Local children took part in What I Want To Be, What I Want to See in April 2021

In 2021 we asked the people of Bristol to tell us their hopes and dreams for the future as part of our ambitious community arts project, What I Want To Be, What I Want To See.

Trinity collected over 70 responses that ranged from a community mural, celebrating heroes, a daily protest, listening posts of voices we should listen to - young & old, a playlist for Newtown, a silent disco, a place for tea and cake, a zine to remind us ‘how to be nice’ and a day of art and dolphins.

In Autumn 2021 we sent an open call for an artist, collective or company to creatively respond to these. The successful project The Wish List by artist Michelle Roche was selected by Trinity’s programming forum. The forum, are made up of local residents, Trinity Members and regular groups and classes, chose Michelle’s project as it connected with the local community in a fun and playful way.

Working with grassroots organisation, Newtown Network, The Wish List will make the hopes and dreams, collected during the call out, a reality by co-creating creative happenings with local communities this December and January.

Newtown Coffee Mornings Throughout December local residents joined artist Michelle Roche for a cup of tea coffee and cake and creative activities.

Catch sight of The Newtown Dolphin Parade

In January keep an eye out through the curtains and look for the Dolphin Lantern parade that will take place in the streets on Newtown.

Get involved:

If you would like some further information on the project contact Stefan Boakye on stefan@trinitybristol.org.uk

Artwork by Patch Keyes

Duppy Hunter: A Locals Guide to St Paul’s is a ‘listening experience’ where audiences are invited to embark on a playful exploration of St. Paul's, assuming the role of Duppy Hunters in pursuit of an elusive spirit hidden amongst the streets and sights of this vibrant neighbourhood.

This unique experience is a collaboration between Trinity and the renowned Tamasha Theatre Company, whose work supports both emerging & established Global Majority artists and arts organisations Coney who create playful digital experiences.

We caught up with the Director of Duppy Hunter, Hanna Adu-Boateng, to find out more about the adventure:

What attracted you to this project?

The project came about at a time when I was seeking work with Global Majority theatre companies. I was really interested in the collaboration between Tamasha, Coney and Trinity and the concept of the Ends and Tales genre of theatre. I liked the fact that the three organisations were looking for a director who was connected to the Global Majority heritages, especially the African Caribbean communities in St Paul’s, Bristol. I came to Bristol 30 years ago to work creatively within St Paul’s for an organisation called Kuumba, which empowered and developed people of African descent. Dr Edson Burton also worked there at the same time. However, an opportunity has never arisen for me to direct/dramaturg one of his plays. The project brief also aligned with my desire to delve into work which includes interviewing members of the community to draw out personal stories connected to the rich history of St Paul’s. I also was really attracted to the prospect of developing my work with digital media and audio production, which would be a new and exciting challenge for me.

Duppy Hunter is written by Dr Edson Burton, inspired by interviews with the local people of Bristol and their memories. How do you go about directing a piece of work that use community stories?

Directing Duppy Hunter means that you must be able to connect with, design a specific set of questions that you want to ask each interviewee, but also be flexible enough to go with the stories each person wants to tell. The memories of local people and their connection to St Paul’s give authenticity to the narrative, which Edson created. It is important that the writer has confidence in you honouring his work and the local people trust and are comfortable with sharing their memories with you. I think Edson drew out a strong narrative that will relate to many of the community of St Paul’s from decades gone by, but he also included poignant individual memories of characters who have passed, which must be overseen with care and empathy.

Why is a project like this important to Bristol - and beyond?

It is so important that Bristol and places beyond recognises and celebrates the epic contribution the African Caribbean people from the Windrush era onwards have shaped the political landscape, history and culture of the city. You can learn more from projects such as this.

What should someone expect to experience when they sign up for Duppy Hunter?

They should expect to have a lot of fun experiencing the narrative unfold as it transports you from one memory and place to another, through the central character of Josie, who is a Duppy Hunter. They will also be moving through different periods of time, encountering different people who have contributed to the racial justice and equality struggle.They will enjoy music from different decades, the singing of hymns and be moved by real people who have passed but will never be forgotten. They will learn alot!

Duppy Hunter runs from 03 October - 29 October and starts at The Trinity Centre - click here to get your tickets.

