What's Your Trinity Story? - funded by Heritage Lottery Fund Your Heritage Grant - featured an an oral history and archiving project about Trinity from 1960-today, with specific reference to its role as a music and community venue.

"The Trinity Centre has a fascinating history, and the Heritage Lottery Fund is really pleased to support this inspiring project which will capture what it has meant to people over the last 50 years." Nerys Watts, South West Heritage Lottery Fund Head of Region

Trinity's history

Trinity is probably best known for its role in the music scene of the 1990s, when it played host to some of the biggest domestic and international music stars of the time. Trinity's stage has been graced by the likes of U2, The Wailers and Public Enemy as well as local talents such as Massive Attack. It hosted many famous artists notably from the punk, and reggae genres, and was an important landmark in the globally exported "Bristol Sound" prominent during this era.

The space has also had a number of roles within the community over the years - from a bingo hall to a boxing ring - and is now run as a community arts centre with regular training, projects and events.

The heritage project consisted of workshop activities and sessions designed to engage the community of all ages in sharing their experiences and stories of the space. It involved detailed research to culminate in a final exhibition, book and online archive.

Click here to read the full evaluation report.

Vice & Virtue took a look beneath the area's reputation to explore the many cultures that have lived here, its national significance as an area of architectural conservation and key moments of historical interest.

Themes included: the riots of 1932, the British and GI experience, business, trade and leisure in Old Market, the sex industry, the Gay quarter and new communities in Old Market.

The project - funded by Heritage Lottery Fund, Quartet Community Foundation and the Old Market Community Association - consisted of oral history and reminiscence activities designed to encourage members of the community, of all ages, to share their experiences, photos, documents and memorabilia.

This rigorously researched project built upon existing online and hard copy archive information. It culminated in an exhibition, book and heritage trail featuring all the work gathered through the project.

Old Market history

Much coverage given to the area often refers to it as having a 'seedy reputation'. Comments from other residents and traders have worked to counter this image, including Mr Ferris, a local publican commenting in a local newspaper article, “It's amazing we've done so well in the recession...more and more people are choosing to live here.”

Paul Bradburn, Chair of the Old Market Community Association said; “a project that celebrates the rich heritage of the area and allows the general community to appreciate that heritage will be a great benefit to the people of Bristol”.

The Vice & Virtue Project ran from Autumn 2013-Spring 2015.

Buy the book here!

The Ithaca Axis, 2013

"It pulls you in, and claws away at your very core. When the show is over, there is a terrible feeling of loss." - Thou ART

Scripted by Edson Burton
Directed by Nick Young
Production by Kate Hartoch and Netty Miles
Additional material devised by the company
Core cast: Glyn Dilley, Heidi Dorschler, Carlotta Cutrupi, Dominic Wolf, Paul Beech

Braving the wrath of the Gods, Odysseus has returned to the ancient kingdom of Ithaca - now modern day Bristol - to reclaim his seat of power within the Poseidon Foundation. But is he still welcome?  An incredible journey taking place through several, secret locations across Bristol. Part theatre, part adventure, The Ithaca Axis is a modern reinvention of the myth The Odyssey.

Performed over two weeks in April/May 2013, The Ithaca Axis was a fully interactive immersive show that used the city of Bristol as the set. A modern retelling of Homer's epic poem The Odyssey it tells the story of Odysseus' return to Ithaca, expecting to be welcomed as a hero, only to find that all is not how he left it.

A distant wife, a playboy son and a revolutionary daughter all have their own reasons for not wanting him back as he struggles with his own demons from his travels. Utilising ten locations, including Redcliffe Caves, Broadquay Fountains and St Stephen's Church, the show took four seperate audiences on a simultaneous journey that told one story from each of the main characters' perspectives before all coming together for the finale at the Trinity Centre. Power, family, loss and the traumas of going away to war are all themes that play out in The Ithaca Axis.

Over two years, the project saw us bringing older and young people together to produce a series of artworks exploring themes around different generations and cultures, funded by the Quartet Community Foundation.

