I am delighted to report that Trinity is in good shape and is ready to build on its many strengths in the coming year. This very positive position is of course due to the hard work of Emma and all our staff, of all our invaluable volunteers and our Directors. Thanks to all of you and, especially, to our outgoing chair Geoff Day, who stepped down partway through 2011.

During 2011 a number of additional Directors were recruited in order to strengthen the governance of the organisation. The enlarged Board is busy settling in and has recently held two “away days” in order to assess how best to operate in order to serve Trinity.

One long awaited success has been gaining charitable status for Trinity. This is important because it will enable us to access a wider range of potential funds and to achieve greater financial stability. As part of this initiative we have set up a trading company to operate our non charitable activities, with all surpluses gifted to the charity.

For the first time we have been awarded a grant from the Arts Council - £65,000 for the Bridges Project - an important recognition of the high quality work being delivered at Trinity. The Bridges project will provide a programme of accessible arts workshops using spoken word, creative writing, performing and visual arts, to draw out personal stories of local people and to use the arts to build bridges between communities and celebrate the rich cultural diversity of inner-city Bristol.

We are working very closely with English Heritage as part of ongoing repairs to the roof, assisted by project management skills from Bristol City Council. The Council have also committed to a 35 year lease through their Community Asset Transfer Policy. We are very grateful for the assistance of all our partners.

Our newest venture in West Street is nearly ready to be launched, with building works almost complete and enthusiastic volunteers exploring how best to use all the new facilities.

This is a very exciting time to be involved with Trinity. I’m delighted to be able to report positive progress on so many fronts. I look forward to even more progress in 2012 and in subsequent years.

Check out our Annual Report for more information.

The project has also been kindly supported by a local business who has generously given a donation towards the project.

The project is a visual and performing arts project exploring the theme "bridges". Throughout the project we will be working with local people to share stories and create artworks together.

We will look at barriers dividing inner-city Bristol - including physical barriers such as the M32 as well as cultural and language differences - and the bridges communities create to overcome these. Working with different art forms, we will help people in the community to share their stories, through language, images and interactions.

During collaborative workshop sessions, participants will be supported by professional artists from a range of backgrounds to develop their own individual projects using different mediums, so that their story can be told through multiple media. Individuals will be encouraged to share work with their communities and the wider city. We will work with people to create performances, an exhibition and a booklet celebrating the rich diversity of inner-city Bristol. The project will culminate in a large-scale final performance in the beginning of 2013 inspired by the stories and works produced throughout the year.

The project will be led by Edson Burton, an acclaimed writer of both literate and script who worked with us on the recent What's Your Trinity Story? Project, and Nick Young, who delivered our sell-out performance At Tether's End as part of the Bristol Sound Project in 2008.

We will be launching a full programme of activities in the new year. If you would like any further information about the project, please contact edson@3ca.org.uk or sign up to our e-newsletter for updates.

Trinity was set with tables, chairs and tea lights for this performance. The ambience was warm and intimate and the audience were young and soft-spoken; in all, a most agreeable evening's entertainment.

Louise and The Pins sang their country-tinged, harmony enriched songs with a lot of style and a friendly reception from an attentive crowd. It's unusual for a tour to have such a well-considered balance in the support slot and this vocal trio fitted the bill perfectly.

Fionn Regan had a very positive response to his first album, The End of History, followed by a bit of backlash against the second, the band-enhanced Shadow Empire. Tonight we were back to a tousled, lone troubadour show: one man on stage playing acoustic guitars and singing distinctive, poetic songs in a rich melodious voice. New songs from his third opus, 100 Acres of Sycamore, dominated the show with three in a row to open and a couple as encores. Be Good Or Be Gone from The End of History got the biggest shout but all the new songs were well-received. From Shadow Empire only the disturbing and powerful Violent Demeanour was performed. For me, it was the striking high point, a stark expression of something personal and real.