Image: Sould and Cells

We are thrilled to announce our Autumn Theatre and Arts programme, a dynamic exploration of grassroots social justice which celebrates underrepresented voices and shares untold stories from Bristol and beyond.

“This season is an ode to the underrepresented voices and cultures that make up our social fabric, redefining and exploring contemporary arts through the lens of social justice.” Esther Afikiruweh, Combined Arts Producer, Trinity

The series features film screenings, spoken word performances, theatre and dance and kicks off with an immersive audio trail, 'Duppy Hunter: A Local's Guide to St Paul's' on 03 Oct. Audiences are invited to embark on a playful exploration of St. Paul's, assuming the role of Duppy Hunters in pursuit of an elusive spirit hidden amongst the streets and sights of this vibrant neighbourhood. This unique ‘listening experience’ is a collaboration between Trinity and the renowned Tamasha Theatre Company whose work supports both emerging & established Global Majority artists and arts organisations Coney who create playful digital experiences.

On 12 October, we welcome community artists Carlota Matos and Hiba Elhindi, who, in collaboration with the refugee and asylum seeker support charity Borderlands, will host 'Theatre of Migration'. This evening promises engaging panel discussions, screenings, and sharings, delving into the world of participatory theatre and the ethical considerations of creating theatre based on lived experiences, particularly from the perspective of refugees and asylum seekers.

The powerful documentary, 'I am Judah', will be screened on 20 October. The film tells the poignant story of Easton resident Ras Judah, who was unjustly tasered by the police in 2017. Despite a criminal trial, the officer responsible was found not guilty, and in September 2018, she was also cleared of misconduct. "I Am Judah" critically examines this case, giving voice to Judah as a community elder and shedding light on the broader issue of police injustices affecting many others.

Returning to Trinity on 05 November, dance artist Akeim Toussaint Buck and Crystal Zillwood present their performance, 'Souls and Cells'. This mesmerising showcase delves into themes of heritage, ancestry, and moments of inter-connectiveness through the medium of movement, dance, and sound.

As a culmination of the season, we join forces with the Afrika Eye film festival on 17 November for the 17th festival edition. Together, we will present a screening of 'Neptune Frost', the 2022 science fiction romantic musical film co-directed by Saul Williams and Anisia Uzeyman, alongside performances from spoken word artists.

Our Autumn Theatre and Arts programme promises to be a season of thought-provoking and inspiring events, celebrating diversity, social justice, and artistic expression. Join us as we elevate underrepresented voices and share powerful stories that resonate with the many communities who live in Bristol.

About Trinity Presents:

This is part of Trinity Presents - our in-house programme of music and performance, bringing world-class artists and emerging talent to inner-city audiences.

Photo credit: Ice Road by Raucous, Jack Offord, Jacobs Wells Baths

"Bristol is brimming with dance talent in many forms, and it is well overdue for a dedicated space of its own" Deborah Baddoo MBE, Bristol Dance Futures Producer

Former dance centre and Victorian swimming pool, Jacobs Wells Baths has recently been saved from potential disposal by Bristol City Council following their announcement to launch an open process for expressions of interests to manage the building via a Community Asset Transfer.

In 2019-21 we were part of Bristol Dance Futures, a consortium dedicated to building dance profile, capacity and infrastructure in Bristol. The project highlighted the rich potential of dance in the city and created legacies including cross-sector working across health and community development.

We asked Bristol Dance Futures Producer, Deborah Baddoo MBE, to reflect on the project and to share how it could help reimagine a community space, such as Jacobs Wells Baths.

"During my time as producer for Bristol Dance Futures it was clearly evident that there is a huge gap in terms of a dance specific space in Bristol.

Obviously, it is important to bring dance into other organisations who may not normally have access to dance activity, but there is a thriving dance community throughout the city, hiring commercial studios, performing in unsuitable spaces and trying to book spaces in venues for rehearsals, classes and workshops.

Post Covid-19, now more than ever, the powers that be are recognising the valuable role that dance and indeed all the arts have on helping individuals on their journey to wellbeing and the special role that dance has in connecting people, improving mobility, releasing stress and enhancing creativity, to name only a few of the benefits of dance.

A dedicated dance space such as Jacobs Wells Baths has potential to be a place where many exciting initiatives can flourish, a networking space for dance, a rehearsal space, and importantly hub for dance and wellbeing activity in the city.

