The 26-year-old artist’s wisdom is evident in both his calm delivery and measured questioning. Known for introspective, subtly profound rhymes that explore grief, family, and identity, and melt over muffled, soul-seasoned samples, MIKE’s newest record, Burning Desire, is his biggest to date: both in length, but more so artistically. The beloved rapper has come a long way from making waves in underground hip-hop circles with the [sLUms] collective formed in New York in 2015. Since, he’s released numerous critically celebrated albums, earned Pitchfork’s Best New Music accolade twice, and toured with artists like Blood Orange, Earl Sweatshirt, The Alchemist, and Freddie Gibbs. Burning Desire sees MIKE confidently step out as the leader of a new movement within hip hop, as he breaks through the ceiling of the underground and introduces the style of rap he originated to a wider audience.

19:30: Doors

20:30: Lauren Duffus

21:30: MIKE

23:00: Curfew

Please note this is a standing event, accessible seating is available.

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.

The band's line-up consists of Jonny Lani and Ben Reed. Their debut studio album, My Own Mess, was released in September 2018 and peaked at number 2 on the ARIA Album Charts.

+ support: Soaked

Please note this is a standing event, accessible seating is available.

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.

His music incorporates elements of Irish folk, and Scottish folk rock, Americana, world music, sound collage and electronica. He takes influences from Bon Iver, Nick Drake, Elliot Smith and John Martyn, the vibrant sounds of the natural world and the corrugated electronica of found and created sounds.

+ support: Drolls

19:00: Doors

19:30: Drolls

20:30: Joshua Burnside

22:00: Curfew

Please note this is a standing event, accessible seating is available.

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.

The popular children's book The Mermaid, the Otter and the Big Poo is now a show. It's performed at Glastonbury, Edinburgh Fringe and schools across the country....It's now coming to the Trinity Centre this half term and you can be in it.

With improv, songs and audience participation, The Mermaid, the Otter and the Big Poo is an interactive show based on a real life story. Yes, it really is! Author and real life mermaid Lindsey Cole, swam the length of the Bristol Avon with her big poo, to investigate how sewage pollution affects wildlife like otters. Lindsey will tell you all about it before the show starts.

Tell your little eco warrior friends. Learn about otters, be part of the show and get inspired about saving our rivers whilst having fun.

Tickets are £7 per person. If you have more than two kids in your party group tickets are capped at £22 inc booking fee ( total of 4 kids in one party). Kids 2 and under come free.

Photos and books: You'll have an opportunity to get a photo with the mermaid at the end of the show and buy a signed book.

Please do book your tickets as soon as possible to avoid disappointment. In the unlikely event that the show will be cancelled you will receive a refund. Please check your emails on the morning before the show.

About Lindsey

Adventurer Lindsey was devasted after realising she was surroundded by more plastic than fish after cutting her hand on a sharp piece whilst freediving in Bali. She spooled through instagram and discovered some freedivers wear monofins and mermaid tails. So she returned back to the UK to swim the length of the Thames in a mermaid tail, towing a mermaid sculpture made from upcycled plastic bottles to raise awareness. Along the way she rescued a drowning cow and made Page 3 of a national tabloid- fully wetsuited! A school turned her story into their school play. It was adorable so Lindsey turned her story into a kids book- The Mermaid and the Cow. Now, she mermaids with a big poo.

Last year, Lindsey mermaided from Wales to England, across the Bristol Channel with her big poo and she's currently training to break the Guinness World Record for longest distance swum in a monofin. Monofinning is much harder than you think. You can hear all about if you come to the show.

We are committed to creating ways in which citizens can take an active role in shaping arts and culture, through projects such as Citizens’ for Culture. This Autumn we are inviting creatives and activists in the West of England to respond to this year’s Black History Month theme ‘Reclaiming Narratives’ through the lens of Citizens For Culture’s core principles: inclusion, voice and influence. In the first of this content series DJ, vocalist and songwriter NGAIO discusses her music video Goddess.

Reclaiming the Narrative: NGAIO and Goddess

The creation of this music video was so important to me, to tell my story of what it’s been like to find myself and my beauty in a Western world as a mixed-race woman. The beginning scenes were filmed on the streets of St Pauls, where my topless billboard was put up as part of the Censored campaign, which was put together to raise awareness about the sexualisation of women's nipples and the persecution received when seen in public.

