1985 Oct 25 International Time Off for Women
March 8 marks International Women’s Day, a global day celebrating the social, economic, cultural and political achievements of women.
The origins of International Women’s Day can be traced to the second International Conference of Working Women in Copenhagen in 1910. Delegates approved a motion calling for a celebration of women every year in every country. Today International Women’s Day is a month-long celebration and the struggle for equal access and opportunity, are as relevant today as it was in 1910.
Throughout the month of March, we have a programme of activities to celebrate, to take part in and to learn more about women’s history.
Associate Artist Roxanna Vilk has teamed up with charity Bristol Women’s Voice to offer a free Lullabies workshop (Mar 10). The Workshop is open to families and carers and is an opportunity to learn Iranian, Slovenian and Cuban Lullabies. Sign up here.
As part of Art of Resistance we will be exploring the ways that women have creatively responded to the struggle for equality across the world. Our outdoor gallery, Snapshots of Resistance, will have a selection of photographs documenting women protestors & pioneering artists – with a wider selection of photographs from our archive will be accessible online. We will also be releasing an inspirational interview with Bristol treasure singer songwriter Rita Lynch. We are also calling out for stories and art to be part of the project. Submit yours online here.
There are more activities planned, keep an eye out on our website, sign up to our newsletter or follow us on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter to keep-up-to-date and to #GetInvolved.
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Image Colin Moody
Art of Resistance is a 2-year project exploring 100 years of social activism, protest, and civil disobedience in Bristol, and the art that underpinned each movement.
We're looking for people who have artifacts or stories they would like to share to help build this picture of Bristol as a city of art and activism.
Whether your #resist story or art relates to Workers Rights, Women’s Equality, Anti-Racism, Anti-Fascism - or something else we haven't thought of - we'd love to hear from you.
In particular, we're really interested if any artwork, including poetry, textiles, posters, banners and ephemera, music and performing arts that were used to support and capture the spirit of different movements throughout the ages.
#GetInvolved
If you have digital material you can upload it here: Art Of Resistance Submission form.
If you have a physical item or would like to discus taking part in an interview to tell your own story, please contact info@trinitybristol.org.uk
Keep up to do with the project and other Trinity news and event sign up to our mailing list here.
The project is funded by The National Lottery Heritage Fund.
]]>Prolific and versatile academic Dr Madge Dresser has used oral history throughout her extensive career. In an introduction to oral history she explores the value of oral history, and how best to use oral testimonies.
This session provides excellent preparation for new researchers who are looking to conduct interviews. It is also a good practice reminder for established researchers.
This session is tailored for current volunteers on Art of Resistance, if you are interested in volunteering for the project, please contact esther@trinitybristol.org.uk.
Art of Resistance is a 2-year project exploring 100 years of social activism, protest, and civil disobedience in Bristol, and the art that underpinned each movement. Click here for more information about the project or to contribute content.
Dr Madge Dresser Biog
Dr. Madge Dresser, F.R.H.S., R.S.A., has lived in Bristol since 1972 and retired as Associate Professor in History at the University of the West of England in 2016. She has since been appointed Honorary Professor in Historical Studies at the University of Bristol. She has published and broadcast widely on various aspects of Britain and America’s social and cultural history including the history of Bristol in which she is passionately interested She has worked with people and organisations outside academia including local history groups, schools, family history societies, and various community centres in Bristol and further afield. . She was a founder member of Bristol Broadsides in the 1980s, a worker-writer cooperative which published local writers and alternative histories of the city. She has advised museums, public bodies and voluntary organisations throughout the world. Her Bristol-related publications include various edited works and articles on aspects of Bristol’s religious life; Black and White on the Buses; The Making of Modern Bristol; ’Peoples Housing in Bristol’ in Bristol’s Other History; Slavery Obscured: the Social History of the Slave Trade in Bristol; Ethnic Minorities and the City: Bristol 1000-2000, Pero’s Afterlife: emembering an enslaved African in Bristol’ (in Gretchen Gerzina’s Britain’s lack Past), “The elusive Lady Apsley: rethinking a post war M.P.” in Women’s History Review, and profiles of Thomas Daniel and Sarah Guppy for the Oxford Dictionary of National Biography.
The project is funded by The National Lottery Heritage Fund.
