One day, a baby clown accidentally bounces off a passing circus train and is left in the middle of nowhere, separated from family and friends.

A little reluctantly at first, the farmer takes the clown in. As time passes, they discover that by being with each other, they find something new in themselves.

Made with consultation from Deaf Access and Visual Language consultants, Flibbertigibbet Theatre has adapted this picture book by award-winning author and illustrator, Marla Frazee, into a new wordless play for all ages.

Playing without words, the show is accessible to a wide range of audiences. They worked with  a Visual Language consultant and Deaf Access Support consultant, to ensure that the physical language created for the storytelling is clear and accessible for all audiences, including those who are deaf or hard of hearing. Anyone who does not speak English can still enjoy the show as language is not an issue.

The story delicately explores themes of loneliness, friendship, and care, across the divisions of age and community.

‘UTTERLY HEARTWARMING AND RELATABLE…. What Flibbertigibbet have created is a beautiful, simple, and charming piece of theatre, suitable for all.” Bristol 24/7

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This is a Trinity Presents event.

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

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

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

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

Join us and let's make some music together!

Please note: This session runs every week

Come journey with us through historical moments from brilliant inventors to visionary artists and experience live music and imaginative storytelling.

Jumping from the past into the boundless possibilities of Afrofuturism.

Let hidden history inspire our future.

This is a free workshop open to children of all ages, walk ups encouraged.

Adventures in Black History is led by Emile Clark in collaboration with Tidal Tales Collective.

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.

Speak Out Workshop - Image Credit: Alastair Brookes

Speak Out was a free creative development programme for young people made possible through funding from the We Move Fund, created by Children in Need and BBC 1XTRA.

As part of the programme rapper/activist MoYah and poet and spoken word artist Sukina Noor delivered a series of workshops for young musicians and poets, offering support with writing and developing music-making skills.  These workshops where primarily aimed for young people who have lived-experience of the refugee and asylum-seeker system.

"As the Speak Out project unfolded, we saw how transformational this was to the participants. I think for me that was one of the most impactful experiences I’ve had working with young people" - Sukina Noor, Speak Out Facilitator

During the workshops the team offered tailored support and one-on-one mentorship to the young people who attended. We connected with translators to work with young people who wished to express themselves through Arabic -and  as a result they where able to use traditional Arabic poetic techniques during the workshops.

The young people involved in the project reflected on how the sessions offered them a safe space where they were able to fully express their identities and be themselves, and channel this into their art. For example, a participant from Brazil who spoke Portuguese was able to express himself better thanks to MoYah's ability to speak Portuguese, something that the young person had not been able to do since arriving in Bristol. Sukina observed the personal growth of the young Brazilian participant due to being able to speak his first language in the sessions, noting, "He could really experiment and let his story be told".

Facilitators, MoYah and Sukina both reflected on the confidence that the young people demonstrated by taking part and performing at Speak Out events, highlighting their creative and personal development throughout the project.

The young people who took part in these Speak Out workshops were given the opportunity to showcase their talents as part of the Bristol Refugee Festival.

In total six young people aged 16-18 took part in eight workshops, facilitated by MoYah and Sukina.

Click here to find out more about Trinity’s programme of events and activities for young people.

The hand-crafted guitar built by young people who attend Novalis Trust, a Stroud-based learning academy

Young people from Novalis Trust have generously donated a handmade guitar to Trinity's music-making program. This guitar was created as part of the Workbench Project, an initiative delivered in partnership with Pi Guitars.

"We are honoured to donate this guitar to Trinity Community Arts. May it inspire creativity, foster community, and bring the joy of music to all who play it. Thank you for the incredible work you do in Bristol, nurturing the arts and empowering individuals." - James Mountjoy, Novalis Trust

The guitar will be available for young people who attend music making sessions at Trinity to access and play as part of 1-2-1 sessions or the weekly drop in music-making sessions Next Gen Sounds.