"Goddess is about saying we're all Goddesses - no matter what anybody tells us, we are exactly what we need to be. We don't need to starve ourselves. We don't need to have the same face and body. Our uniqueness is what makes us individuals."

Men can go topless at any time, but women can’t, why is that still the case? It folds into a wider discussion about how heavily women’s bodies are policed when we look at reproduction and beauty standards - it all comes back to what external people think women should do with their bodies and how they should look (which changes all the time). These consistent messages of scrutiny in society through the media, and comments made and overheard, led me to feel deep shame, embarrassment, and fear.

I have been on a journey of loving my curves and accepting - some days even appreciating - my lumps and bumps. Never in a million years when I was young did I think I would feel steady enough to not only be pictured without a top on, but to let that be shown to the world on a street five minutes from where I grew up.

Goddess is about saying we're all Goddesses - no matter what anybody tells us, we are exactly what we need to be. We don't need to starve ourselves. We don't need to have the same face and body. Our uniqueness is what makes us individuals. Whatever the shape, size, colour, or gender; you are a Goddess in every sense of the word. People try to tell us that we should look a certain way or act a certain way. We're consistently being told who we should be, but how we feel about ourselves shouldn’t be dependent on the external world. We are more expansive than that.

Goddess is about understanding that we are connected to more than this moment we're in right now on this planet. It is about the connection that we have with our spirituality and our ancestors which is why in the middle scenes I’m surrounded by foliage outside with my natural hair picked into an afro. These scenes were to symbolise the necessity of connecting with nature and the Earth from which we are all born and will all return. Some see the Earth as a rock we live on that serves us, and that is so sad. This living, breathing, organism has given us and our ancestors life - it continues to connect us in space, spanning time we can’t even fathom.

The breakdown in the song is a celebration of that realisation that we are our past and our future and if we are ever feeling lost or unsure, we can tap into the Goddesses inside us to find our way. Through connection to nature or connection to ourselves - knowledge and love are always there, inside us. It ends on a scene which was a nod to a duo who have inspired this new chapter of my musical journey - Ibeyi and their first release, River.

It was filmed by Charlotte Sawyer, a long-term collaborator and lover of nature who’s just won an award for her incredible documentary Rave on for the Avon to raise awareness about the dangerously unsanitary state of our water in East Bristol.

This song - for me at least - was made for moments when I’m feeling unsure, to calm me with melody and stillness, to shake me up with love, before releasing me back into the world. I hope it can do the same for you.

About NGAIO

NGAIO, the versatile artist renowned for her vocals, songwriting, and DJing prowess, seamlessly blends these talents to craft electrifying live performances. This year, she will debut her first self-produced EP 'Four Quarters' and accompanying live show, featuring live vocals and recreations of her productions delivered through Ableton Push. Soundscaping trip hop, jazz, bass and global music in a multigenre sound reflecting her travels - there's something for everyone. As a mixed-race woman, NGAIO infuses her artistry with personal experiences, enriching her music with poignant storytelling told through spoken word and jazz-infused vocals delivered with passion.

Transitioning from band and DJ gigs to curating a solo show, NGAIO intricately weaves jazz and underground bass influences, earning comparisons to the eclectic iBeyi and Greentea Peng. Beyond music, NGAIO advocates for cultural understanding, bridging divides between races and classes.

Check out NGAIO’s website or socials @ngaioamusic

Videographer - Charlotte Sawyer

Photographer - Charley Williams

Interested in finding out more?

• Email Imogen@trinitybristol.org.uk to join our Citizens For Culture mailing list
• Find out more about what a Citizens’ Assembly for Culture is in this Q&A
• Become a Citizens for Culture Associate

Citizens for Culture is an initiative from St Paul Carnival CIC, Trinity Community Arts, Citizens in Power and West of England Combined Authority and is supported through funding by Arts Council England, Paul Hamlyn Foundation and Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation (UK Branch).

Ice Road by Raucous credit Jack Offord. Performed at Jacobs Wells

At Trinity, we are committed to protecting public buildings and spaces and keeping them in the service of the local community. As part of our mission to restore and reopen Jacobs Wells, a former public swimming baths and dance centre into a vibrant community arts space, we have been gathering opinions from individuals with experience of breathing new life into former public buildings. We recently caught up with Kathryn Chiswell Jones of Artspace Lifespace, to share their experiences of occupying public spaces and the opportunities this affords the local community.

