidance:

Anyone with a fever or persistent cough should stay at home for 14 days. Anyone who lives with someone displaying Coronavirus symptoms should also do this. People who have to isolate themselves should ask others for help. Everyone should stop non-essential contact with others. (16/03/2020)

If you have symptoms of coronavirus infection (COVID-19), however mild, do not leave your home for 7 days from when your symptoms started. (15/03/20)

People with fever or 'continuous' cough are being told to self-isolate. (12/03/20)

People with symptoms are no longer required to call NHS 111, as the system is under strain, but are instead urged to look for information on the NHS website and 111 online, by using the online symptoms checker here.

V6 - 23/03/2020

V5 - 20/03/2020

V4 - 16/03/2020

V3 - 15/03/2020

V2 - 12/03/2020

V1 - 11/03/2020

Past versions

Cafes, pubs and restaurants must close from Friday night, except for take-away food, to tackle coronavirus 20/03/2020

Public Health England people should avoid places like pubs, clubs and theatres. (16/03/2020)

We are advising people not to attend the Centre unless it is essential. (16/02/2020)

We are taking extra steps within the venue including providing hand sanitiser and signage across the site, staff briefings, as well as actively liaising with any identified higher-risk groups and risk assessing specific activities. (15/03/2020)

In our time of crisis, how do we support the survival of artists and venues at the sharp end who are faced with a downturn in income, a cash flow crisis, a reduction in administrative capacity, and audiences that have vanished?

Trinity is very much still here and we're working hard as a team to find ways to support artists to make work and get paid, through our projects and wider venue activity. We don't have all the answers, so if you're an artist in Bristol and have an idea that you would like to share with us, please get in touch. We might not be able to work miracles, but we're willing to try our best.

This is our call to our bigger brothers to see if there's anything you can do to help a sector under threat.

Would PRS and PPL consider suspending or delaying the reporting of licenses, for example? Perhaps there could be a strategy developed that looks at redistributing music royalties from those most established and successful artists in consultation with artists? Some sort of scheme that seeks to safeguard the future of those whose livelihoods have been suddenly severed, that could be supported and endorsed by those who may not in the short term need to draw on their royalty revenues so as to help ease the pressure felt by venues across the world? Standing up for music rights for the long-haul.

Whatever the mechanism, our sector urgently needs its more resourced partners to consider their strategy giving empathy, leniency and grace and providing practical support to grass-roots venues and creatives who are most in need and are at the coal face of this industry crisis. Let's come together to build some solutions.

Thank you, big love and stay safe.

Emma, CEO

With the city quickly going into lock down due to Covid-19, what happens to those who are not able to easily self isolate?

Whether it be older people who are already isolated, families on low income, refugee communities or Bristol's rough sleeping population, there are many who for whom self-isolating is a luxury not a choice they can easily make.

In spite of everyone feeling precarious and uncertain, we've been hugely heartened by the many people getting in touch with us to express their concerns and offering to help and volunteer to support others.

Bristol City Council is already putting a plan together as to how to support vulnerable groups.

Trinity is liaising with city sector groups, including Voscur and Up Our Street, other community spaces such as Wellspring Settlement, agencies supporting vulnerable groups such as Caring in Bristol and In Hope, as well as national partners such as Locality to look as to how our building will play a part in this plan.

We will keep people posted via our website and mailing lists as these plans evolve. If you would like to register your interest in response to supporting in the delivery of this plan, you can register your interest via Bristol City Council's official registration page.

Thank you to everyone who is working to support those most vulnerable through this unprecedented global crisis. We will continue to do what we can help too.

Emma, CEO

Please note: this statement was issued prior to the Prime Minister's latest statement on 16/03/2020. We are working as a team to respond to this latest information and keep everyone updated - click here for the latest information available on our website.

The health and safety of the people using the Trinity Centre is our top priority. At present we remain open, but are reviewing this regularly. We are working with hirers and promoters on a case by case basis and taking steps to postpone and reschedule events. We will update everyone via our mailing list and social media channels, as well as providing a list of any cancelled or postponed events on our website.

To ensure continued activity at the Centre is conducted as safely as possible:

• We recommend Centre users use the hand sanitiser provided at Reception on arrival and exit. You can wash your hands with soap and water in the toilets.

• Common areas are regularly cleaned and sanitised by staff, including surfaces that are regularly touched such as door handles, accessible door button, and lift buttons.

• People involved in serving refreshments should take particular care to ensure hands are washed with antibacterial soap/gel and Centre users should use paper disposable cups.

• Centre users should suspend handshaking, hugging or other direct physical contact that are part of a greeting or activity.

We will continue to closely monitor Public Health England guidelines in relation to the Covid-19 situation, in order to respond as necessary and will keep people updated with the latest information available on our website. We reserve the right to act in accordance with our organisational assessment of risk and may therefore feel it is advisable to take additional measures where appropriate that, whilst may not proscribed as part of national guidance, may be identified by us as necessary in order to safeguard our people and our charity.

As a community Centre, Trinity is giving particular attention and consideration to the needs of high risk groups such as Older People, rough sleepers and people who may be immunocompromised. This includes: people with a respiratory condition such as asthma, those have a long term health condition, those who are in recovery from surgery and those receiving treatment for a life threatening illness.

We are liaising with our user groups and risk-assessing their activities. Our risk assessments will be updated in accordance with official government guidance. We will take additional steps where necessary and in consensus with our users. Any decision taken to suspend a group or activity will be made with the explicit involvement of those affected.

It is likely that, as the situation escalates, we may have to advise the majority of our users not come to the Centre. However, as part of our duty of care to the most vulnerable, we aim to continue to provide low-risk activities where possible, to support the most vulnerable members of our community.

We want to protect vulnerable people. This means balancing stopping activities to reduce infection alongside taking care to avoid pushing those most vulnerable into extended periods of isolation, for which they may not be prepared and which may have a detrimental impact on their mental and physical health. We are liaising with our community partners to develop a plan to provide low-risk support activities and exploring options for the redeployment of casual staff in order to maintain sufficient capacity to ensure Trinity can remain an open door for as long as possible for those who need us most.

Now more than ever we need to build our sense of what it means to be part of a community. Let's come together, in the ways we still can, look out for each other and keep each other safe.

Team Trinity - 2pm 16/03/2020