Given the minimal one guitar/one voice show, Regan did very little outside the songs themselves to engage with his audience. The crowd nevertheless was content with the deal. He's a very serious artist who pours his poetic spirit into the songs themselves, giving little of himself away between them. "I've always had a thing for dangerous women" was a notably strong line from new song, Sow Mare Bitch Vixen, which also stood out for its deep guitar tuning and consequent bass line. Hunters Map and Put A Penny In The Slot from The End Of History were also highlights of an enjoyable evening.

Sam Saunders

For more on Trinity's rich history of hosting live music head to the Archive section of the site

The small grant will help us to source café start up equipment, develop flyers and promotional material and fund training for volunteers who will help to run the space.

As part of the funding we are able to offer FREE accredited short courses in Health & Safety, First Aid, and Food Safety for volunteers who are participating in the volunteer-led café project, run by Trinity Community Arts.

There are a limited number of course places available and priority will be given to local residents and those who are committed to volunteering long-term as part of the project.

If you are interested in volunteering to help develop our café and would like to find out more, please contact 0117 935 1200 or email info@3ca.org.uk



This line up is not to be missed:

Sigma : Both producers and highly sought after DJs in their own right, Sigma's recent highlights include their huge minimix for Annie Mac on Radio One, and remixes for artists such as Top Cat & Ms Dynamite.

The Prototypes : Discovered by the legendary Roni Size and united after being rival promoters, this duo are breaking records with a new release with Frictions own Shogun Audio that now features as many DJs opening track.

Laid Blak : Officially the UK's number 1 reggae band 2011 & fresh from Supporting top 5 artist Ed Sheeran on his UK tour "The essential festival act' are tight, polished and completely at home playing both good times carnival beats or the heaviest dancehall. You will never forget a Laid Blak performance!

First Degree Burns : First Degree Burns (FDB) are an eight piece band channeling Skank driven Ska, Roots Reggae, Two Tone, Rock, Metal all through the umbrella of Hip Hop to create 'Skip Hop. ' Up tempo, conscious, and most importantly DANCEable! Nine years in the making, the band are blowing audiences away with their addictive live shows.

DJ Read : One of Bristol's most sought after sound selectors, Read's floor-filling shows are jam packed with soul, funk, rock, ska, swing, scratching, jungle & massive Jamaican rhythms. Read's ability to steal the heart of any crowd stems from rocking crowds with huge acts from bass monsters E-Z Rollers to God of 60's Hellfire: Arthur Brown.

Poseidon : Poseidon has been making music for the past 15years his most recent tracks are influenced by artists such as Breakage, Neyo and Knife Party. His beats are sure to get you moving. You can listen to one of his new tracks at BBC 1xtra.

M : BRK : M : BRK (embark) is a new producer and DJ living in Bristol. He started creating sound scapes  in 2008 and has moved on to much more structured tracks. He uses his own recorded audio from everyday sounds to sounds he recorded from his travels through Thailand & Laos.

Compere : Mistri (Ujima , Crusin Show)

MC's: Carasel / Remidy / Joe Peng

Read more about our lineup here

This year we are have decided to go with an Aztec themed masked ball. There will be some beautiful intricate decor by Bristol's own Tapt, also there will be much more fun to be had with Bristol/London's very own 'Beauty School Drop Outs' who will be gracing us with there avant-garde glitter make up for those who want to add to what they have or for those who don't have masks.

They travel to festivals throughout the year making over the festival audience and also are hitting up clubs in Bristol and London at the moment sharing their creations. They are an exciting group to watch at work. They have recently collaborated with London based designer Maria Papadimitriou for her recycled design company Plastic Seconds.

Get creative and start making your own amazing mask now! Tickets are on sale now from Bristol Ticket Shop.

New Ceramic workshops starting soon at Arts West Side! Starting things off with a community sculpture project From the Earth.

Come and make your ceramic figure from 6pm -8pm, on any of the following dates:

• Tues 13th Dec
• Thur 15th Dec
• Tues 20th Dec

All work made will be featured in the From The Earth Exhibition on Thursday 22nd Dec from 7pm

Learn new skills and meet new people in a creative and welcoming atmosphere - All welcome, big and small.

