Tell us what you think - and be in for a chance to win a Trinity Mini Rig plus goodie bag

Each year we ask you to let us know your thoughts about Trinity. We use this to help shape and adapt our programme and to help us raise funds so we can ensure that everyone in Bristol has the opportunity to access and shape arts and culture.

Last year you said: you would like to see more music performances in the Garden and for there to be a space for communities to cook together.

We responded: we opened The Den - a new seasonal outdoor venue in July 2022 that will be opened annually until late summer. The Den has an outdoor kitchen and a bar.

You said: You wanted more activity for over 60s that reflects peoples tastes and interests.

We responded: Our Community Activities Coordinator has worked with resident groups to re-ignite provisions and have welcomed back Gentle Dance and Gerry's Attic. Our partnership project Eastside People and Places is supported by community-led activity with regular Creative Coffee Mornings at Rosevear House already established.

Using the feedback from last years survey alongside and extensive Community Consultation, we have published our 2022 Trinity Pledges, a 12pt action-plan that will help to ensure that Trinity live by our values. Read more about this here.

This year we are again calling for those who use Trinity, and those who don't, to fill in our audience survey and lend their voice to help shape the future of Trinity.

By taking part you will entered into a prize draw* to win a custom Trinity Mini-Rig. Survey closes on 10 Oct so hurry and click on the link to tell us what you think!

Click here to fill out our audience survey

Survey closes 10 Oct 2022 5:00pm

*T&Cs apply, click here to download them

Paradise City

Over ten days IGNiTE summer residents Back in 5 Minutes Squad and Art in Motion will be creating an evolving installation up in our Fyfle Hall.

This is super exciting as Spike Island Residents  - Back in 5 Minutes Squad and emerging not-for-profit participatory arts organisation Art in Motion (AIM) will be collaborating for the first time for this project.

Evolving over the ten days of the residency these two diverse groups will collaborate to portray their vision of an ideal, egalitarian future in which humans of all types and abilities coexist peacefully and purposefully together - the fabric of this future city will reflect the diverse and idiosyncratic interests of all the artists involved.

From Monday 19 the artists invite you to visit during this exciting process and Paradise City will be open to everyone for a celebration event from 5-7pm in the Graffiti Room at Trinity on Thursday 29 June.

Paradise City is supported by Arts Council England via Grants for the Arts and by Trinity Community Arts.

Another year over and a big thank you to all those who have worked with and supported Trinity throughout 2016.

It’s been another amazing year - so many fantastic events, activities and people, making Trinity a special place to be.

Last week, an ex-offender who's been taking part on a volunteer work placement said;

“Thank you for making me feel part of the team and treating me like a human being again.”

It’s people like this and such inspiring stories that make me want to work to ensure Trinity carries on into the future, providing a vital community space for everyone.

In 2017 we’re planning some essential repair works to the Centre - without this work, Trinity’s future will be at risk.

That’s why I’ve donated toward the Trinity Centre Conservation Project.

I hope that this will inspire you to support our cause in whatever way you can.

Thank you all for your continued support and love - have a great festive season!

Emma Harvey, Centre Director

Care...

Visit our Just Giving Page - Help us to keep our building running so that we can deliver music sessions for young people… Read More >

Share...

Share our Appeal page with your friends & family via social media - Help us to provide space for community activities and projects... Read More >

Donate...

Please donate the cost of a cup of coffee or whatever you can, to support our work - Help us to repair and conserve the Trinity Centre and create a lasting legacy for everyone.... Read More >

Click here to find out more about our work and how you can help

Trinity Garden Sessions will relaunch in 2021. Photo Khali Ackford

Trinity has been granted £162k from the Cultural Recovery Fund, providing critical investment for Trinity to remain solvent and financially viable beyond 30 June.

The grant replaces income generated by our trading-arm, which has been severely impacted as a result of pandemic restrictions.