Dance in Bristol has gone through many changes and manifestations over the last 25 years, but these have always tended to be piecemeal, short-lived initiatives having limited long-term impact for the sector as a whole.

Bristol is brimming with dance talent in many forms, and it is well overdue for a dedicated space of its own. A dedicated space will help enable the dance sector in Bristol to continue to grow and be a catalyst for exciting new developments and a much needed home for dance in this vibrant city."

Deborah Baddoo MBE, Dance Producer

If you would like to join a conversation on what the future for Jacob Wells could be, please click here.

Over 12 weeks children and families from local school Hannah More primary took part Trinity’s ‘Art Club’ project, in partnership with Take A Part. During one session we headed down to Hannah More to chat with the children and families to ask them what they thought of 'Art Club', press play above to hear what they had to say!

"When I was their age, we didn't get the possibility to draw - we couldn't afford it" Baktiar and Asenat's Mum

In total 25 children and families came along to ‘Art Club’. During the sessions they explored different art-forms, such as clay making, model making using with different types of art materials.

The group also went on ‘go see’ visits to arts organisations and museums in the city. This included a trip to see the Grayson Perry exhibition in the Bristol Museum and a visit to the newly established arts organisations 'St Anne’s House' where they met resident artist Rachel Clarke.

‘Art Club’ is a Trinity commission, delivered by Take a Part in partnership with Hannah More Primary and made possible through funding from the Cultural Recovery Fund

Trinity believes that the best art is created and experienced by the 67 million voices that make up UK society today. This is why we support and nurture creative communities, creating opportunities for artists and communities to co-create and experience culture together.

"I can't tell you how much we enjoyed it. It was perfectly pitched for this age group. This is exactly what we need more of” - Head Teacher from school’s audience group

Collaborating with communities

In March 2021 we launched an ambitious community arts project, 'What I Want To Be, What I Want To See' that asked communities to share their hopes and dreams for the future, post-pandemic. From this initial idea we commissioned community arts practitioner Michelle Roche to collaborate Newton Network and the local community to programme a series of ‘creative happenings’.

Throughout 2021 Michelle, Newtown Network and local residents created a programme of activities including a weekly 'coffee morning and lantern making' session that culminated with a mid-winter Dolphin Parade. Residents also took part in a series of collective actions – a community painting day and a public playlist of their favourite songs – sharing the unique identity of this vibrant corner of Bristol.

Creating opportunities for children and families to access and shape culture

Spilt Ink Theatre Company was awarded the Young Audiences Commission, which was introduced following a consultation, to offer more young people and family activities. Through our on-going partnership with local school St Nicholas of Tolentine, the company delivered a series of workshops collaborating with over 60 children to devise a new work, ‘Home’ that culminated in a public sharing in May 2021.

Trinity joined forces with Take a Part and Hannah Moore primary school to deliver 'Art Club', a project for children and their families to explore what culture they enjoy and what issues matter to them. Art Club took place for 12 weeks after school and included group trips to visit organisations such as Spike Island and The Bristol Museum, meeting staff and volunteers and having an opportunity to ask questions and see behind the scenes of some of the biggest cultural venues in the city. We will also be hosting a pop-up exhibition of artworks created by children and families who took part in the project.

Supporting the development and sharing of new and exciting work

In the summer we welcomed a range of performances in our pop-up outdoor venue, in the community garden and, for the first-time since Mar 2020, inside the building. This included a Trinity ‘take-over’ by associate artist Roxana Vilk, The Vilk Collective and immersive tech-artists Squid Ink with their 'Lullabies Celebration' celebrating the culmination of Roxana’s Lullabies project. The project collected and responded to songs from the many languages spoken in Bristol and beyond. Roxana is continuing to develop her creative practise including performing at St Georges Hall and through her residency at Watershed’s PM Studio.

Through micro-commissions and subsidised space we continued to support the creation and development of new work, including Houston Dance Company who devised Like Mercury in the Fyfe Hall. The show was selected to be programmed as part of the spring season of theatre and dance in 2022 and premiered to sell-out audiences. The show explored gender, sexuality and identity and positive feedback from audiences included people commenting that the show ‘taught me to embody and celebrate my sexuality’. The company will be touring the performance in the UK throughout 2022.