The workshops are free and the exhibition is open to all visitors to come and see how works are progressing at West Street.

For more info please contact ceramics@3ca.org.uk .

Bristol's Howlin' Lord opens the evening with a confident busker's pitch of high-volume guitar songs that demanded, and got, tonight's big audience's full attention. A suitable warm-up to the evening's main act, Australian-born blues artist CW Stoneking.

CW Stoneking pulls off an improbable impersonation of deep authenticity tonight by treating us to grandly tall tales and lots of downright fibs. Whatever else we were believing about his job in the New Orleans Voodoo Emporium, his tale of a drowning Trinidad scientist being paddled onto the Gabon shore with a short-necked banjo is the moment when we all surrender to gales of happy laughter.

The Medicine Show at Trinity is spectacularly entertaining. The jungle music of CW Stoneking and his Primitive Horn Section is the perfect soundtrack for getting dressed up, drinking and storytelling and the crowd at Trinity are up and dancing from the first song.

Tunes come from two of his finest albums, Jungle Blues and King Hokum, and he alternates between solo and band, banjo and resonator guitar and between dance, blues and story formats. Cab Calloway, Big Joe Turner, Louis Armstrong, Ma Rainey, Blind Lemon Jefferson, Jimmy Rogers are all here in spirit tonight: CW Stoneking sounds like none of them specifically, but he knows and loves all of their music and he has a fabulous blues voice (the yodelling disaster notwithstanding).

While his albums are unquestionably very good, it's his great stage presence and an enthralling live show that sets him apart from the rest.

Sam Saunders

For more on Trinity's rich history of hosting live music head to the Archive section of the site

Charitable Objects

to promote, maintain, and advance education through the presentation of creative and performing arts

to advance the education of people of all ages in the creative and performing arts, information technology and life skills

to preserve, protect and improve for the public benefit the Trinity Centre, formerly the Holy Trinity Church, and promote the heritage of this building

to provide or assist in the provision of facilities in the interests of social welfare for recreation or other leisure time occupation of individuals who have need of such facilities by reason of their youth, age infirmity or disability, financial hardship or social circumstances with the object of improving their conditions of life

to promote racial harmony by promoting equality of opportunity and good relations between persons of different racial and cultural identities and by encouraging the use of the Trinity Centre or other Trinity Arts Centre facilities for multicultural activities

Trinity Community Arts (TCA) is a registered charity (no.1144770) and Limited Company (no.4372577) and is VAT registered (no.123388420)  Trinity Community Enterprises (TCE) is a Limited Company (no.7848421) and is a wholly owned subsidiary trading on behalf of TCA and is VAT registered (no.123388420).

TCA registered as a charity in November 2011 and secured a 35 year leasehold of The Trinity Centre from Bristol City Council in 2013. Further information about our charity's purpose can be found in our Memorandum & Articles of Association.

Students enrolling on our music course can now work towards a Music Practitioner qualification to help develop their skills. Whether their interests lie in performance, recording or simply exploring different types of music there is something for all music lovers here at Trinity.

The course is suitable for beginners as well as those who want to develop existing skills and experiences. Students can either work towards a Level 1 Award or Certificate.

All our courses here at Trinity are delivered in a relaxed learning environment with skilled professionals, using industry standard equipment.

We are now enrolling for our Music Course, for more details please email training@3ca.org.uk

Way back in 2006 The Guillemots released their first studio album, the Mercury-nominated Through The Windowpane. The record found critical acclaim with its rustic charm and choruses so mighty that singing along was obligatory. It was a record that was natural and honest at a time when bands were being interviewed on T4 before they’d even played a show, but then The Guillemots have always been a breath of fresh air - and this wintry Friday night at Trinity is no different.

Opener Kriss Kross sets the mood for an evening of joyous energy from band and fans alike. Lead singer Fyfe Dangerfield’s vocal is on form – he sure can belt it out and his range reaches far. The Guillemots have a talent for writing choruses that are colossal and they have bags of magnetism.