Support from the Cultural Recovery Fund means we have the capacity to reopen. The grant will support our socially distanced live programme, providing paid opportunities for freelancers and artists, as well as covering Centre running costs, enabling rehearsals, workshops, community classes and other planned grant-funded projects such as Youth Music to return to the building.

Thanks to the support and flexibility of funders, Trinity has adapted delivery in response to the pandemic, reacheing over 5000 people across a programme of arts, heritage, well-being and, community activity.

Between April-June we will relaunch our outdoor, socially-distanced live-programme, bringing you some of the best of Bristol’s music scene. We will work with regular community groups to support the relaunch regular activitiesprogramme and, as restrictions ease, we will be hosting a series of family performances.

Further details will be announced soon. Sign up to our mailing list for more info.

#HereForCulture

Like Mercury rehearsal 2021 photo credit Khali Ackford

Trinity has been awarded £163k through the third round of the Cultural Recovery Fund, meaning that Trinity can continue to #behereforculture.

"We are really pleased to have the continued support of the Cultural Recovery Fund, the funding enables us to keep on reaching communities through culture and create a robust platform for which Trinity can thrive, now and in the future" Mijanou Blech, Chair of Trustees, Trinity Community Arts

Since April 2021, with the support of CRF round two, Trinity has employed/paid over 230 artists and freelance event staff. This third successful round of funding will enable Trinity to continue this commitment to the cultural workforce and the creative sector.

Alongside this, the grant will enable Trinity to continue to adapt the business in response to COVID19 and implement the long-term changes to the organisation to have a viable business model post-pandemic. The support from the Cultural Recovery fund will bridge a vital gap in income generation while revenue streams such as the Pay & Display Car Park, community and private hire, continue to recover from the impact of COVID-19.

The grant will be allocated to cover Trinity’s core costs (November 2021 – January 2022), including staffing and the maintenance of the Trinity Centre, a Grade II* Listed building, plus external fees including artist and partner commissioning develop a viable and sustainable programme for 2022 onward.

We were thrilled to hear we have received funding thanks to the government’s #CultureRecoveryFund so that we can continue to be here for you and #HereForCulture

About the Cultural Recovery Fund

Here for Culture is a movement that unites the public, government and cultural organisations in support of our fantastic cinemas, theatres, music venues, museums, galleries and heritage. Whether on the global stage or quietly in our own lives, culture inspires, uplifts, comforts and entertains us. In these challenging times, it’s our turn to continue to provide a lifeline and show our support. Everybody should have the opportunity to access a wide-range of high-quality cultural experiences, which is why it is so important that we support arts and cultural venues, cinemas and heritage sites in local communities to survive and thrive.

Illustrated portraits of participant of Lullabies are displayed in the Graffiti Room as part of Roxana Vilk's Lullabies takeover. Photo Khali Ackford

Trinity have been awarded a prestigious Bristol Life Award, coming first in the 2021 Arts category.

“A truly one-of-a-kind art space that this year engaged 60,000+ people across over 1,000 events and cultural experiences.” Judges, Bristol Life Awards

We were nominated alongside Bristol Old Vic, St George’s Bristol, Bristol Beacon, and Brave Bold Drama, who received a highly commended award for their achievements over the last year.

When the building closed due to COVID-19, our programme went online, featuring live streams and workshops. We teamed up with leading circus company Cirque Bijou to host a 'Day of Dance’ to celebrate what would have been Bristol Harbour Festival. We commissioned live experiences including: Social Muscle Club (in partnership with Shambala), Learning To Swim On An Ironing Board, and What Words Are Ours?, in partnership with The Gulbenkian Theatre (both BSL interpreted).

Partnering with St Paul’s Carnival, we live-streamed carnival in a UK first - and, with the support of Carnival Elders, commissioned a poem by Bristol poet Malaika Kegode. As well as this, we worked with community organisation Eastside Community Trust to distribute over 900 family activity packs to local school children and families.