“We don't get any visitors so it is really nice to see young people – we don't really have any activities here and there is not full-time warden so it was nice to create an activity that we can meet the community”. Elder participating in Project Respect, 2010

Project Respect 2008

During the first phase on the project in 2008, we created a mural in the Trinity Gardens.

A group of young people from a range of ethic and cultural backgrounds studying English at the Bristol Academy worked with groups of Elders from Upper Horfield Community Trust, The Golden Ages from Easton Church and local residents from Knightstone Housing Association and the St Pauls area.
These unique workshops are designed to provide a safe space for two generations to meet, share experiences and create artwork together.

Local artist Victoria Appleton who will be delivering the next programme of workshops said; “We are looking at the role of Elders in other societies and in the UK, exploring beliefs and concerns about older and young people.”

Project Respect 2010

As part of the second intergenerational project in 2010, over 30 participants contributed across the programme – this included volunteers who are unemployed and were looking to gain skills and meet new people.

The biggest achievement was getting two very disparate groups together – older people who were white British with young people from a range of cultures and backgrounds, some of whom didn't speak English. It helped both the young people develop their language skills and the older people to gain a deeper understanding of the complex challenges facing asylum and refugee seeking communities.

What worked particularly well with this project in comparison to past years was we took the young people to work with older people residing in Brunel Care Home in St Georges. While this posed many new challenges, this also meant that we worked with older people who were otherwise not engaged at all with any community activity, unlike past groups of older people we worked with who were already engaged with organised social meeting groups.

The main benefit was the improved communication skills and a better understanding of each others cultures. It gave the older people a chance to share their memories and talk about their experiences and allowed the young people to feel valued and accepted within their new home country.

The community will benefit from the legacy of the project and through other activities shaped alongside this proven model. The prints produced will be on permanent display in Trinity's new lobby area, which will create an improved sense of what Trinity's role is within the area and give a sense that this is an open and inclusive environment.

Dance activities at Trinity

Moving Bristol

Moving Bristol is a two-year project 2019-21 by Bristol Dance Futures aiming to connect and increase dance activities across the city.

The project focuses on two key areas - developing dance practice and new and existing audiences and developing an ecology of dance across Bristol.

Three Dance Hubs will focus on the development of Dance within Health, Young People and Audiences and placing artists in residence across the city to inspire dance practice.

About Bristol Dance Futures

Bristol Dance Futures is a consortium of organisations and independent dance practitioners committed to making Bristol a place where everybody can move and be moved by dance, set up by in 2016 by Theatre Bristol, Pavilion Dance South West, Bristol City Council and independents, including dancer Laïla Diallo.

Between 2016-2018 the consortia undertook research and consultation with the sector, mapping Bristol’s professional dance network and carrying out research into the thousands of people who take part in and watch dance in the city.

Aims

• Nurture the talent of artists of all dance types

• Grow audiences and participation in dance

• Promote Bristol’s diverse dance identity

Consortia members 2020-21

Organisations: Arnolfini, Circomedia, In Between Time, Theatre Bristol, Trinity Community Arts.

Artists & practitioners: Gabrielle Cook, Deepraj Singh and Lauren Scholey

We welcome new artist representatives who reflect the breadth of Bristol’s practice and communities.

Please get in touch for more information.

Making Tracks music programme for young people

Making Tracks was a four-year music making project delivered by Trinity in partnership with Basement Studios and ACE.

We worked with young people challenging personal circumstances offering space and guidance to develop their skills and confidency through music-making.

Activities included 1-2-1 and groups sessions delivered by professional musicians working in the industry, covering a wide range of music from guitar and bass to rap and post-production.

Trinity works in partnership with pupil referral units, schools and organisations to provide regular support and guidance, to help young people re-engage with school, find internships, work placements, employment opportunities or to go onto higher and further education.

90% of young people taking part in Making Tracks saw an improvement in their musical practise and 85% reported that they have improved confidence and self-esteem.

Making Tracks was supported by Youth Music and using public funding by the National Lottery through Arts Council England, as well as support from match funders Youth Sector Support Fund.

If you are a young person who would like to take part in music making activities at Trinity or if you know a young person who would like to take part, please get in touch.