Roxana Vilk's Lullabies Celebration Day. Photo credit Khali Ackford

The past few years have been a testing time for our industry. Looking to the future, we want to change how we work together in Bristol and the South West — as a small group of venues, we have started thinking about how as a collective we might find moments in the year to link our pathways and programmes for artists, celebrating and sustaining them alongside platforming their work in the places they call home.

Throughout March, join us in exploring what a connected city offer for theatre-makers might look like. Co-delivered by Trinity, Bristol Old Vic, Tobacco Factory Theatres and The Wardrobe Theatre and with input from many others, Connecting the Dots is a joined-up initiative piloting how we can work together to present and cross-promote shows, free workshops, meetups, residencies and open forums for artists and audiences here in the South West.

This is a pilot – a work-in-progress, even. It’s the beginning of an idea pulled together at pace with a want from all of us to build for the future. The initiative will have events that take place in-person and a small digital programme. We want to know what you think of it and to hear your feedback and your ideas for what this could become.

With love, Trinity, Bristol Old Vic, The Wardrobe Theatre & Tobacco Factory Theatres.

Important information

We will gladly book interpreters and/or captioning for any events as needed. If you have booked for an event and require interpretation, captioning, or another access adjustment, please email and we will book it.If possible, please give us at least 5 day’s notice so we can ensure captioners/interpreters are available.

All rooms are wheelchair accessible via lift and have access to accessible and gender neutral toilets.

These workshops are offered for free but if there we have a limited number of stipends available for those that might experience financial barriers to attendance. This could go towards travel, your time, etc. To request one, drop us an - stipends will be offered on a first-come, first-served basis.

Find out more

Head to Bristol Old Vic's website to find out more about the programme of activity by following this link.

Photo: Apple N Spice

Head to Trinity this Spring to get involved with a new season of theatre and dance featuring shows that amplify stories from across the UK and beyond, creating a picture of life in modern Britain.

From shadow puppetry inspired by Indian culture to spoken word, this season is one of highs, laughs and - as always - conversations.

"I loved this from the moment I read this two cultures mixing together with singing and dance and audience participation, great one for the children to get involved in" Forum member feedback on Apple 'N Spice, showing 17th Feb 22

Launching with Apple 'N' Spice (17 Feb), an interactive dance and theatre show inspired by Snow White and Ramayana (an ancient Indian story).

On the Inside (25 Feb) by Untold Theatre transports audiences to a dystopian world where four people are trapped inside and forced to live together and their morals and values are thrown out of the window when their true selves begin to emerge...

Dry Season (06 Mar) is a spoken word show that takes a candid look at the impact of experiencing the menopause in your 30's.

Like Mercury (12 Mar) is a powerful new dance and music collaboration by Emma Houston and Bellatrix. Developed with support from Trinity, the show explores the idea of identity through a queer lens.

The Big Trinity Picnic (26 Mar) is a family show hosted by poet Simon Mole and musician Gecko who will perform alongside a very special invited guest poet and is perfect for children aged 7-11 and their families/carers.

About Trinity Presents

The shows where selected following an open call for artists and companies responding to the theme, 'art of resistance'.

Trinity's programming forum made up of community members and independent representatives chose six shows to feature as part of our latest season of in-house programming.

This work is part of Trinity's commitment to amplifying the diverse voices of groups and communities who make UK culture today. To read more about what this means, see: #67MillionVoices.

All tickets are priced as 'pay what you can' starting at £7 + bf and all shows will feature a BSL interpreter.

Like Mercury residency, Bellatrix and Emma Houston Dance Collective. Photo credit Khali Ackford

We are pleased to announce that we are looking for exciting new work to present as part of our programme of shows in Spring 2022.

We are keen to hear from artists and companies whose work responds to our current theme of Art of Resistance in exciting and innovative ways, work that is timely and relevant for our diverse local audiences and work that will inspire and engage.

