Connect with the body through poetic anatomy and guided improvisation, practice contemporary dance technique, and explore performance exercises to refine the art of attention and presence. The classes will be facilitated by Anastasia Dal, a local dance and performance artist -- you can check out her work at dance classes in Bristol — Anastasia Dahl

The classes are rest friendly. Please wear comfortable clothing and bring a bottle of water and a notebook.

Six weeks of sessions:

• Oct 28
• Nov 11
• Nov 18
• Nov 25
• Dec 2
• Dec 9

In our first Your Trinity story, Dr. Edson Burton reflected on Trinity's role in giving Black artists, communities and emerging cultural movements space to gather, experiment and be heard. Read here.

That history isn't finished.

In this piece, Jamell Ackford reflects on what creating space for culture looks like at Trinity today, and why it still matters.

Answering the question: what excites you about the artists, sounds and ideas we’re platforming now, and why is creating space for this work still important?

Trinity's history is wrapped up in the birth of many beautiful genres, cradling heritage sounds from the rise of Soundsystem culture in the uk. Creating space for reggae and punk, which holds the space for emerging sounds such as Ska, Jungle, D&B.

What excites me most about the work we do, and the wider programming that happens across the building

What excites me most about the work we do, and the wider programming that happens across the building, is the possibility of creating those 'what the hell is this moment'. The experience of hearing something completely new that reshapes your understanding of music. Artists and sounds coming through Uganda's Nyege Nyege label are a great example of this. Seeing DJ Travella within our walls was an eye-opening moment, which doesn't happen too often.

For me, it's about keeping heritage at the forefront while creating space for the future to emerge in exciting and unexpected ways. Nights such as Teachings in Dub, Pangea (AnExperience), Accidental Meetings and Seedling Sessions, alongside artists like Grove, Batu and Omega Nebula and labels such as Deep Medi and Rupture, all play a vital role in keeping culture moving forward while remaining connected to its roots.

What Does That Look Like Today?

Seedling Sessions x Black Creatives

• Celebrating 50 years of music at Trinity and 10 years of Seedling Sessions with a special Black History Month edition in collaboration with Black Creatives.
• A genre-crossing lineup featuring KWAZI, TIA, iAM13E, MĀDŁY, SOULBEE, Cindy BlackBird and BLCK Stream.
• A celebration of Black creativity, culture and community from Bristol and beyond.

Adventures in Hidden History:

• A joyful, interactive adventure celebrating hidden histories, remarkable lives and Global Majority trailblazers.
• Live music, oral history and imaginative storytelling combine to bring untold stories to life.
• Exploring identity, colonialism and alternative histories through a family-friendly lens..

Teachings In Dub:

• Dub legends Iration Steppas bring their heavyweight Leeds soundsystem to Bristol for a highly anticipated edition of Teachings in Dub.
• Going head-to-head with Bristol/Birmingham sound system Concrete Lion in a powerful clash of roots, bass and sound system culture.
• Expect a full-force sound meeting drawing dub heads from across the country.

Rachel Chinouriri

• Acclaimed alt-pop and indie-folk artist Rachel Chinouriri brings an intimate stripped-back show to Trinity.
• Honest songwriting and powerful vocals explore love, loss and personal growth.
• Known for captivating live performances that feel both uplifting and deeply personal.

Omega Nebula:

• UK future dub duo OMEGA NEBULA bring their powerful blend of dub, reggae and electronica to Trinity.
• An immersive live show with added pressure from Sinai Soundsystem
• Pushing dub into new territory with a high-energy fusion of live and electronic performance.

Festus Market:

• A festive all-day market celebrating African Caribbean and Black British culture.
• Discover unique gifts, handmade products and local traders offering everything from jewellery to cosmetics.
• Enjoy family-friendly craft activities, storytelling and free badge-making workshops.

Soak up the festive atmosphere with hot sorrell, great music and community spirit throughout the day.

Exploring themes of motherhood and mythology, the performance will be scored live by Double O.

When the performance ends, the rave begins. Stay with us as Rupture takes over for a night of dancing, continuing into the early hours.

Please note: The theatre performance will be standing, with no seating available, unless requested in advance.

For accessibility requests, please contact info@trinitybristol.org.uk

Last entry 2 hours before curfew

Venue levy: Trinity has introduced a £1 Restoration Levy on every event ticket sold. This income will be used to create a dedicated fund for critical building works that will protect and maintain the Trinity Centre building and grounds.