This year's album Walk the River makes up a fair chunk of tonight’s set and favourites such as Vermillion, and I Don’t Feel Amazing Now are met with an affectionate response from admiring fans. Material from Walk the River reveals The Guillemots' musical dexterity. Their soaring acoustic hooks could have easily found them chart success, but they've chosen a far more considered musical road, not just grabbing every catchy chorus in their reach.

It's a shame that the rural rhythms on tracks like Trains To Brazil and the uplifting Annie, Let’s Not Wait don't quite get the Bristolian dancefloor jumping, but the show isn’t under appreciated. The more mellow spectators tonight are genuinely spellbound by the songs and there are times when those oh-so-beautiful choruses strike a smile on the face of the most committed crossed-arm observer.

There's something really magical about this band playing this venue as winter kicks in. The Guillemots might never get bigger than this, but it doesn’t matter. This is a band who are passionate about the music they make.

Dangerfield looks humbled by the cheers that soar at the riff that kicks off Trains To Brazil. It's well-deserved recognition of their passion and skill. The Guillemots' three albums have earned the band a loyal following with a winning formula: they have beautiful songs, they play them incredibly well and they love doing it.

Duncan Harrison

Trinity has a long and rich heritage of hosting live music. Head to our Archive section to find out more...

The sky was lit up with fireworks and the display was accompanied by music from the Bristol Reggae Orchestra and local MC artists Dinnall, Roger Dat and DJ Read.

People of all ages turned out to enjoy the spectacle and there were plenty of “oohs” and “aahs” from the crowd, who also had the pleasure of munching on local culinary delights and warning off the crisp Autumn chill with a glass of festive, hot, spiced cider.

One visitor Tweeted: “Thank you @TrinityBristol for an awesome night of fireworks, warm cider, bonfires and The Bristol Reggae Orchestra! Just amazing.”

The event, run entirely by volunteers, organised by Trinity Community Arts, is an annual tradition targeted primarily communities living in the three neighbouring wards Easton, Ashley and Lawrence Hill.

There were a host of organised firework displays and bonfires across the Bristol county over the weekend, however Trinity's display is one of the few remaining free displays. Combined with its central location, this years event attracted record crowds of over 5,000 spectators.

Fireworks night in Bristol was once a dazzling affair - Over years larger displays have attracted the bulk of the crowds. These have dwindled over the years, particularly with the cancellation of events such as the Downs Firework Display - previously Bristol's largest display. With no large display and many people feeling the pinch of the financial crisis, Trinity was inundated with people wanting to attend the free event. Even the Free Firework Display at Portland Square, St Paul's on the Friday evening did not detract from the number of attendees.

The limited capacity of the building and surrounding grounds meant literally thousands of Bristolians were left to watch from adjacent roads, forcing traffic to a standstill.

Emma Harvey, Centre Manager for the Trinity Centre commented: we started out eight years ago with a small display for the local community – since then the Free Trinity Fireworks Party has gradually become an institution.

Despite our best efforts to only publicise the event locally, this year's event has seen us attract record numbers and Trinity will have to think very carefully as to how we proceed next year in order to ensure public safety and also to ensure local people have the opportunity to attend.

Our thanks go out to all the volunteers who work so hard to make the event happen each year and special thanks to Avon and Somerset Police, who helped us to manage the unexpected numbers, reacting quickly to close a major through-road to protect the public.

We hope to work closely with the Constabulary, Bristol City Council and the community over the coming year to keep the spirit of the free firework display alive.”

Number 6 West Street is being re-developed by Trinity to provide a hub for community and arts activities including affordable meeting and office space with reduced rates for local people and groups, a café with free wi-fi and low-cost internet access and exhibition space for local artists.

Last week, we unveiled Bristol graffiti artists Silent Hobo and Mr Riks' dynamic makeover of the front of the building. The artists have created an attention-grabbing mural depicting the cityscape of Old Market spotted with emerging butterflies and a friendly-looking pigeon!