What we’re looking for:

• Performance ready Theatre, Dance, Spoken Word and Cross-art form, work that responds to the themes of arts and resistance and social activism.
• Work that can be presented across two seasons: 1) between January and 31st March 2022, 2) between 1 April and 31st June 2022.
• Small-medium scale work to be programmed as single shows (on occasion we may programme more than 1 day of a performance).
• Work that can be presented outside of a traditional raked seating format. Work that is relatable and exciting to our community whether that be our local residents in inner-city Bristol, service users who regularly meet at the centre or a community that we might not have met yet but who will benefit from experiencing live performance at Trinity.
• Work that has not been previously presented in Bristol in its current state.
• Work that involves wrap-around activity that can engage our community (Q&A, workshops etc)
• At least 2 of the performances we select will be created by Bristol based artists who are based within 15 miles of Trinity Centre.

We will provide:

Between £750 and £1500 in fees to include performance fees, travel, accommodation and expenses. (Please note that you must have a bank account in your organisation’s name or be registered as self-employed) Technical support for get-in, show and get-out. Advice and guidance from relevant members of staff at Trinity and relevant partners on developing your audiences.

Pay What You Can tickets for audience members and free tickets for community participants

How to submit:

We’ll ask you to submit a tour pack of no longer than 4 pages that includes show information, engagement/wraparound activity plans, a tech specification and marketing strategy.

We’ll ask you to answer a question about how you’ll work with us to engage with our community and to tell us which season (1 or 2) your work is available for.

We’ll ask you to complete an equal opportunities form, so we can make sure these opportunities are reaching the right people, but this won’t be used in the decision to programme your show.

How we decide who to programme:

At Trinity we believe that the most important decision makers are our community. Therefore we programme our Trinity Presents Arts Programme using a Programming Forum made up of local artist and community members and people who use our building on a regular basis.

Deadline: The deadline for submissions is 9am 04 Oct

Click here to submit your tour pack and information

S.U.S.A.A.N the socially distanced robot toured the local area and collected responses from residents

Deadline for Proposals: 9am Friday 25th June

Earlier this year we asked the people of Bristol to respond to the sentence ‘What I Want to Be, What I Want to See’.

Over two weeks we programmed free-online workshops with Vanessa Kisuule, Rider Shafique, Gerry's Attic - plus more - to inspire people to creatively share what they wanted to see for themselves and others in the world around them, post-pandemic.

S.U.S.A.A.N, a socially distanced robot, toured the local area collecting responses from members of the local community. In Trinity's community garden Artist Amy May-Ellis welcomed people to take part in a socially distanced workshop to share their hopes and dreams.

On our social media platforms we shared videos from groups who use Trinity regularly, including Misfits Theatre Company and Dance for Parkinsons.

Responses came in from across Bristol - from wanting to be a marine biologist to hoping to spend more time with family, wanting to see more bikes and less cars and much more. People responded in many forms including poems and drawings.

We are now looking for an artist or collective of artists to creatively interpret the responses, capturing this moment and continuing the conversation with the many communities who connect with Trinity.  This is a paid commission with a fixed fee of £9000.

The call is open to a Bristol based (within a 20 mile radius of Trinity Centre) artist or collective that is reflective of Trinity’s diverse communities.  We’re open to people working in any art-form but you must have experience of co-creating with communities.

Please note:

All work carried out as part of the commission must adhere to current Covid-19 regulations and guidelines.

Timeline:

• Deadline for Proposals: 9am Friday 25th June
• Artists Selection Panel Meeting with Programming Forum: w/c 28th June.
• Successful applicant receive notification by: Wednesday 30th June.
• Residency Period: 1st July – 31st December 2021

How to apply

• Download the full artist commission brief here
• Download the application guidelines here
• When you have read the guidelines you can submit your application online here

You’ll need to attach or link to examples of your work and a budget detailing how you will spend the available commission (each question can be submitted as a video or audio recording if preferred)

We held an informal Q&A session about the commission and you can view the recording of that session here.

If you have access needs in order to join the Q&A session. Please let us know in advance by emailing info@trinitybristol.org.uk or telephoning 0117 935 1200

What I Want To Be, What I Want To See is supported through funding from the Cultural Recovery Fund

Trinity is thinking about the future, & we want to hear from the people that matter - you.

From March 25 we are asking the people of Bristol to share their hopes and dreams for the future as part of What I Want To Be, What I Want To See. To inspire you, we have teamed up with our extended Trinity family of artists and community groups to create 11 days of free activities, content and workshops.