Make Sunday Special 2015

Event summary

Family friendly, alcohol free event, featuring contemporary World Music, headlined by 47 Soul. Food, Stalls, Dance, Performances and Film as well as 'Get Active' workshops including Sport & Fitness, Science & Nature and Art & Craft.

Event background

Make Sunday Special (MSS) was a Bristol City Council led programme, delivering events in and around Corn Street in the Old City, on the first Sunday of each month. In 2015, MSS came to Bristol's neighbourhoods, as well as keeping the fun going in the city centre.

Our local event in Stapleton Road (23 August 2015) took place as part of this wider programme.

Ideas for Make Sunday Special Stapleton Road came from a public meeting at the Trinity Centre, attended by over 40 local residents, traders, artists and community organisations. The group wanted to see lots of activities for children and families, as well as food and music that represented the community - 'the world on one street'.

Project steering group

From the initial meeting, a steering group was formed, made up of a range of community, resident and trader representatives. This helped us to balance the interests of the different parties involved.

Steering group members:

Pat Usherwood (Stapleton Road Residents Group), Sonny Richards (Stapleton Road Traders Assc), Antonio Jordan (Felix Watch), Emma Harvey & Ripley Bullock (Trinity Community Arts), Stacy Yelland and Lorena Alvarez (Up Our Street), Clara Shuma (Afrika Eye), Cameron Bate (Easton Leisure Centre).

Event highlights

Having the ability to programme a diverse live-music and arts offer for the street brought people out to dance and celebrate in a way not usually seen on this street. In spite of the weather, those who turned out really enjoyed the activities that were on offer. Activity providers that did push through weather engaged the public well, in particular the offer for children.

In particular, children enjoyed taking part in circus activities including stilt-walking and tight-rope walking, provided by the Invisible Youth! It was great for children to have the chance to skip and play freely in the middle of the street, facilitated by Playing Out, who got everyone involved in chalking on the pavement. Literati and Mufti provided indoor activities in the Trinity Centre and Stapelton Road Chapel and all had strong engagement from the community in their offer.

Easton Leisure Centre provided a great activity day as part of the event, offering tasters in classes and activities from Sea-Scooters to Zumba - it gave people the chance to try out something different, have some fun and get fit in the process.

People we spoked to on the day said it was just great to see something like this happening in the area as, with lots of things happening elsewhere, people felt that Stapleton Road often gets forgotten or left out. Traders and residents on the day said that the event was a great opportunity to have a positive public event for Stapleton Road.

'' The event had a lovely atmosphere''

''A wonderful showcase of Stapleton Road....had a great day''

“Kids love the circus and dance activities!''

''Just wish it was less wet!”

Future plans

If only we'd had sunshine! It's fair to say that the torrential rain put many people off. However, this did mean that those who did attend were from the immediate and local area who came out to see what was going on. Others braved it and came out in their wet-weather gear to take part and dance along with Bristol Samba and World Jungle Samba and everyone who came said that they just wished the weather had been better for us all.

As this was the first event, traders did not quite know what to expect! But hopefully, now that they have seen the first event along Stapleton Road, they will be keen to get involved in future events and benefit from the audience brought out by the event.

Event supporters

Trinity would like to say a big thank you to all those who came along to the first Make Sunday Special Stapleton Road. In spite of the weather, over 1,100 people came out to celebrate 'The World On One Street' and bring some good vibes to the neighbourhood. Thank you to all those who took part!

Special thanks go to:

• Bristol City Council for generously funding the costs of the event
• Steering group members for their time, effort and dedication
• Generous suppliers including Renteq, MJ Church and Kings Sound Reinforcement
• Activity providers for braving the weather and engaging children and young people in fun, creative activities
• NCS Engage young volunteers for sticking it out on a long, wet day and helping to collect donations toward event costs
• The Trinity team for their hard work and unrelenting commitment to delivering great events for the community
• Volunteer photographers Khali Ackford (images, top and below-left) and Jessica Bartolini (images, centre and below-right)
• Var from Telling Tales Film (view above)