West Street will initially be running activities on a Tuesday evening and Saturday daytime while building works are still being carried out. The full launch of the cafe with regular opening times is planned for January 2012.

Volunteer committee meetings take place every Thursday, with start times alternating each week between 4pm and 6pm. Other events taking place over the next few months include:
film night on November 8

indoor picnic on November 12

acoustic night on November 15

word up games night on November 22

art workshop on November 26

We'll be posting details of more events as soon as they've been confirmed. Watch this space for updates.

We're picking up the pace as we head towards the end of the November with two unmissable gigs and Trinity's first high-profile comedy night.

Americana outfit Okkervil River kick off the week as the quintet make their way from Texas to Bristol bringing with them dark brooding narratives and their own take on American roots music."They're the Wilco waiting to happen" say the BBC. Catch them here on November 21. Doors open at 7.30 and tickets are £15 in advance.

Following in their footsteps on November 22 is CW Stoneking. Drawing influence from jazz, pre-war blues, calypso and folk, Australian-born CW is a unique artist, guitarist and banjo player who will be accompanied by brass band, the Primitive Horn Orchestra. Doors open 7.30 and tickets are £12.50 in advance.

Closing the week on Friday 25 November is all-female comedy trio Zoe Lyons, Suzi Ruffell and Jen Brister. Touring their first live show since storming Edinburgh Fringe, the threesome will be accompanied by live music act, Amity. If you're up for a laugh, come down to Trinity on Friday 25th November. Doors open at 7.30pm. Tickets costs £13.50 in advance.

Head to Bristol Ticket Shop to purchase tickets.

The Maccabees

2 November 2011

The Maccabees are happy to be back and the crowd are pleased to see them. It hasn't been that much of a hiatus, but the cheers that greet them when they wander on to the Trinity stage is undoubtedly a warm embrace.

Kicking off with new song, Child - a more ambient track for the strum-based janglers - Orlando Weeks’ vocal is as free and jittery as ever. Still, Child feels a little more considered than the tracks from their last album, Wall of Arms. It feels, well, a little bit more grown-up with the musicians having to focus to reach the crescendos that make the crowd really jump. And, they jump... a lot - especially when the band start to haul out old favourites like First Love and Precious Time and a throng of people race to the front for a glimpse of the angelically bashful frontman.

For newcomers to the group, fresh fare such as Child and Pelican could well be highlights, but for stalwart fans these tracks hint towards The Maccabees' upcoming album, Given to the Wild (due January 2012), containing the Brighton-based outfit's best work to date.

This show is part of a mini UK tour in the build-up to the release of Given to the Wild, and the album looks set for success. On one side of the stage people are calling guitarist Hugo White a sexy beast, on the other side his brother and fellow six-stringer Felix White is thrusting and lunging at the crowd over the amplifiers to generate the fever pitch they clearly want.

The Maccabees' chemistry is still raw with band members pairing off while playing new tracks to make things sound as impeccable as possible. The encore begins with the urgent X-Ray sending the crowd into absolute overdrive before another newbie, Grew up at Midnight closes the show with a thrashing finish. These songs are locked down and ready to be released.

The Maccabees have matured, but not grown up. They’ve held on to the mischievous performance style that a lot of bands lose when their sound develops. The Maccabees are happy to be back, because they know they won't be going anywhere.

Duncan Harrison

Trinity has been hosting gigs since 1980. Head to the Trinity Archive to find out more about our rich musical heritage

Excitement is building around Trinity Community Arts' latest project in the Old Market area. The new centre at 6 West Street, due to launch early November, will be a hub for community and arts activities with low-cost office space, a café with free wi-fi and exhibition space.

As part of the building's redevelopment, Bristol graffiti artists Silent Hobo and Mr Riks have just completed a dynamic makeover, painting a mural which depicts the cityscape of Old Market spotted with emerging butterflies - and a friendly looking pigeon! Covering the entire face of the building, the Bristol artists' work means 6 West Street should attract plenty of positive attention.