#GetInvolved

Online - follow us on our Social Media channels for scheduled activity and a daily TikTok challenge. Facebook, Twitter and Instagram

Sign up to a daily Assembly Monday - Friday by heading to the Facebook group here.

Sign up - click through below for our free workshop programme:

25 Mar - Writing Workshop With Vanessa Kisuule,

29 Mar - Intergenerational Dance Workshop,

30 Mar - Body Percussion Workshop,

31 Mar - I-Dentity Workshop.

Take part - join us on site for our Socially distanced community artwork, Mobilise, in Trinity Community Garden

If you live close to Trinity look out for our freepost leaflet, along with a free, specially created, print by Andy Council, coming through your letterbox. Please add your own responses and post them back to us.

If you live in Newtown or St Judes, keep your eyes open for the newest team member of Trinity - S.U.S.A.N.N the socially distanced robot - who will be out on the streets collecting your responses.

Want to share your dreams for the future? Click here to find out how.

The project is supported through funding from the Cultural Recovery Fund helping Trinity still #behereforculture

Trinity is thinking about the future, and we want to start by hearing from the people that matter - you. We’re asking the people of Bristol to respond to the sentence ‘What I Want to Be, What I Want to See’.

We are asking you to get involved writing, drawing, making or recording something as a way to share what you want to see for yourself and the world around you, post-pandemic.

From 25th March our extended Trinity family of artists and community groups will be sharing their responses to help inspire you including Misfits Theatre sharing their ambitions for a utopian future and top tips on getting creative with artists Grove and Pete Warner.  We’ll be running a series of free workshops with artists including Rider Shafique, Vanessa Kisuule and Gerrys Attic to help you get creative in response to the theme. There will also be an opportunity to take part in socially distanced workshops in our community garden with artist Amy May Ellis to create an art-installation.

Find out more about the project and the events coming up by visiting trinitybristol.org.uk/arts

Ways to #GetInvolved

• Share any content you create with us by emailing info@trinitybristol.org.uk
• Get in touch by emailing info@trinitybristol.org.uk to find out how to drop off any physical responses at Trinity.
• Submit your content online
• Share with us directly on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter
• Share on your own social media using the hashtag #WhatIWant

If you’re located in BS2 look out for our freepost leaflet, along with a free, especially created, print by Andy Council, coming through your letterbox and post them back to us.

If you live in Newtown or St Judes, keep your eyes open for the newest team member of Trinity - S.U.S.A.N.N the socially distanced robot - who will be out on the streets collecting your responses!

Once we've gathered enough content to represent the diverse communities of the city, we’ll be working with talented local artists to create their own responses inspired by you, to be shared as part of a celebratory event later in the year and to build a lasting legacy of our shared ambitions for the future.

Image: Nathalie Codsi in Arnold's Big Adventure by Tessa Bide Productions, photo by Kai Taylor

Spilt Ink Theatre Company have been awarded Trinity’s Young Audiences Commission to develop a new piece of work for 3-10 year olds. The £6,000 commission has been made possible through the support of the Cultural Recovery Fund.

Spilt Ink are a physical theatre company who create playful, joyful and fun work with and for communities and children. During their development commission they will be exploring the themes of home and identity.

“We will create a fantasy ‘home’ rooted in real stories of our multicultural community. It will explore both the physical sensation of home and the cultural meaning of home.  We will question what home means to ourselves, as diverse artists, and to the multicultural local community of East Bristol.”

They will work with Trinity and local community partners to deliver creative and playful workshops with local children and families; sharing and exploring the stories of the many communities living in Lawrence Hill and Easton.

Spilt Ink were selected for the commission following an open call out that received 20 project proposals. Their project, Home, stood out to our parent-led selection panel - made up of staff, volunteers and community reps - for the way it placed co-creation at its core and young people at the centre of deciding where the project journey would take them.

Between its members - Lebanese/Italian actor and theatre maker Nathalie Codsi, Bristol-based international theatre director, community arts facilitator and performer Hester Welch, and British actor, puppeteer/ theatre maker Sarah Cribdon, Spilt Ink have a wealth of experience of working with diverse communities across the world and we look forward to seeing where Home will take them.

If you are interested in finding out more about how to get involved with the Young Audiences Commission as it emerges, please get in touch or sign up to our mailing list.