]]>In this online session, led by pioneering researcher and curator D-M Withers, you will find out more about using and accessing online sources. By the end of the session you will be able to start your own research as part of Art of Resistance or, for your own personal project.
D-M Withers is a researcher and curator with expertise in the history of Twentieth century feminist social movements and radical archives. D-M recently acted as Curatorial Consultant on the British Library's exhibition Unfinished Business: the Fight for Women's Rights and is co-author of The Feminist Revolution: the Struggle for Women's Liberation and a forthcoming book about the publishing activism of Virago Press.
If you would to attend the session, please email esther@trinitybristol.org.uk to register
A link to attend the session will be sent out closer to the time
You do not need to have attended a previous Art of Resistance event to attend this session.
If you are unable to attend the session but would like to take part in the project, please contact esther@trinitybristol.org.uk.
Art of Resistance is a 2-year project exploring 100 years of social activism, protest, and civil disobedience in Bristol, and the art that underpinned each movement. Click here for more information about the project or to contribute content.
The project is funded by The National Lottery Heritage Fund.
]]>Do you want to learn how heritage events are planned and delivered?
Would you like to find out more about the history of Women’s Rights, Anti-Racism/Anti-Fascism Workers Rights, Counter Culture movements?
Sign up to this online event to find out more about getting involved. At this meeting the project curator Historian Dr Edson Burton and the wider team will take you through the story of the project, the wider programme and give you a chance to decide how you may want to get involved.
Art of Resistance is a two year project funded by the Heritage Lottery Project charting 100 years of creative responses to the resistance movements above.
We are looking for volunteers to help us deliver this exciting project. There are a number of ways in which you could get involved.
We need help with the following
Research: archives, media, books, online & online, and private
Interview: Conducting audio/and or film interviews with activists and creatives.
Transcription: Writing up interviews (see above Editing: Video, & audio content as described above. Events: Planning, facilitating, stewarding a range of activities.
Volunteers will receive: Training in research methods The opportunity to work with experienced researchers, Expenses allowance. Free entry to ticketed project events
The project is funded by The National Lottery Heritage Fund.
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Dancers from Gerry's Attic, a dance group for the over 55's take part in a workshop (photo @ Sarah Koury).
Trinity Community Initiative supported community and voluntary groups with over 4000 hours free and subsidised hall space.
Keisha Thompson delivers a workshop to young people as part of our IGNiTE programme (photo @Khali Ackford).
Over 100 people took part in one of the professional workshops delivered by touring companies and artists programmed as part of our IGNiTE theatre and dance programme. Highlights included students from Making Tracks taking part in a vocal looping workshop with Keisha Thompson and Rise Youth Dance taking part in Uchenna Dance’s workshop.
This year we earned a Bronze Attitude is Everything Award, and secured £5,000 funding from the Hedley Foundation and Bruce Wake Charitable Trust to pay for a mobile accessible lift to enable wheelchair users to access our Main Stage.
Josh attends regular 121 music sessions at Trinity's collaborative music making project (photo @ Alistair Brookes).
Our collaborative music making project Making Tracks provided over 400 music sessions for 101 young people, many of whom (85%) struggle with confidence, behaviour, health, well-being or other challenging personal circumstances. Making Tracks makes a difference in peoples lives.
We are committed to conserving and protecting the Trinity Centre for ours and future generations (photo Khali Ackford).
With generous donations from the public, an uplift grant from Historic England and support from Heritage Lottery Fund and, other charitable Trusts & Foundations we raised the much needed funds to complete the major repairs to the fabric of the building.
Trinity's annual Festival of Light along with the Garden Party attract over 3k visitors and feature a line up of the best local musical talent (photo @Khali Ackford).
You can read more about the work we do by downloading our annual report here, or you can find out how you can continue to support the work we do here.
We couldn’t do this without your support, thank you.
We wish everyone the best over the festive season.
]]>Workers hand carved new stone - even during the snow! Photo@Khali Ackford
#1 Emma Harvey, Centre Director
“It has to be when we did some researching into the last wedding that happened on the 26th March 1976 at Trinity. We managed to find someone whose name matched the couples on social media and decided to direct message them. It was moment of high anxiety to see the icon that they where messaging us back!
Thankfully it was to say that they where still happily married and that they were super happy we had contacted them. Cheers from us to them for 42 years together!”