Silent Hobo is a traditional graffiti artist whose work featured in the 2009 Crimes of Passion Exhibition at the RWA. His characters can be seen around Bristol on walls, in community centres, pubs, libraries, train stations and at festivals. His work has been exhibited across the city and beyond.

Mr Riks is part of the Elusive Collective a group of professional graffiti artists who design graphics, murals and deliver workshops in the art form.

This year both artists took part in creating the BrisFest mural and also worked on the recent See No Evil en mass graffiti-art pop-up-gallery along the length of Nelson Street, Bristol. Both artists have also led courses for young people at the Trinity Centre in how to become a professional artist.

"We hope that our new mural will bring a new creative energy to Old Market and encourage people to take a different look at the area", says centre manager, Emma Harvey.

Our work at 6 West Street is part of a wider development plan for the Old Market area. The Old Market Community Association have been working with the Princes Foundation to lead interactive public workshop sessions exploring the key issues for local people and the vision for the future of Old Market. The sessions will culminate in a final report outlining the phased development plans to reinvigorate the high street and improve services. For more information email oldmarket.future@gmail.com or visit www.oldmarket.org.uk.

The Horrors have announced their new rescheduled date for Friday 20th January - all original tickets still valid.... it will be a great way to kick start the new year!

The Horrors have unfortunately had to postpone their gig, scheduled for Sunday 23rd October 2011. However, don't despair, they will be announcing a replacement date very soon and all orginal tickets will still be valid.

Keep an eye on our website where will we post full details as soon as we find out.

If you have any questions regarding your tickets, please contact the ticket issuer direct.

Hype Dance Company have opened for big-name acts including Sean Paul, they've won a string of awards and accolades and they've been involved in nearly every major Bristol event from the Balloon Fiesta to the Harbour Festival.

They are also one of the most established community street dance groups in the country and they hold classes in Trinity every Wednesday between 6-8pm. The evening is divided into three groups: Lil Hype is for younger dancers between five to 10 years. This session kicks off at 6pm and finishes at 7pm. Hype Juniors and Swoop (11-30 years), with choreographer Lewis Norman, starts at 7pm and finishes at 8pm.

Hype has been running for seven years and the group has had a positive impact on its students: "It's an exciting and vibrant street dance training which is not only fun but a good way of keeping fit," says instructor Natasha Benjamin, who also says that 90% of students between 2007 and 2009 went into further education - some to study dance.

Each session costs £4 per session and Hype are keen to get new recruits, especially younger dancers to join Lil Hype.

If you'd like to come along, contact Natasha Benjamin on 07789212804 or email thype@hotmail.co.uk.

Recognising the exceptional potential of the Old Market area, The Prince’s Foundation for the Built Environment has offered their expertise and support in developing a vision for our neighbourhood.

All members of the community are invited to attend the two interactive public workshop sessions at the Marriott Hotel.

The first, public session on  25 October between 7pm-8:30om will be asking "What are the key issues for Old Market?". The second session on 27 October from 7pm-8pm will ask attendees "What is your vision for Old Market?". There will also be a third meeting on  26 October with stakeholders including the Old Market Community Association, the Village Business and Residents Association and Destination Bristol.

This is your opportunity to shape the future of Old Market - don't miss it!

For more information email oldmarket.future@gmail.com, visit www.oldmarket.org.uk or phone 0117 929 0484.

As well as hosting some of Bristol's best gigs, Trinity is now up for a bit of a laugh as we open the doors to three of the UK's funniest female stand-ups, Zoe Lyons, Suzi Ruffell and Jen Brister.

The trio are out on the road on their first live tour having each stormed Edinburgh Fringe with their respective shows. "Lyons has personality and real skill," said The Guardian of Zoe while Time Out called Jen Brister "gorgeously talented".

The threesome will also be accompanied by live music act, Amity. Stand Out, Trinity's first high-profile comedy tour, will take place on Friday 25th November. Head to our Events page for full details of the night.