Deborah Baddoo MBE is the Producer for Bristol Dance Future’s Moving Bristol project. The project focuses on developing dance practice for new and existing audiences and developing an ecology of dance across Bristol.

Drawn to the opportunity by a desire to galvanise action and create a legacy for Dance in the city, Deborah brings her extensive experience in the dance sector to the role.

Passionate about her long-term vision to raise the profile and support the development of Black choreographers nationally and internationally,she was awarded an MBE for service to dance in 2010. In 1986 in partnership with musician Steve Marshall, she set up arts production company State of Emergency. The company produces shows, projects and events and works with world-class artists and creates opportunities for emerging artists. The charitable arm, State of Trust works to use the arts to promote social cohesion.

Deborah has also worked as an Arts Council Agent for Change with Bristol Old Vic and Sailsbury Playhouse, was Diversity Consultant for Bristol Museums and has worked with many renowned dance and arts organisations across the UK including Rich Mix, DanceXchange, Stratford Circus, Swindon Dance and East London Dance.

As well as a planned programme of industry events - such as the upcoming Dance and Health Conference 2021 - Deborah has collaborated with the Dance Futures Steering Group, independent artists and organisations to select the Dance Connect residencies. The residencies are an opportunity for practitioners, organisations and communities to collaboratively develop a programme of dance activity. Artists will explore and develop ways that dance can be enjoyed and experienced by new and existing audiences and participants across the city.

Deborah has also supported the creation of three Dance Hubs across the city to focus on the development of Dance for Health, Young People and Audiences. Organisations on board are Arnolfini, Creative Youth Network and Trinity. Trinity will be working with dance practitioners Lerato Dunn and Rachel James to programme activity in our role as the Arts & Health Dance Hub for the project.

Find out more about Moving Bristol here.

About Bristol Dance Futures

Bristol Dance Futures, is a consortium of Bristol organisations and independent artists, that nurtures talents and provides professional development opportunities for dancers, with an aim to create a vibrant dance ecology, so people of all ages can engage with high-quality dance.

Dance Connect is supported by funding from Arts Council England

Uchenna Dance deliver a dance workshop at Trinity in 2018. Photo @Khali Ackford

Trinity is pleased to announce that, as part of the Bristol Dance Futures ‘Dance Connect’ programme, five Bristol-based dance practitioners will be funded to undertake year-long residencies in organisations across the city.

The residencies are an opportunity for practitioners, organisations and communities to collaboratively develop a programme of dance activity. Artists will explore and develop ways that dance can be enjoyed and experienced by new and existing audiences and participants across the city.

'It was great to see such high-quality applications and be part of the selection process with a different perspective from the health sector'

Karen Lloyd, Active Ageing Bristol

To ensure a wide range of voices and perspectives helped select the Dance Connect Residencies, the project's Producer Deborah Baddoo invited Karen Lloyd from Active Ageing Bristol and Zannah Chisolm, Artistic Director and CEO Pavilion Dance South West to sit on the selection panels, alongside members of the Dance Futures steering group including independent artist Deepraj Singh.

With the COVID-19 pandemic likely to exacerbate impacts of pre-existing health conditions, two projects will look at the importance of using dance to improve and support good emotional wellbeing and health:

Lerato Dunn will work will work with Southmead Development Trust and Sirona Care to explore how dance can contribute to the physical and emotional health, with the aim to develop a ‘Dance on Prescription’ model that can support vulnerable people.

Rachel James, who leads Dance For Parkinson's at Trinity, will be working with Fresh Arts to create a high-quality dance programme supporting the recovery of elderly and frail patients, designed to help them to get home quicker.

Trinity will be working with both Lerato and Rachel to programme activity in our role as the Arts & Health Dance Hub for the project.

The following collaborations will see artists connecting with new communities strengthening dance participation beyond the city centre:

Penny Caffrey and Helen Wilson will be collaborating with Filwood Community Centre to create a number of different ‘dance happenings’ to promote a positive sense of place within communities.

Katy Noakes will be working with Knowle West Media Centre explore ways to bridge the gap between street and contemporary dance in Bristol.

Dance Connect is an initiative by Bristol Dance Futures - a consortia of Bristol arts organisations and independent artists, that aims to create a vibrant dance ecology across the city, so people of all ages can engage with high-quality dance.

Dance Connect is supported by funding from Arts Council England