We commissioned Split Ink Theatre Company to devise a new piece of work for young audiences. Artist Tink Flaherty was awarded a D/deaf/Disabled commission to create a new piece of digital work. Roxana Vilk’s Lullabies project, initially developed as part of our IGNiTE arts development programme, connected 100s of families across Bristol and beyond through online workshops.

We are so proud of the team who worked hard to adapt delivery over the pandemic and want to say a huge thank you to all our funders and supporters and, of course, everyone who took part in the programme and helped make the magic happen.

Want to take part in activity at Trinity? Click here to see what is coming up.

Jabu x Neek x Manonmars plays at Young Echo Album Launch, photo credit Khali Ackford

Trinity is known for it’s boundry pushing music events, so it is really exciting to be able to bring you a programme of live music & club nights inspired by the musical heritage of the building. This year you'll see established and new artists both local and national who are all about pushing new ideas in music.

We’ve partnered with established promoters to bring you underground music that we know you are going to love. First up we had Bristol collective Young Echo who took over Fyfe Hall for their album launch back in February. Followed by Dubstep artist and promoter Pinch’s club night Subloaded celebrating the 100th release on his Tectonic label.

In May Trinity & Teaching in Dub will bring you Grime & Dubstep collective Bandulu Records with a massive line up ft Commodo, Rizla Teef, Kahn & Neek, Boofy, Hi5ghost. Plus the next generation of producers coming through, Drone, Lucy, Sir Hiss, Bengal Sound, with the big bad SGT Pokes on mic duties.  With more exciting artists coming in the Autumn (keep your eyes peeled for updates).

If you like high energy new reggae music with a heavy dub twist, definitely grab tickets to see Resonators on 19th May. This is going be a get up and dance vibe all night.

It is really important to Trinity that we showcase Bristol talent as much as we can in our in house music programme so we are pleased Resonators will be supported by Bristol artists, Roots Factory featuring YT (worked with the likes of Mungos Hifi and Solo Banton) plus Papa Steve and his mighty Downbeat Melody Soundsystem and Numesa.

Tickets: Bandulu / Resonators

We’ll be announcing more gigs. To know first sign up to our mailing list.

Collective Bandulu head to Trinity x Teachings in Dub presents in May phot credit Khali Ackford

Teachings in Dub regular sound system night @Trinity, ©Khali Ackford

Trinity Community Arts Statement re Trinity Road Police Station Redevelopment (Application Ref. No: 21/04338/F) – Updated August 2022

Trinity welcomes the prospect of increased affordable homes and social housing offered by The Guinness Partnership. As such, since 2019, we have been liaising with Guinness and have worked closely with other community representatives including the Old Market Community Association (OMCA), as part of a shared effort to deliver the best possible outcomes for new residents.

Our main concern stems from the findings of an independent acoustician, who has concluded the noise measurements that underpin the acoustic assessment are not fit for purpose. Specifically, that the metrics adopted in the assessment fail to specifically consider the high potential for disturbance caused by low frequency music noise.

This was accompanied by concerns that proposals for a Deed of Easement - while providing additional protections to the venue - may not be suitable for a social housing development due to lack of social mobility of incoming tenants. Tenants with choice limited by their means will be more likely to accept an offer of unsuitable accommodation and will have less social mobility to relocate in the event that they find the conditions and impact of living in such close proximity to a venue to be unsatisfactory and unable to complain about this due to restrictions in their tenancy.

In addition, solutions such as mechanical ventilation, may offer little comfort to those who are most at risk of the impacts of rising energy costs and the current cost of living crisis.

As with other developments in the city and country, the 1st of 10 principles from the Govt’s National Design Guide, is ‘context’. Too often, the rapid re-imagining of our cities comes at the expense of existing social, cultural and physical landscapes.

Were the development to be permitted, we hope that Guinness will continue in their efforts to address these concerns to ensure every step is taken to mitigate against impact of our existing operations on our new neighbours.

Protections promised byAgent of Change remain largely untested and sadly the responsibility to protect what exists already falls to individual citizens to speak up in defence of the things that matter to them.