"Artspace Lifespace has a special affinity for breathing new life into old municipal buildings. Over the years, we've have occupied two former police stations, two former swimming baths, and even spaces at City Hall itself! Today, we proudly manage five unique art spaces in Bristol and North Somerset, with three of these spaces being municipal buildings that have been creatively repurposed.

Artspace Lifespace’s journey began in a former Audi garage. A site-specific show by sister company The Invisible Circus caught the attention of Bristol City Council’s Capacity Regeneration project team and supported our use of The Island (The Old Bridewell Police Station) in 2007. Our DIY attitude and "get it done" approach mean we can activate buildings quickly and affordably, breathing new life into spaces that might otherwise remain empty. Many of the buildings we've occupied have been council-owned and leased to us at peppercorn or reduced rents, allowing the council to bypass some of the red tape that often hinders transformative temporary use while saving them money by employing us as creative guardians.

It’s no surprise that people feel a deep sense of sentimentality and ownership over these municipal buildings. They’ve often been the backdrop to significant life events—weddings, celebrations, even personal challenges. Visitors to The Arts Mansion frequently share memories of their wedding day there, and we still hear stories from people who either served or were served at the Old Bridewell Police Station!

Municipal buildings carry not only historic and architectural significance but also help preserve local heritage and maintain the character of our communities. By repurposing these spaces, we help reduce maintenance costs and local authorities avoid the financial burden of managing unused properties. Adaptive reuse enables creative and innovative solutions, an opportunity to reimagine and repurpose spaces to meet contemporary needs while respecting the building’s original structure.

Renovating an existing building is often more sustainable and cost-effective than constructing a new one from scratch, but many buildings are often just left empty and deteriorate more quickly than buildings in active use.

"Artspace Lifespace are often described as catalysts for the ‘worthwhile’ use of disused properties. We love being agents of positive change, finding creative solutions for problem properties, and bringing life back to spaces that have been forgotten."

When we heard that Ashton Court Mansion was due to close, we approached the council to offer our management services while a long term solution was found. It was empty for five months before we took it on, and during that short period, the grade I listed door frames had swelled, just one of the common issues that can arise if a building is left empty. Initially, it was supposed to be a two-year temporary custodianship, but it has now stretched to eight years! We love that beautiful old mongrel of a house and it would be hard for us to leave, but its future requires significant investment and a long-term phased restoration plan to ensure it is a community resource for many more generations to come.

Navigating the reuse of old buildings is not without its challenges, from complex bureaucratic procedures to outdated infrastructure, such as outdated electrical systems, plumbing issues, or structural weaknesses. We also face challenges with accessibility in many of our meanwhile spaces. Because our focus is often on short-term solutions and quickly setting up spaces for community use, we lack the funding for permanent accessibility features. Many older buildings were not designed with modern accessibility in mind, making retrofitting costly and complex. One of the great things about municipal buildings is that they are generally designed to be accessible to the public.

Artspace Lifespace are often described as catalysts for the ‘worthwhile’ use of disused properties. We love being agents of positive change, finding creative solutions for problem properties, and bringing life back to spaces that have been forgotten. It’s always bittersweet for our staff and communities when it’s time to say goodbye to these spaces. After all, municipal buildings often serve as symbols of civic identity and pride and become integral parts of community life.

Old municipal buildings are more than just bricks and mortar; they are our cultural heritage, and ripe for creative reinvention. By championing the reuse of municipal buildings, Artspace Lifespace not only honours their storied pasts but also ensure they remain vital parts of our community’s present and future. We look forward to seeing where our journey takes us next!"

About Artspace Lifespace

Artspace Lifespace is a Registered Charity (No: 1168150) that recycles vacant, under-used and problem properties into thriving creative resources. We work in partnership with artists, building owners, property developers, local communities and organisations to secure and re-cycle interesting, unusual and often difficult buildings as vibrant multi-use art venues.

Seedling Sessions - Image Credit: Claudia Rojas Nunez

In September 2024, we welcomed 'Seedling Sessions' as part of our in-house programme, Trinity Presents. The event is dedicated to showcasing early-career musicians with the goal of fostering a more inclusive music industry in Bristol. Beyond performances, people are able to access work experience opportunities in areas like artist liaison, stage management, and sound engineering.