Our Heart & Soul project took place alongside major repairs to Trinity. Here a participant creates woodcuts, inspired by Trinity's history. Photo@Khali Ackford
#2 Fidel Meraz, Trinity Board Member
“Sharing pizza and drinks during an afternoon with the staff and the stonemasons who were doing most of the the material work on the building, is such a wonderful memory.”
#3&4 Karina Castro, Project Manager
“ I am going to choose two .. if that is allowed … first up has to be 'A Waltz Down Memory Lane' (20 April) - a great afternoon of dancing, cakes and memory sharing attended by over 40 people over 55. This was made even more amazing by having Norma's Groovers back at Trinity entertaining our friends.
Dr McClymont's talk looked at how we repurpose old buildings. Photo@Khali Ackford
Then, Dr Katie McClymont's 'and the spirit lingered on' (19 June) - a really engaging talk that got everybody involved (inc Khali, the photographer!) about how historic buildings, particularly former churches, are now used as sites of secular worship and as community hubs."
Centre Director Emma Harvey shares the floor with TCA founder Matthew Hewitt and long standing DM and former Centre Manager Derreck Sterling. Photo@Khali Ackford
#5 Glyn Everett, Chair of Trustees
“I really enjoyed the talk 'Reconstructing Trinity from Disrepair to Glory' (31 July) - A wonderful conversation around the different moments of history that the Trinity has seen, and all the heartfelt effort that has gone into keeping the building open, safe and working for the communities that surround it."
About Heart & Soul
From January to October 2018 we celebrated Trinity's place at the heart of the community through a programme of accessible heritage activities, workshops and events. The activities took place alongside our most recent capital works to conserve and renovate the building and where funded by Heritage Lottery Fund, Historic England, Bristol City Council and other charitable Trusts & Foundations.
]]>Abi & Jack's Wedding at Trinity Centre
"Everybody wanted to get married there at that Trinity Church. My Auntie Marge and Auntie Iris got married there, I was bridesmaid there. What I do remember is where the vicar used to stand, it was a lovely eagle that he had the Bible on that he used to read the service from." Gloria, recorded on 22nd August 2018
Designed by our awesome intern Tess Sieling (who alongside her archive work has spent the year blogging about the Heart & Soul project) the booklet presents a sample of weddings, wakes and parties spanning the life of Trinity. View the booklet in its full glory here, or you can pick up one of the limited printed copies from Trinity. Previous heritage projects include What's Your Trinity Story and Vice & Virtue.
]]>We welcomed Wilbert Smith from Heritage Lottery Fund to the celebration
Andy Council's Trinity Fox finds a home in the main hall
We opened up Trinity so all could have a look around - here participants from The Democratic Set check out The Visible Girls exhibition
Heart & Soul intern Tess chats with attendees at the celebration
Trinity member Stacey from Up Our Street places her vote
Trinity Centre Director Emma Harvey talks about the Heart & Soul project
Simi from Awaz, a weekly community group held at Trinity takes a moment to say thank you
Volunteer Rob's History of Trinity music set awed us all
Love this album? Then check out our Facebook for more photos.
]]>Trinity Centre, finally revealed photo @ Sarah Koury
After nearly a year of being covered by scaffolding we are finally set to reveal our iconic towers again after completing our programme of critical repair works.
“We have been overwhelmed by people’s support, generosity and love of Trinity,Support from funders and members of the public means that we’ve been able to secure the building’s future for generations to come and we want to say a big thank you to everyone involved. We will continue to work hard to make Trinity the diverse and pioneering community venue that the city deserves” Emma Harvey, Trinity Centre Director
Works to the centre, a Grade II* listed building, began in October 2017 as part of our long-term plan to conserve and renovate The Trinity Centre and protect its future, both as a community arts hub and also one Bristol’s most respected live-music venues.
In January 2018, investigations revealed extensive historic damage to the building, leaving the us to raise further funds to stop the building from further deterioration and prevent the former-church from being placed back onto Historic England’s ‘At Risk’ Register.
Following a public appeal to help secure Trinity’s past, present and future, we were fortunate to receive an uplift grant from Historic England, alongside support from the Heritage Lottery Fund, Bristol City Council, other charitable Trusts & Foundations as well as generous donations from the public.