The Workbench Project involves young people at the Stroud-based college, who visited Trinity last week to present the guitar to the Music Team. In addition to the donation, the young people enjoyed a tour of Trinity's facilities, including the Recording Studio and the Live Room. Novalis Trust is a Stroud based charity who operate multiple residential facilities in aid of people with learning difficulties from the age of 7 all the way up to 65.

James Mountjoy - a Senior Occupational Therapist from Novalis - said that the group wanted to donate their guitar to Trinity as they love the work we do with Young People in the Creative Arts, reaching so many people to bring them opportunities to explore their creativity, much like the work done at Novalis and Pi Guitars.

Click here to find out more about Trinity's programme of events and activities for Children, Young People and Families.

Igloo - Image Credit: Alastair Brookes

This May Half Term, we’ve got an exciting programme of activities and events for children and young people of all ages to get involved with at Trinity.

Wednesday 29 May - Friday 31 May – Speak Out

Our Speak Out workshops continue on Monday, offering young people aged 16-18 free workshops and the chance to create a performance piece with the guidance of Kabbo Ferdinand – an African Indigenousness storyteller and musician, and Natasha Gatward an immersive performance artist and eco-conscious costume designer.

Wednesday 29 May – Music Masterclass: Hodge

Music Masterclasses are back on Wednesday 29th May. This month, young people aged 16-25 are invited to a free production workshop with Bristol-based DJ and Producer Hodge, who will share their approach to producing which involves finding sounds, processing them, and creating loops and ultimately overcoming writer's block while finding methods to create music in an organised way.

Thursday 30 May – Next-Gen Sounds

Next-Gen Sounds continues as normal during the half-term, with young people aged 14-25 invited to Trinity to take part in group drop in music making sessions led by Trinity and Off The Record.

Friday 31 May – Stay and Play

Children aged 0-5 & their families are invited to Trinity to play, learn and have fun together in our Friday Stay and Play sessions, delivered in partnership with the Health Visiting team. Come along to play, sing, share stories and enjoy the beautiful gardens.

Sunday 02 June – The Fairy Forest

Head to Trinity on Sunday to explore a forgotten woodland world, filled with fairies, forest sprites and mystical beings in ‘The Fairy Forest’ a new children’s theatre show from Tidal Tales, suitable for ages 3 and up.

Click here to learn more about our programme of activities for children, young people and families.

Next Gen Sounds Performance - Image Credit: Alastair Brookes

Young people from our free weekly music project, Next Gen Sounds, were invited to perform during Off The Record (OTR)’s exhibition at Trinity. We work in partnership with the OTR team who come along to the weekly Next-Gen sessions as an additional offer for young people.

“It was really great to get the chance to perform live, it’s so much fun, Trinity really give us a lot of chances to perform in front of an audience. It’s really fantastic to be able to play here” - Joe, Next Gen Sounds Participant

On the night, young people from Next Gen Sounds took to the stage for one hour. Giving incredible musical performances, from bands playing covers of much-loved songs by Fleetwood Mac and Radiohead, to acoustic solo performances, rap, and DJ sets, demonstrating the wide range of musical styles that the young people are exploring as part of Next Gen.

OTR’s exhibition featured paintings, drawings, photography, poetry and of course music from Next Gen. Our Next Gen Sounds sessions are supported by staff from OTR who bring their expertise around mental health and wellbeing to the group sessions, ensuring that the support offered by the programme focuses not only on young people’s musical abilities, but also provides a safe space for personal support, in which the young people can develop their confidence, interpersonal skills, and support their mental wellbeing.

As part of our Children and Young Peoples' programme we offer ways in which those aged 0-25yrs can take their first and next steps in creativity. Next Gen creates pathways for young people to develop their musical practice; from supporting song writing, to demystifying music production, and music masterclasses to eventually offering the young people a platform to perform their music to a live audience.