For Black History Month, Edson Burton looks back at the people, music and movements that have shaped Trinity, asking what that history tells us about the importance of giving emerging culture space to grow.

By Edson Burton

“One man’s trash is another man’s treasure.” My mangled version of this aphorism can be applied to the Trinity Centre.

In the 1970s, with congregations falling and maintenance costs rising, the Diocese closed Holy Trinity Church. The building was acquired by Bristol Caribbean Community Enterprise (BCCE), one of several organisations formed by Caribbean migrants to respond to the needs of Bristol’s first and second generations.

Black Bristolians faced multiple levels of marginalisation, from unemployment and inequalities in education to exclusion from parts of Bristol’s nightlife.

Music captured the mood of the time. Creativity born of difficult circumstances was in abundance. Places to practise and express that creativity were not.

Creativity was in abundance. Places to practise and express that creativity were not.

BCCE saw in the cavernous former church an answer to some of the challenges facing the community. It offered skills training, meeting space and somewhere community groups could gather and rehearse. But a younger generation began to see another possibility for the building.

A space for reggae

Reggae was the voice of a younger generation. Heavily influenced by Rastafarianism, it spoke to the marginalisation of the Black poor in post-colonial Jamaica while also finding resonance in the experiences of a second generation of Black Britons.

As Richard Davis remembers:

“We still really didn’t have a lot of access to white clubs... West Indian party, that’s the main entertainment. Sound systems, Tarzan the High Priest, that was everything to us.”

Bristol’s reggae scene grew around sound-system culture. As audiences increased, pubs and blues parties could only accommodate so many people.

Trinity offered something those spaces couldn’t: room to grow.

Its 500 to 600-capacity hall provided a next step for Bristol’s developing reggae scene. Trinity outreach worker Roy De Freitas encouraged young people to use the building as a music venue and, from the late 1970s, Trinity became part of a network of grassroots venues providing a home for reggae.

Bristol bands including Black Roots and Misty in Roots performed here, alongside artists including Eek-A-Mouse and dub poets Linton Kwesi Johnson and Benjamin Zephaniah.

These venues were platforming reggae artists well before the music attracted mainstream interest. They gave musicians somewhere to develop their craft in front of audiences deeply connected to the culture surrounding the music.

When cultures meet

Trinity also became one of the spaces where Black and white artists could meet, share ideas and create music.

Out of encounters across Bristol’s music scene came what would eventually become known as the Bristol Sound. Artists including Smith & Mighty and Massive Attack drew inspiration from sound-system culture, bringing influences from reggae and dub together with electronic production.

This is perhaps where the importance of cultural space becomes clearest. Providing somewhere for an existing scene to perform is one thing. Providing somewhere different people can encounter one another can lead to something nobody predicted.

From reggae to rave

After closing in 1984, Trinity reopened in 1987 and again became a home for emerging music.

Audiences gathered around house, hip hop and jungle, while Trinity’s grassroots ethos chimed with the free-party and rave scenes of the period.

Club nights such as Ruffneck Ting brought artists including Roni Size, Krust and the Full Cycle crew to Trinity as jungle and drum and bass developed into major musical movements.

Live music evolved alongside club culture. The 1990s brought artists including Terry Callier, Galliano and Gil Scott-Heron, while hip hop acts including Public Enemy also appeared on Trinity’s stage.

Across different genres and generations, the pattern is remarkably similar. New sounds emerge outside the mainstream. People build communities around them. Those communities need somewhere to meet, perform and experiment.

Given the right space, they grow.

What does that history mean today?

Trinity reopened under new management in 2004. Since then, iconic sound systems have returned to the hall while new generations of artists have continued to reshape the musical influences that passed through the building before them.

But perhaps the lesson of Trinity’s history isn’t about any individual genre.

Again and again, cultural movements that were marginalised, dismissed or simply not yet understood by the mainstream found audiences in grassroots spaces. Reggae, sound-system culture, jungle and drum and bass did not arrive as established cultural institutions. People made them.

They needed somewhere to do it.

That leaves cultural spaces like Trinity with an important question today: are we prepared to make room for work before it is established, and give artists and communities space to experiment without already knowing the outcome?

Trinity’s history shows what can happen when we do.

Some of the sounds that once sat outside Bristol’s mainstream now form part of the city’s cultural identity. The challenge is creating the conditions in which the next generation can make something of their own.

FRUITEA is an OTA Kiki function where members of the community walk and battle for Grand prizes. OTA stands for “open to all” meaning anyone can walk any category regardless of gender identity or expression, and none of these categories have an effect.