A 51 week critical work programme has been undertaken, overseen by Bristol-based Ferguson Mann Architects and construction firm Carrek – locally based specialists in historic conservation. Works included repairs to the roofing, stained glass windows and iconic ‘Trinity towers’, as well as intricate repair of the historic Bath-stone fabric of the building.
After a year long programme of conservation works the Trinity Centre awaits the removal of the final scaffolding (photo credit @Khali Ackford)
Since 2008, we have invested over £2 million in repairing and restoring the Trinity Centre - which is owned by Bristol City Council - transforming it from a dilapidated space into a thriving participatory arts centre for inner-city residents. These latest repair works are the final phase of repairs to restore the fabric of the building and further improvement works are planned, to increase the centre’s usability and sustainability.
Stonemasons take a break after inspecting their work, with East Bristol in the background (photo credit @Khali Ackford)
We had to prioritise what works we undertook meaning that we had to omit some of the planned sustainability improvements, such a second solar PV installation and solar battery storage as well as some additional sound proofing measures.
With Trinity Road Police Station earmarked for a possible residential development, we are aware how important these improvements are both for existing and potential new residents. Therefore we are committed to continuing to ensure there is investment in venue improvements in order to maximise use and sustain the building’s future.
Improvements to the building mean that centre we can continue to be home to over 160 community and voluntary groups who run a range of regular activities from dance classes for older people to the monthly Rhythm of the Night, a nightclub for adults with learning difficulties. We support community groups with over 1400 hours of free and subsidised hall space each year to ensure that the centre continues to provide invaluable public benefit. Activities like these are made possible in part through income generated through our car park and support from public donations.
“I’m 75 and still dancing – this means so much in term of fitness, socialising and even mental fitness. This wouldn’t be possible without Trinity – who provide amazing spaces for classes” says Adrian Longstaffe who attends Gerry’s Attic, a dance group held weekly at Trinity.
The Trinity Towers awaiting their big reveal (photo credit @Khali Ackford)
We will be celebrating the completion of these works at our celebratory ‘Heart & Soul’ event and AGM and warmly invite all to attend- on 4 October.
You can play your part in Trinity’s future, by donating to Trinity and help support groups like Gerry’s Attic to find community, happiness and opportunity. Donate online www.3ca.org.uk/donatenow, or text TR1N13 £5 to 70070
]]>Clare and Sam's wedding Aug 5 2017
'We got together around New Year and just clicked and ended up living together.' His wake was actually held at the Trinity. It's where we went back to..It was a strange circularness - saying hello and goodbye at Trinity.' (anonymous)
Celebratory, poignant, both weddings, christenings, wakes, funerals, parties - as part of our Heritage Project Heart & Soul we are looking for stories of your big event at Trinity to include in our online archive and celebration event.
It might be that you met a life long friend, a partner, here at an event. If you have a story and pictures to share with us contact Edson@3ca.org.uk or call Trinity on 0117 9351200 and ask to speak to either Edson or Karina.
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]]>Silent Hobo and Mr Riks paint Trinity's reception in 2015
As part of our Heart & Soul project we are looking to commission artists to produce creative responses to key moments in Trinity’s history. The works created will be on semi permanent display in the building and become part of the indoor visual history trail that will be completed in Oct 2018.
Trinity already has a DJ Derek Stencil by artist Stewy, painted in celebration of a generous donation to our Youth Music project by Sweet Memory Sounds - a trust set up by Derek’s family and friends to keep Derek’s musical legacy going. We also have a mural painted by Bristol artists Silent Hobo and Mr Riks in our reception area, painted in 2015 during our last major capital works.
We imagine that the artwork could be a stencil or mural, painted, or sprayed, directly onto the walls:
- inspired by the history of the building
- appropriate to our audiences
- celebrating Trinity’s history
- Tells a story of Trinity
- Celebrates Trinity as the centre of community activity
We will work with artists to decide where the artworks will be and suggest artists come to the the site visit 21st Aug to have a tour of the building. The total budget for all commissions is £2500 and could be spread across a few artists, or on a larger commission.
Artists can have full access to our archive – an extensive collection of images, flyers, posters, newspaper articles & oral interviews from the 1832 to the current day.