If you'd like to find out more about Next Gen Sounds, or get involved with the sessions yourself, click here for more information.

Speak Out Celebration 2023. Credit Alastair Brookes

Speak Out is a programme of free creative courses exploring ways in which creativity can be used to shine a light on Future Proofing (or, thinking about our impact on the planet), Neurodiversity and Injustice.

Delivered in partnership with City of Bristol College, Bristol Refugee Festival and Our Second Home, from Feb - June 2024 Trinity will host a series of workshops delivered by a professional artist or facilitator. The sessions will offer a supportive young people to develop creative and craft skills, be inspired by new ideas and build interpersonal and collaborative skills.

The programme was developed following an in-depth consultation with over 150 young people that took place in 2023. This included Trinity's CYP team visiting further education settings, schools, community organisations as well as an in-person event at Trinity.

Speak Out Programme:

Future Proofing – Students of City of Bristol College will explore their impact on the planet. Led by Carene, a sustainable fashion expert, the cohort will explore ways in which they can fight against fast fashion. Running Feb - Mar 2024

Neurodiversity - Kabbo Ferdinand, an African Indigenous storyteller and musician, and Natasha Gatward, an immersive performance artist and costume designer, invite 16 – 18 year olds to explore the ways in which movement and expression can explore Neurodiversity. Running April 2024.

Injustice – Hip-Hop artist Moyah, who has lived experience of the asylum system, will lead workshops for young people affected by the asylum system in order to create a performance piece addressing injustice. Running April 2024.

Speak Out Showcase: Young people who have taken part in Speak Out are invited to come together in celebration of their work at a showcase event at Trinity Centre. Each groups’ practitioners will be at the showcase to support the young people and to guide them through the experience of publicly sharing their art (17th June 6-8pm).

If you would like to sign up to the workshops please contact Liam, Youth Services Facilitator on liamc@trinitybristol.org.uk

Speak Out! Is supported by the We Move Fund: Youth Social Action aims to empower Black children and young people through Youth Social Action.

Image Credit: Alastair Brookes

As part of our Children and Young People's programme we offer one to one or small group (up to three people) music sessions for young people aged 11-25yrs. These sessions are tailored to help young people develop skills, build confidence and support to take their next steps, whether it be to access further music-making provision or to re-engage with the educational system.

We work with professional music tutors who use a trauma informed approach to support young people to identify the areas they are interested in exploring in the sessions. This could involve anything from learning guitar or piano to recording an original rap track. Tutors facilitate and encourage young people to express themselves in whatever way they feel inspired to.

‘I love coming here, it’s a home away from home’ - Feedback, young person, 1-2-1 sessions

Sessions take part in our fully equipped studio rooms. Our live rooms feature two drum kits, a large electric piano and a collection of bass, electric and acoustic guitars. Our digital studio allows young people to access synthesisers, drum machines and a professional level microphone set up for recording, ideal for vocalists or those interested in music production. Both studios are capable of making high quality recordings which can be shared with the individual (or group) at their request.

If you are supporting a young person who would benefit from accessing our music provision please contact the Children and Young Peoples team for further information including prices for sessions on info@trinitybristol.org.uk.

These sessions are supported through funding from NIMBUS Sounds, a partnership between Creative Youth Network (CYN), Aspiration Creation Elevation (ACE), Basement Studios and Trinity Community Arts.

LOGO

Gerry's Attic - Image Credit: Alastair Brookes

This World Mental Health Day, we are shining a light on some of the activities at Trinity that are specifically programmed to offer support and help improve mental wellbeing.

Next Gen Sounds

Our weekly, drop-in music sessions for young people, Next-Gen Sounds, serves as both a place for young people to collaborate on their musical projects in Trinity’s music studio, but also acts as a safe space for young people to seek support and engage with musicians as a way of improving mental wellbeing. Supported by Bristol-based Mental Health charity ‘Off The Record’, Next-Gen Sounds has played a vital role in supporting young musicians – many of whom are from challenging circumstances – by harnessing the transformative potential of creativity to enhance their mental and emotional resilience.