The event is the brain-child of Bristol-based artist MĀDŁY (aka Cassie Madly) who curates diverse lineups, showcasing various genres which allows audiences to connect with artists they might not have discovered otherwise.

“Seedling Sessions felt more like a curated art experience than a gig. Each act took me on a journey, and the night flowed beautifully from start to finish. I can imagine it becoming a mainstay of Bristol’s nightlife.” - Audience Member

During September's event, Madly programmed Experiment x O.B, a fusion of Deems Experiment and Solomon OB; Jausmė, a Lithuanian artist known for her innovative use of the kanklės and Immy, a Bristol-based musician programmed through a partnership with music college BIMM.

For the event the Fyfe Hall featured decor designed to evoke the ambiance of an old-school jazz club, with cabaret-style seating, candles, and a cocktail menu. With over 110 attendees, the night was a resounding success.

On bringing sessions to Trinity Cassie shared that “Trinity is an iconic venue in Bristol that a lot of musicians dream of playing at. When I mentioned bringing my concept there, they were immediately supportive. The upstairs room, with its historic features and stunning stained-glass window, was perfect for the vibe I had in mind,”

Seedling Sessions were originally founded in 2016 by Cassie Madly (aka Madly), the event began as a monthly showcase, providing artists with the opportunity to perform live, while also receiving professional photos and videos to help promote future gigs.

Click here to see what's coming up on Trinity Presents

Speak Out is our arts and activism creative programme that empowers young people  to use creativity to take action about the issues they care about.

Running throughout 2024 Speak Out was created in consultation with over 150 Bristol based young people who helped shape the delivery and themes explored throughout the programme.

In the first series of workshops students from City of Bristol College joined textile designer Carene Leslie in exploring the theme of ‘Future Proofing’. This included collectively exploring what a shared sustainable future looks like through designing and 'upcycling' sustainable clothes.

Young people then joined Kabbo Ferdinand – an African Indigenous storyteller and Natasha Gatward - Eco designer to explore their personal experiences of Neurodiversity through freeform movement, performance and storytelling

"My son has had a renewed interest in leaving the house. Whereas before he was always late for school, he was often arriving early to sessions showing eagerness to take part in project activities.” Feedback, Parent

The final series of workshops were hosted by hip-hop artist MoYah and Bristol City Poet Sukina Noor who supported young people to use writing and music-making skills to explore the theme of ‘Home’.

Many of the 22 young people who took part in Speak Out attended the end-of project celebration at Trinity – bringing along friends and family to enjoy a show of upcycled textiles, music and spoken word performances.

Get involved

We are inviting 16yr-18yr olds to take part in a consultation to help shape the future of Speak Out on 30/31 Oct 2024. Click here to find out more

About Speak Out

Speak Out is supported by the We Move Fund: Youth Social Action aims to empower Black children and young people through Youth Social Action. Speak Out was developed following an indepth consultation with over 150 young people that took place across in person events; performances and within education settings.

Soundsystem vibration will be heavier than ever with the first outing of the updated full Loose Sound stack across the room from the full Felt stack. Round 2. 
If you made it to the last one you know the vibe... If you didn't, this most certainly isn't one to miss, come and find out for yoursel. 
As usual, sounds from all around coming from all corners of the hall in a Sound Clash style. Spanning from Breakbeat & Bhangra to, Rockin' Roll & Roots to, Dancehall & Drums and more..

They employ you to share a dancefloor and be who you want to be in a room full of friends, family and wonderful randomers. T

Please note this is a standing event, accessible seating is available.

Last entry: 2 hours before curfew

Venue levy: Trinity has introduced £1 restoration levy on every 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.

In 2015, the project became a duo, with Stephenson recruiting percussionist Sean Kelly to play live drums. They make high energy yet surreal breakcore, digital hardcore, and footwork from the future apocalypse.

+ support: Mun sing // Silverwing Killer

19:00: Doors

19:30: Silverwingkiller

20:15: Mun Sing

21:15: Machine Girl

23:00: Curfew

Please note this is a standing event, accessible seating is available.

Last entry 2hours 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.

Young people are invited to come along to the two-day consultation to share insights and experience of accessing culture and creativity and explore questions such as ‘what does creativity and art mean'.