So far, there has been a lot of good will expressed by all parties including the Local Authority. We now need to ensure this translates into clear conditions and robust mitigation measures as part of the planning process, to legally safeguard Trinity’s future as a cultural institution for East Bristol and to ensure a duty of care is undertaken for the future tenants of those living 50yd from our front doors.

We recommend anyone with concerns to direct these through the Bristol City Council planning portal (application ref no. 21/04338/F).

Save Bristol Nightlife - a campaign to save, protect and promote Bristol's nightlife - have been working to amplify tales from venues across the city over lockdown.

"Trinity, a venue which, to many, is the most crucial to protect. It is integral to the city's cultural life yet always under threat by plans for the development of residential buildings all around it and not given half the respect and recognition from the powers that be that the venue deserves."

Save Bristol Nightlife

Alongside the film above, featuring our Venue Manager Jamell, Save Bristol Nightlife's YouTube channel documenting stories from other loved venues including the Beaufort in Montpelier and the Queenshilling on Frogmore Street.

All filming is courtesy of photographer Colin Moody. The series of documentaries explore the challenges and uncertainty still facing the hospitality and events industries, as one of the areas of the UK economy that's seen activity heavily restricted to try to limit the spread of COVID19.

If you'd like to join Save Bristol Nightlife's campaign, visit their Facebook page and help to support your local venue by writing to your MP and Councillors.

Adesola Akinleye & the Ila Dance project, Trinity's Garden Party 2017, image by Jessica Bartolini

“We are delighted to support the proposed improvements to Trinity – a very significant and important Grade II* listed Georgian building. For many years, Trinity Centre has been an excellent example of a building where the local community has been involved in its ongoing improvement and in the provision of an ever increasing range of activities and initiatives. This work continues to the present day and into the future. We wish Trinity Centre our ongoing support in securing the funds necessary to secure the future of both the building and of the important activities which it accommodates.” Bristol Civic Society

We are excited to announce Trinity Centre has been granted National Lottery funding to carry out essential repairs to the building. Thanks to money raised by National Lottery players, the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) have pledged £362,800 towards our Capital Repairs project that will include fixing the iconic towers, North aisle roof, stained glass windows and Bath stonework.  Historic England have also shown their support for the capital works, with a grant of £106,099.

A further £97k has also been raised from other supporters including Bristol City Council, Cory Environmental Trust Britain, the Pilgrim Trust, and ​Nisbets Trust​ as well as support through individual donations and a Crowdfunder appeal.  Other trusts who have supported the capital works to take place include The Sylvia Waddilove Foundation, The Bramble Trust and local heritage foundation The Gibbs Trust.  

Bristol Ageing Better and The Swire Charitable Trust are also supporting towards costs of activities, to include workshops in traditional heritage trades, a series of talks and a range of activities for children and families including heritage trails and quests to find out more about local history.

We are now looking to raise the remaining raise remaining £140k match-funding needed to cover the total costs of the project.

We still need help in raising the remaining 20% needed to complete the repairs. You can pledge your support via Trinity’s Just Giving page: visit ​www.3ca.org.uk/donate for more info, donate by Text Giving with ROOF 31 and your donation amount to 70070,  download the Trinity Anthem or buy some of our merch from our marketplace.

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

Newtown 50th Anniversary street party. Photo credit Newtown Network

Joy Crookes. Photo credit Khali Ackford

Family garden sessions Oct 2021. Photo credit Trinity Community Arts

Trinity Impact infographic. Apr 2021-Sep 2022

We have been so grateful for the support of funders, donors, members, artists, audiences, volunteers, the team and everyone who has been involved in Trinity's journey this year.

We were able to adapt our programme so communities were able to access arts and culture through these challenging times.

Respond. We programmed activities for 625 children, young people and families, including Forest School, family garden days, 1-2-1/small group bespoke music provision and skills-based workshops.