Community Volunteer Gardening

Trinity's fortnightly Community Volunteer Gardening sessions are relaxed, informal, practical gardening sessions to support the Trinity Community Garden's maintenance and upkeep. Gardening is known to have a profoundly positive impact on mental health and wellbeing. The act of nurturing plants and witnessing their growth fosters a sense of purpose and accomplishment. Gardening encourages mindfulness, reducing stress and anxiety while promoting relaxation. Trinity's Community Volunteer Gardening sessions are very important to people living in the local area, many of whom live in high-rise flats and therefore may not have access to green space of their own, and without Trinity's Community Garden may not gain the positive effects that gardening has on improving mental health and wellbeing.

FAB Disco

FAB Disco is a disco for anyone over the age of 50, delivered in partnership Friends Ageing Better (FAB) and Eastside Community Trust. Isolation and loneliness are all too common among older people, and FAB Disco offers a space for people to socialise, listen to music, and dance together, all of which are proven to have a positive impact on mental health. Music can significantly enhance the mental health of older people by offering emotional support, triggering positive memories, and promoting relaxation. It fosters social connections, reduces stress, and provides an avenue for self-expression, contributing to improved emotional well-being, cognitive function, and overall quality of life.

Creative Wellbeing Workshops

At Trinity, we run Creative Wellbeing Workshops in collaboration with Age UK and Alive Activities. These workshops are a safe and welcoming space for people to take part in arts and crafts activities and to learn more about ways to look after themselves and relax. The sessions are aimed at bringing together individuals from different cultures within the community to explore and share their emotions in a creative and fun way. Using different art materials to express emotion acts as a valuable means of expressing and connecting with emotions, and engaging in this process in the company of other people from the local community can provide the opportunity to increase our understanding of and empathy for each other

Next-Gen Sounds - Image Credit: Alastair Brookes

Trinity offers young people aged 14 - 25 a programme of activities to give them the opportunity to take part in drop in music-making sessions, 1-2-1 or small group music sessions in our studios. Through our Next-Gen Sounds programme, Trinity offers a supportive and creative space for young musicians of all disciplines and abilities to meet like-minded musicians, develop their craft and work on their musical projects.

"His confidence and self-esteem have moved on significantly, and I think lot of that is about him being successful at something. His ability to communicate effectively has definitely improved throughout the music sessions" - Support Worker

We caught up with Pierre, a young musician who has been participating in Trinity’s Next-Gen Sounds programme, to see how access to music education has made a positive change to his skills, ability and overall mental wellbeing.

Pierre is a young man who experienced significant positive changes in mood, behaviour, sense of belonging, self-confidence, and communication skills through 1-2-1 music sessions and Next-Gen Sounds at the Trinity Centre. Pierre had been without an educational program for approximately five years, and he lacked a sense of community and routine in his life. These factors contributed to his difficulty in engaging with other activities outside of the music sessions. However, the 1-2-1 sessions and Next-Gen Sounds became the focal points of Pierre's weeks, bringing about a significant change in his mood and motivation.

According to Pierre's support worker, the sessions made a tremendous difference in his overall mood. He arrived focused and left feeling positive and fired up, expressing a desire for other similar opportunities to engage with music-making.

Next-Gen Sounds improved Pierre's sense of belonging and social interactions. He now considers the people he interacts with as friends, and he actively engages in discussions, particularly about music. This newfound confidence extended to other areas of his life. Participating in the sessions boosted Pierre's self-confidence, while performing and producing his music increased his belief in succeeding at something he loves, elevating his self-worth. Pierre's ability to express himself and communicate improved through the music sessions, he became more connected to the present moment, and progress in freestyling showed his growing understanding of appropriate language usage.