People will walk and get 10s from our judges before battling it out for the Grand Prize. Categories include Face, Vogue Femme, Runway, Old Way, Sex Siren, Best Outfit and more!

If you're planning on walking, do your research on the different categories beforehand. If you're coming to spectate and have fun, then bring your energy and vibe and get ready to be blown away!

The Curious Bazaar is an eclectic collection of unique traders with curious & alternative creations - it’s a haven for the weird & wonderful!

There will be hot food and artisan coffee available outside Trinity and a plethora of incredible stalls inside to browse and buy unique Christmas gifts which you can’t find on the High Street.

On 17 December, the band will be joined by an all-star line-up of singers and musicians for a special night at Trinity.

With 17 musicians on stage, the evening will move through disco, soul, funk and pop, with plenty of opportunities to sing, dance and get involved.

For accessibility requests, please contact info@trinitybristol.org.uk

Last entry 2 hours before curfew

Venue levy: Trinity has introduced a £1 Restoration Levy on every event ticket sold. This income will be used to create a dedicated fund for critical building works that will protect and maintain the Trinity Centre building and grounds.

Schedule

We begin from 5.30pm with light refreshments.

Main programme will start from 6.10pm where we'll hear a little about activity across Trinity, including updates from different programme areas, contributions from young people and a creative activity with Creative Minds.

The formal AGM business will take place from 7.15–7.40pm, covering the previous AGM minutes, Trustees’/Directors’ Report, financial accounts and Annual Report 2025/26, as well as the formal resolutions and appointment of Trustees/Directors.

The meeting will close with some time for networking, and be all wrapped up for 8pm.

Sign-up Information

All welcome to come along and celebrate the organisations and people who empower Trinity's values. Contact info@trinitybristol.org.uk to let us know you'll be attending

AGM papers for Members

202526 Annual Report and Financial Statements

2025-26 Annual Report

Notice of Annual General Meeting 2024/25

Last Year's Minutes

Annual General Meeting 2024-25 - Minutes

Expect heavyweight sounds, big energy and a serious meeting of Bristol’s bass, grime and dubstep communities.

For accessibility requests, please contact info@trinitybristol.org.uk

Last entry 2 hours before curfew

Venue levy: Trinity has introduced a £1 Restoration Levy on every event ticket sold. This income will be used to create a dedicated fund for critical building works that will protect and maintain the Trinity Centre building and grounds.

Recorded in the studio beneath Bristol’s legendary Louisiana, Endlessly is the band’s second album and brings together ten tracks shaped by collaboration and a wide range of influences. Drawing on Bristol’s musical heritage and the creative energy of friends and collaborators, SCALER explore new directions while retaining the intensity of their live sound.

The album features contributions from Akiko Haruna, Art School Girlfriend, Tlya X An, Shadow Stevie, Thomas Ridley and ELDON of Cold Light.

Endlessly follows their acclaimed 2022 album Void and marks SCALER’s debut release with Bristol label Black Acre.

For accessibility requests, please contact info@trinitybristol.org.uk

Last entry 2 hours before curfew

Venue levy: Trinity has introduced a £1 Restoration Levy on every event ticket sold. This income will be used to create a dedicated fund for critical building works that will protect and maintain the Trinity Centre building and grounds.

After two decades on the road, Carsie has built a following across the US and Europe with her energetic live shows and songs about love, politics, everyday life and finding reasons to keep going.

Her latest album, The Red Album Vol II, features The Little Flame, a song of solidarity that was widely shared online, alongside backing vocals from Irish folk band Ye Vagabonds and Palestinian/New Zealander artist Rana Hamida.

Carsie will be touring with her band throughout 2026, bringing her songs and live show to Trinity.

For accessibility requests, please contact info@trinitybristol.org.uk

Last entry 2 hours before curfew

Venue levy: Trinity has introduced a £1 Restoration Levy on every event ticket sold. This income will be used to create a dedicated fund for critical building works that will protect and maintain the Trinity Centre building and grounds.

Ten years after the first Seedling Sessions, founder MĀDŁY is marking the anniversary with a Black History Month special at Trinity.

This Sunday, 11 October, seven musicians take to the stage alongside visual artists showcasing and selling their work, as Seedling Sessions joins forces with Black Creatives.

Ahead of the night, we caught up with MĀDŁY about ten years of creating space for emerging artists, what excites her about Bristol’s music scene right now and what she hopes Seedling Sessions can make possible next.