“These young people can have some much-needed downtime, in a safe space, with supporting adults. Many of them have described the Wednesday night sessions as a lifeline” Helen Peder Refugee Council | Children’s Adviser (Bristol)

Amplify. Through Art of Resistance, we celebrated the role of creativity in some of the key social movements of the last 100 years, programming nine events and project-based activities attended by over 274 people.

Empower. We provided 285 paid opportunities for artists, companies and freelance event staff alongside five entry-level roles at Trinity, paid at the Real Living Wage.

Community partners were able to re-launch regular activities at the Centre, such as Hype Dance and Gerry’s Attic dance groups. We also supported Aid Box, Black Creatives and St Mungos to set up new regular groups, providing services and activities for some of those most in need during the continuing pandemic.

48 volunteers helped to deliver activities and mobilise others. This included gardening sessions in our community garden and a neighbourhood celebration event in August with a new ‘Newtown Network’ of local residents.

We welcomed back live music/club nights inside the building. With sell-out performances from Sam Fender, Teachings in Dub and Black Midi.

Over 2600 people came along to our in-house programme, Trinity Presents. From taking part in lively discussions about Soundsystem Culture (Roots, Reggae and Resistance) to experiencing Roxana Vilk's immersive Trinity take over (Lullabies Celebration) to sit-down-raving in our pop up venue early in the year.

Finally, we’re looking forward to welcoming back Caring in Bristol for their Caring at Christmas day shelter, Dec 24-30, providing a warm welcome, hot meal and good company for those experiencing homelessness and hardship this Christmas

Thank you to everyone for being part of this amazing journey, we could not have done this without you.

Trinity features in a film created by Bristol City Council, showcasing organisations in the city who are certified Real Living Wage Employers.

The film features Trinity team members Rhiannon Jones (Programme Director) and Jamell Ackford (Venue Manager) alongside Ben Openshaw and Harry Lewis who are both employed on a six-month internship as part of the DWP's Kickstart Scheme.

"Paying the Real Living Wage means we can support our workforce who, if we retain and nurture, will become future cultural decision-makers." Emma Harvey, CEO, Trinity Community Arts

Trinity became a Real Living Wage Employer in 2020, providing employees a fair, entry-level wage, calculated independently based on living costs.

Trinity believes that the best workforce is a diverse workforce and that by paying people a fair wage the opportunity to choose a career in the cultural sector is not limited to those who can afford to take on low paid internships.

Trinity joins over 65 Bristol employers, including Quirky Campers and Hargreaves Lansdown, as a certified Real Living Wage organisation, contributing to the nearly 2,500 employees who have seen an increase in their wages relevant to their day-to-day living costs. Find out more about Bristol City Council's commitment to becoming a Real Living Wage City here.

Hype Dance Group at Trinity. Photo credit: Alex Brenner

"I've never had much luck when it comes to competitions, aside from a school fete circa 1998 when I won a pack of colouring pencils in a raffle (does that even count?) but the failure has never deterred me. Given my lack of success, I didn't have high hopes last year when I filled out Trinity Centre's questionnaire in hope of winning a custom-designed Minirig (while sharing my views on the venue, of course), so the day I found out I had in fact won was a thoroughly joyous one. I've always wanted a Minirig and the speaker has been very well used over the past year, having been taken to various green spaces across Bristol, the few festivals that have taken place for campsite tunes and the back garden on sunny days, not to mention for post-lockdown shindigs. I don't think my neighbours are quite so fond of it, though... After my rare taste of success, I highly recommend you fill out this year's survey. You've got to be in it to win it, after all, and even if you don't get as lucky as I did, you'll be helping shape the future of this fantastic venue."

Robin Murray, Mini Rig Winner 2020

Your voice matters - each year we ask you to share your thoughts about Trinity. Feedback from audiences helps us shape and adapt our programme and helps us raise funds so we can ensure that everyone in Bristol has the opportunity to access and shape arts and culture.

