Championing Women in Live Music
Trinity launches Seedling Sessions 2026 with International Women’s Day showcase celebrating women shaping Bristol’s music scene
Trinity will mark International Women’s Day 2026 by launching a new chapter of Seedling Sessions, spotlighting women shaping Bristol’s grassroots music scene both on and off stage.
Taking place on Sunday 8 March 2026 in Trinity’s Fyfe Hall, Seedling Sessions: Celebrating Women in Music continues the Trinity Presents 2026 programme with a bold, women-led showcase as part of Trinity’s 50th year of community arts.
Founded in 2016 by Bristol artist MĀDŁY, Seedling Sessions was created to address the lack of accessible platforms for emerging artists and creatives, particularly women and people from underrepresented backgrounds. This celebration builds on that legacy with a renewed focus on off-stage pathways, alongside live performance for women and non-binary local talent.
This iteration of Seedling Sessions launches at a time when gender inequality remains deeply embedded across the UK music industry.
Despite women making up over half of the music workforce, they hold just “27% of CEO roles” within the UK live music sector (LIVE & Women in CTRL, 2025). On stage, representation remains similarly uneven, “63% of acts were male, compared to around 21% female or female‑fronted acts,” equating to roughly one woman for every three men booked (A2D2, 2024). Behind the scenes, the imbalance is most extreme, with women making up just “5–7% of audio engineers and producers” (Birmingham City University / UK music technology sector estimate).
This edition of Seedling Sessions showcases local independent artists working across hip hop, pop, dance, punk and alternative music, while recognising the technical, creative and organisational roles that make grassroots music possible, reflecting the depth and diversity of women driving the city’s grassroots music scene today.
Line-up announced:
Badliana
A Bristol-based artist known for her dark and alternative sound, blending grime, rap, and alternative R&B with haunting vocals. A fearless performer, she has gained support from BBC Radio 1, BBC 1XTRA, and BBC Introducing. Currently part of Big Team's Next Level program, she is gearing up for 2026 with new releases, including the single "Bright Lights."
RED
RED is an exciting new voice in pop and dance music. Based in Bristol, this singer, songwriter, and producer blends infectious beats with emotionally charged songwriting and self-created 3D visuals. Her unapologetically queer, genre-defying music fuses glossy pop, underground club energy, and personal storytelling.
Moxie Dolls
An all girl alt/indie rock band from Bristol, advocating for feminist change in the music industry. Known for their catchy riffs and heavy sound, they have sold out venues like The Louisiana and Café Kino while building a strong presence in the local scene.
Speaking about Seedling Sessions, founder Cassie MĀDŁY commented:
“Seedling Sessions started 10 years ago as a response to seeing how many talented people were being overlooked or excluded from opportunities in music, especially women and people from underrepresented backgrounds. This International Women’s Day show isn’t about box-ticking – it’s about recognising the women who are already shaping our scene, on stage and behind the scenes, and creating space for them to thrive.”
One previous sound technician, Eleri Hewitt commented:
"Breaking into live sound can feel really closed-off, especially if you don’t already have connections. Seedling Sessions opened a door for me, it wasn’t just about helping out, it was about being supported and taken seriously."
This show forms part of Trinity Presents, Trinity’s in-house programme bringing outstanding performers and exciting new voices to communities at the heart of the city. The announcement follows previously revealed Trinity Presents shows, including Grove (sold out), and Mia Kodan & Friends.
As Trinity celebrates 50 years of music, community and empowerment, Seedling Sessions 2026 reinforces its ongoing commitment to nurturing talent, amplifying underrepresented voices, and supporting the future of grassroots music in Bristol.
Event listing details
Seedling Sessions: Celebrating Women in Music
Date: Sunday 8 March 2026
Time: 5:00pm – 8:00pm
Venue: Trinity Centre, Fyfe Hall
Tickets: Available via Headfirst
Age: 14+ (under 16s must be accompanied by an adult)
Last entry: 2 hours before curfew