Q: Seedling Sessions is turning 10 this year. Can you tell us a bit about this year’s event and what you’ve got planned?

Seedling Sessions is turning 10 to the day on Sunday, 11th October, and for the occasion I wanted a slightly different format than usual. Instead of having 3 acts from different genres of music, we are showcasing 7 Bristol musicians with different music journeys.

Q: You’re working with Black Creatives for this Black History Month edition. How did that collaboration come about?

I've been wanting to collaborate with Black Creatives for some time, and thought what better occasion to do so than during Black History Month. The Black creative community is very diverse and full of up-and-coming artists, which totally matches with the essence of the event. Being a black creative myself, it makes even more sense to use my platform to highlight fellow musicians.

We are delighted to be joined by artists mixing painting, photography, prints and litterature

Q: There’s a real mix this year, with music, visual art, food and community all part of the programme. What brought those different elements together?

Since it is BHM, we decided to not only focus on music, but put the spotlight on other art forms. Rider Shafique, one of the founders of Bristol's Black Creatives, has put out a call for artists wanting to have a stall to exhibit and sell their art. We are delighted to be joined by artists mixing painting, photography, prints and litterature; Celebrating Black Culture featuring artists including Yum Yum Art, Jodi Hunt and Rider Shafique.

Q: Some of the artists on the line-up, including KWAZI and TIA, are getting a lot of attention through projects like Steeze Factory. What’s exciting you about Bristol’s music scene at the moment?

Bristol's music scene is so eclectic and diverse, it's mind-blowing. I love how a lot of artists are not sticking to only one genre of music and explore a wide palette. I admire how independent the scene still is and how supportive the Bristol community is.

Just like the artists it has promoted over the years, the night developed and got bigger.

Q: Seedling Sessions has been going for 10 years now. What do you think its role is in Bristol’s music and creative scene?

I would like to think that Seedling Sessions is a grassroots showcase that has helped some independent artists and has seen the start of great acts like Holysseusfly or Snazzback. Just like the artists it has promoted over the years, the night developed and got bigger. Since 2024, it has moved to Trinity, which is an iconic independent venue in Bristol. Celebrating 10 years in a grassroots venue, celebrating 50 years only feels right. Trinity being legendary in Bristol, offering an opportunity for up-and-coming artists to play there is a bonus.

Q: And looking ahead, what would you like Seedling Sessions to keep building or making possible?

I would like Seedling Sessions to become a renowned space for emerging talents to get on the radar of bigger promoters, using the space as a stepping stone for their careers. Offering off-stage roles opportunities is also an important part of the programme, as musicians are not the only ones facing challenges breaking into the industry.

See Seedling Sessions Celebrating Black History

Seedling Sessions celebrates its 10th anniversary at Trinity on Sunday 11 October, with seven musicians performing alongside work from Black visual artists available to explore and buy on the night.

Book tickets from £7

With both of our previous NYE events selling out weeks in advance, don’t sleep on this! Join us for an outrageously good night of  queer excellence, camp stunts and disco house classics into the early hours.

For accessibility requests, please contact info@trinitybristol.org.uk

Last entry 2 hours before curfew

Venue levy: Trinity has introduced a £1 Restoration Levy on every event ticket sold. This income will be used to create a dedicated fund for critical building works that will protect and maintain the Trinity Centre building and grounds.

They’ll be going head-to-head with none other than Bristol/Birmingham dub warriors Concrete Lion for what promises to be an unforgettable sound meeting.

This line up is highly anticipated, and we’re expecting dub heads to be travelling from across the country to be part of it.

Don’t sleep on this one. See you in the arena!

For accessibility requests, please contact info@trinitybristol.org.uk

Last entry 2 hours before curfew

Venue levy: Trinity has introduced a £1 Restoration Levy on every event ticket sold. This income will be used to create a dedicated fund for critical building works that will protect and maintain the Trinity Centre building and grounds.

Looking for that special festive gift? From jewellery, clothing, to home-made cosmetics, and stationery, stall holders will be on hand offering a range of gift ideas. Alternatively, take part in one of our family-friendly craft making activities, and nice up your festive look with a free badge making workshop.

Enjoy hot sorrell, storytelling, and a great soundtrack playing throughout the day!

No ticket required - simply turn up on the day.

Sign up to be a stall holder

We're keen to provide a wide range of stalls with original gifts, ethical products and information stands from community organisations. Fill in our online form here

Deadline: 9am on Monday 9 November 2026