Last year over 500 of you to the time to share what areas we could improve at Trinity and how we could welcome audiences back following the easing of Lockdown restrictions:

You said: You would love to see "a larger outdoor venue" and "as many live music and DJ events in the garden following social distancing practices".

What we did: In Oct 2020 we did just that with the Garden Sessions. Over two months we welcomed live music and DJ sets back audiences to enjoy the likes of Waldo’s Gift and Hodge and Danielle. We brought back the pop-up venue in April and May 2021 – this time programming a wider variety of events including a Desert Island style panel talk with Reggae and Soundsystem legends Lioness and Vibronics.

You said: You would like "more activities for children & families"

What we did: As part of Trinity Presents, we welcomed family-focused events, including Baby Raves, workshops with Associate Artist Roxana Vilk and performances for young children.

You said: "Be open to what the community needs (community-led) and potentially provide free space where people can start to engage in positive activities in a safe way".

What we did: We employed a new Activities Coordinator whose role is to work with local communities to support new events and activities at Trinity.

We have recruited more community members to be part of our Trinity Presents programming forum - members have helped selected artists commissions as well as a programme of Theatre and Dance.

You said: " I think your loos in the main hall need improvement".

What we did: Installed new cubicles in the toilets in the main halls and are currently developing plans to install new toilets in the grounds.

We would love you to share your voice again this year by filling out our short survey, it takes about 15 mins - and we really do listen.

Last year, Robin Murray filled in our questionnaire and was selected through random selection to receive a custom designed Mini Rig - share you voice this year you can be in for a chance to win a Trinity Mini-Rig, custom-designed by Adam Menzies.

Click here to fill out our audience survey

Survey closes 06 Oct 2021 5pm

Local artist Stewy, visited Trinity to create a full-size stencil of DJ Derek, to help promote Trinity's Youth Music Training Programme.

The family and friends of Derek Serpell-Morris - better known as Bristol reggae-music legend DJ Derek - have been supporting Trinity's Youth Music Training Programme through a memorial fund set up in the late DJ's memory.

'Sweet Memory Sounds' helps to raise vital funds and donations to help keep Trinity's music training activities running, so that we can continue to provide opportunities for young people to engage with music - often at very challenging times in their lives - so that they can get back into learning and employment.

Artist Stewy is a keen supporter of the Trinity Community Arts charity and, when he heard about the work Sweet Memory Sounds have been doing to raise vital funds for Trinity's youth work, was keen to get involved and show his support.

The iconic image of DJ Derek - which has appeared in several locations across the city, marking some of his favourite places - is located in the Trinity Centre's Main Hall; a prominent position for visitors and gig-goers of the Trinity Centre to see and enjoy.

In addition to the mural, Stewy also donated 100 original DJ Derek screen-prints, to help raise funds for Trinity's youth music programme.

Emma Harvey, Centre Manager of Trinity said; "We're so grateful for all the support Sweet Memory Sounds have provided us so that we can continue our work with some of the most vulnerable young people in the city. As regular feature at Trinity gigs back-in-the-day, with Stewy's latest mural in place, this feels like a fitting tribute to Derek. We all want to say a massive thank you to Stewy plus to Jen, Mat and Derek's family for their continued support."

About our Youth Music Programme

Trinity has a strong track record of skills development and training, providing music learning activities for 150 young people in 2015/2016 and supporting some of the most vulnerable and socially excluded young people:

“Trinity is important for me because it keeps me off the streets and gives me the space and time I need to express myself. It has helped me build my confidence and has challenged me to try things I don't usually do. They also helped me get a work experience placement.” Nail, Trinity music student (2015)

We have delivered music training to disengaged young people aged 16-25 since 2005; specialising in engaging young people who face barriers to participation and working with some of the most vulnerable and socially excluded. Our work is critical to our locality and fully supports our mission in empowering all areas of society to shape the arts and culture in their own communities.

Click here for more info about our programme.

Images - Stewy (Right); DJ Derek mural in Trinity's main hall (Left)

Images courtesy of ©Laure Noverraz