On hand will be Speak Out facilitators Moyah and Natasha Gatward alongside Bristol City Poet Sukina Noor who will be present to help shape ideas, host creative games and lead sessions.

Plus - snacks and lunch will be provided and young people are able to claim vouchers for attending the sessions.

What you need to know:

When: Sessions are on 30/31 October 2024, 11am – 2pm

Where: The Trinity Centre, Trinity Road, Bristol, BS5 0NW

How to sign up: We are sorry but the event is now full. If you would like to join the waiting list please email sarahf@trinitybristol.org.uk

About Speak Out

Speak Out is supported by the We Move Fund: Youth Social Action aims to empower Black children and young people through Youth Social Action. Speak Out was developed following an Indepth consultation with over 150 young people that took place across in person events; performances and within education settings.

Credit: Alison Ray Dance Company

The Unknown Soldier is a performance piece revealing the hidden histories of black British servicemen and women who fought for Britain during the First and Second World Wars. Created by Alison Ray Dance Company, the show explores the personal stories of the brave men and women of Black British heritage and the part they played in Britain’s successful war effort.

Ahead of show at Trinity on 19 October 2024 we caught up with company director, Alison Ray MA, to find out more about the making of the show.

"At the heart of The Unknown Soldier lies a captivating blend of dance styles, from the spirited rhythms of African and Caribbean movements to the fast, energetic Lindy hop dance to the poignant grace of contemporary dance"

Hey Alison, tell us a bit about the inspiration for this show

From a child, I learnt about Black servicemen in World War I and World War II following a trip to Barbados. The Prime Minister of Barbados at the time was the right honourable Errol Barrow who I also discovered was a RAF navigator in World War II. Upon our return to the UK, I was often surprised to see on television, that there were no black servicemen at the time in the Remembrance Services. Then, in 2014, during my master’s studies at Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance, I had the opportunity to see the Sea of Poppies installation at the Tower of London. This installation inspired me to create this work, and I realised then that I could create The Unknown Solider, it’s a piece very close to my heart, something I’ve always wanted to choreograph.

The show uses different dance forms - can you tell us a little about the significance of these within the show?

At the heart of The Unknown Soldier lies a captivating blend of dance styles, from the spirited rhythms of African and Caribbean movements to the fast, energetic Lindy hop dance to the poignant grace of contemporary dance. Lindy hop was a dance form that supported the heart during the war years. Through this energetic and joyful dance style, soldiers, family, and friends, could let go and find the strength to carry on… The choreography serves as a vessel, carrying the audience through the tumultuous journey of these brave servicemen and women as they navigate the perils of war and the complexities of identity.

The cast of three dancers weaves together episodes that are sometimes explorations of theme and place (a duet between two men portrays the choreography of soldier hood with forceful lines and balances of support) and sometimes historical narrative integrated with movement. All this is accompanied through live music, including violin and drums, to create an atmosphere of uncertainty and ambiguity, of embarking on this journey to the unknown.

Tickets for The Unknown Soldier start at £9

About Lady Nade
Lady Nade, a Bristol-based, award-winning vocalist takes time out to come and deliver this exciting workshop on vocal technique which will feature a short performance and then useful insights into how best to use your voice to sing. There will be a chance to sing with others in the process and try out what you're learning in a safe supportive space, and finally sit down and make some notes on what you've learnt and how you can best use this on your own creative path.

Gus Fairbairn, aka Alabaster DePlume, is an English jazz musician, saxophonist, spoken word poet, composer, and activist.

He has a pocketful of phrases that he uses all the time whether he’s walking down the street or holding court with musicians and an audience. For a long time the Mancunian would tell anyone who’d listen that they were doing very well. More recently, it’s another phrase which has a similar effect and which belies his unwavering commitment to personal vulnerability and collective politics: “Don’t forget you’re precious.”

A process that is people-first not product-first ensures that the music is unique; often gem-like. Alabaster DePlume’s songs are built on sonorous circular melodies and luminous tones that transmit calmness and generosity in warm waves – unless they’re raging against complacency and the everyday inhumanity of end times capitalism. Most importantly, he brings a valuable transparency to his work. “This is what I’m really doing,” he says. “I want to talk about why I’m doing this, and how I’m doing this.

Please note this is a standing event, accessible seating is available.

Last entry: 2 hours before curfew

Venue levy: Trinity has introduced £1 restoration levy on every 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.