Students from City Academy at Trinity

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Batu + Saffron Records (10 Aug)

Bristol-based DJ, Producer and Record Label

Laurence Walker (14 Sep)

Bookings and Promotions at Lost Horizon

Young Echo (12 Oct)

Music collective based in Bristol

t l k (02 Nov)

Improvisation Workshop

NSL (23 Nov)

Lighting and Sound Specialists

Noods Radio (14 Dec)

St Pauls-based Radio Station

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

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.

Forest School in Trinity's Community Garden

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

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

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

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

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

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

Creative Community Play - Photo Credit: Sam Prosser

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

This project is part of Thriving Communities

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

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

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

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

Penny Caffrey, Director of Movema

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

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

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

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

These workshops offer young people a chance gain knowledge and skills from our expert tutors in Trinity’s fully-equipped rehearsal room and production studios, and the large break out space with lyric writing.

The sessions are be student-led, meaning that young people will be able to shape each session, whether that be learning to play instruments, music production, performing live, or anything in-between.

Trinity’s in-house music tutors Pete and Amos will be on hand to offer support and guidance to students during the sessions.

Students will learn together as a group, offering a chance to work collaboratively and meet other young people.

Join us and let's make some music together!

Please note: This session runs every week

Featuring performances from:

• Asher Simmons (live)
• Hype Dance
• Shakara
• Mutivation (keynote)

This event will also have a creative workshop and a live panel discussion around creative development and activism and how this project will benefit the next generation featuring curator Edson Burton MBE, producer Esther Afikiruweh, Mutivation, and Shakara.

This event represents the launch of the Speak Out project aimed at young people aged 16-18yrs. Their parents/guardians can attend for free. If 19 and older and not a guardian/carer of a young person attending, please buy a £5 ticket.

As funded by BBC 1XTRA, we welcome attendees of Black heritage.

More about the artists

Asher Simmons is a confident and focused deep thinker with a diverse musical style that delves and infuses Conscious Hip-Hop, Melodic Rap, R&B and Afro-beat, anchored by lyrics with meaning.

HYPE is a community based dance company that has been running for 20 years offering exciting and vibrant street dance.

Shakara is a Jamaican-born spoken word artist, poet, vocalist, creative based in Bristol. Her influences stem from dub poetry, dancehall, reggae, jazz and hip hop. She writes about her journey of empowerment, her identity and reclamation of her power and agency as a child of the diaspora.

Mutivation is an Artistic Director, Cultural initiator, Performance artist, Activist, Curator, Movement practitioner, musician and social innovators and director of Village101.

Speak Out is a 7 month  creative development project exploring art and social justice. It is funded by the We Move Fund created by Children in Need and BBC 1XTRA.

This month, Trinity have invited DJ Neffa-T to deliver March's Music Masterclass. This will be focusing on experiences and skills developed over his 15-year career including; navigating ups and downs of the music industry, creating mixes and performances that resonate with listeners, different methods of career progression and advanced and core DJ techniques. The workshop will consist of live demonstrations, personal reflections, and time for questions.

Although there is no charge to attend and no tickets are required, we do ask that you sign up for attendance tracking purposes.

This month, Trinity have invited ec2a label head honcho Dr Dubplate to deliver April's Music Masterclass. This will be focusing on differences between major and indie labels, how to market your label, typical working teams, how to make money from a label. The workshop will consist of personal reflections, discussions and time for questions.

Although there is no charge to attend and no tickets are required, we do ask that you sign up for attendance tracking purposes.

Find out more about the project here.

Food and drinks will be provided. Sessions are free to attend.

About Speak Out!

Speak Out is a 7 month creative development project exploring art and social justice. It is funded by the We Move Fund created by Children in Need and BBC 1XTRA.

The sessions are for families (parents/carers) inclusive of people of all ages and dance abilities.

We encourage people of all ages to join in with activities and welcome volunteers to help us make the group a warm and inclusive space.

As well as the weekly workshops, the project will involve a local performance.

Dates of sessions:

Tuesday 16th May

Tuesday 23rd May

Tuesday 6th June

Tuesday 20th June

Tuesday 27th June

Tuesday 04 July

Please note:

Children must be accompanied at all times, and the parent or guardian will be responsible for the children during their visit to The Trinity and during any performance events connected to this project.