Attending 1-2-1 music sessions and Next-Gen Sounds positively impacted Pierre's overall well-being and happiness. He consistently expressed a strong attachment to the sessions, where he found a platform for self-expression.

Pierre's story demonstrates the positive changes that occur when individuals facing challenges find a passion and a supportive community. The 1-2-1 music sessions and Next-Gen Sounds at the Trinity Centre empowered Pierre to develop self-confidence, communication skills, and a sense of belonging, highlighting the transformative power of music and community engagement.

Movema Carnival Workshop - Image Credit: Alastair Brookes

Since autumn 2022, we have been delivering a programme of Dance and Movement based workshops in partnership with award-winning dance charity Movema and two local schools, Hannah More and St Nicholas of Tolentine.

'I liked that we had parents and children together, not just drop them off, they still need our (parent/carer) support, its good to dance together.' Parent at after-school Carnival Dance workshops

We recently celebrated the end of the project with a series of weekly after school Carnival Dance workshops. Held at Trinity, children and their parent/carers, along with Movema, created their own carnival procession that celebrated and took inspiration from the rich cultures and heritages of the group.

The project began with Movema connecting with local schools, Hannah More, Evergreen and St Nicholas of Tolentine, to deliver movement and dance workshops to children from reception to Year 6. Following this they hosted an Easter Holidays Dance Club where children were invited to come along and take part a mixture of dance games, routines and craft activities. Across the project a total of 190 children took part.

This schools-based project is part of Trinty’s Children and Young People programme which is co-created with our partners to enable children and young people to take their first and next steps in creativity. The project was supported by funding from the Coutts Foundation.

Movema Easter workshop at Trinity. Photo credit Alastair Brooks

Due to high demand, applications are now closed

Trinity Community Arts are offering free supermarket vouchers worth up to £150 to help with the cost of living.

The vouchers are available to anyone aged 18 and over who meets one or more of the following criteria

• lives within a 0.5 mile radius of the centre
• takes part in regular community activity at the centre, including Gentle Dance, ROTN and Hype Dance
• takes part in youth activity at the centre, including Next Gen, Stay and Play and after school clubs
• is a parent/carer of a child in local schools including Hannah More, Easton CE Academy, St Nicholas of Tolentine Primary School, Evergreen Primary school and Central Bristol Children's Centre

The voucher scheme will run in May and June 2023 and is supported by The Society of Merchant Venturers,

Image Credit: Alastair Brookes

Our Next-Gen Sounds program has wrapped up its first term on a high note. The weekly open access music session for young people has provided a supportive platform for budding musicians to hone their craft and showcase their talent. This term culminated in an impressive performance that highlighted the remarkable progress made by the young musicians.

"Though anxious in the beginning, I feel, after settling, that Next-Gen has become a star part of my weekly routine." - Next-Gen Sounds Participant

The end-of-term performance showcased the progress and achievements of the young musicians. In total, 17 young people engaged with Next-Gen Sounds over the term. During the showcase, the audience was impressed by the quality of the music and the energy and passion of the performers. It was clear that the young musicians had grown in confidence and skill, a testament to the program's effectiveness.

Next-Gen Sounds has proven to be a valuable resource for young musicians seeking a safe and inclusive space to express themselves, develop their skills, and meet other like-minded musicians. With 50% of regular participants being first timers at Trinity, the program has successfully attracted a diverse range of young musicians who may not have otherwise engaged with Trinity’s programme. Participants have expressed their appreciation for the programme, with one stating "I wanted to come back! It’s easy, no judgement, no pressure, it’s fun."

The success of Next-Gen Sounds reflects Trinity’s wider commitment to providing accessible opportunities for young people to engage with the arts. The programme has proven to be an invaluable resource for young musicians seeking a supportive environment to hone their craft. Trinity looks forward to continuing to support the musical aspirations of young people through this exciting programme.

Next-Gen Sounds continues every Thursday - click here to find out how you can get involved.