Deadline for submissions is Friday 31st August 2018, 12:00pm
Site visit Tuesday 21st August from 12:00pm - 7:00pm
The art work needs to be completed by Sunday 30th September 2018
The total commissioning budget is £2500 to include artists time and materials.
Have any questions? Then click here to send us an email
]]>Fyfe Hall filled up for the penultimate talk in the series @Khali Ackford
There was a lot of excitement within the team about this event as we knew the panel members would be really interesting and bring good insight to Bristol’s current art scene. There was a last minute change so Daniel Balla from Coexist joined us in place of Greg Bond who was unable to attend. Michele Curtis and Doug Francis joined us as planned, and our own Dr Edson Burton chaired the evening.
Coexist’s Daniel started by explaining their approach to serving the community. He spoke about the way that cultural ecology is not fixed, it is constantly recreated. A central concern of gentrification has and always will be the displacement of people from the community that used to occupy that space, physically or spiritually, in society. Some art installations at Hamilton House have expressed this by communicating the unpredictable nature of the facade and behind by having volunteers speak about their lives behind a screen for attendees to listen to. He mentioned that national newspapers such as The Guardian site Stokes Croft as the epitome of gentrification, so Coexist have a big responsibility to critique their own actions and what other organisations do to serve their community.
"Should we be calling this gentrification at all or rather redevelopment? What defines gentrification could simply be the monetisation of the social world."
One of the main subjects of conversation throughout the evening was the need to conform with capitalist needs while making art, in order to succeed. These organisations have rent to pay and therefore have had to learn how to generate capital through a variety of means. In the case of Coexist, they have hosted activist groups such as the Bristol Drugs Project as well as commercial income from artist studios, dance studios, and desk space. The model has to be reactive to the community, for example after engaging with the community to see where the need was, they set up a Somali kitchen.
On the panel from left to right, Coexit's Daniel Balla, Trinity'sDr Edson Burton, ASLS's Doug Francis and visual artist Michele Curtis @Khali Ackford
There were also questions raised about the use of language- should we be calling this gentrification at all or rather redevelopment? What defines gentrification could simply be the monetisation of the social world. In terms of where Coexist sits- the future is uncertain. The organisation always assumed it would be able to buy the building when the time was right, however this year their landlords have quadrupled the rent, throwing all future plans into the air. This has motivated the team to think about Coexist’s future. They critiqued the system and they now want to make a network between arts organisations so that they can support and stand up for one another like a union.
Michele Curtis’s career in visual art began in 2015 in St Paul’s with a mural and walking tour project. She wanted to communicate the local history visually by painting large murals, and proposed this idea to somebody, who strongly advised to act immediately. Michele described how at the time she did not consider why, but that with hindsight she believes he gave this advice because he could see the area was changing and in the near future, people living there would not want massive murals of black people’s portraits. She projected to the audience a feeling of motivation, encouraging artists to act on their ideas and make art happen.
"...the power lies with artists, therefore we must continue to make art, and fight for arts organisations."
Doug Francis comes from a long art background, originally doing events in the Portobello Road area of London before moving to Bristol where there was still opportunity. In this instance, Doug talks about opportunity in terms of buildings that can still be used to hold raves, parties and art events cheaply or for free. He said that he did not look forward to anticipate what would be happening now. With friends, he occupied garages up Cheltenham Road, and what they did differently from other groups of artists was they opened up their squat to invite the local community in. Doug is also the ringmaster of The Invisible Circus, with outrageous costumes, props and staging. When Artspace Lifespace took The Island over from Urban Splash, with enormous pride he described it as the clowns taking over the police station, the lunatics taking over the asylum. Other venues they have around Bristol include the Loco Club under Temple Meads, the Vestibules at the Council House on College Green, and most recently acquired, Ashton Court.
He has made art in many ways and in lots of different places and media. Recently he even had a job in the Somerset council, trying to re-purpose the Tropicana Centre after Banksy’s Dismaland residency. The feeling we were left with was that the power lies with artists, therefore we must continue to make art, and fight for arts organisations.
Questions from the floor created lively debate about gentrification in Bristol. Photo @Khali Ackford
After each panellist had spoken about their work individually, the floor was open to questions. There was a good mixture of debate, and a sense that the audience was in it together, fighting for the same side. The amount of knowledge sharing was inspiring, for example an audience member made us all aware about the Living in Vehicles consultation which is happening at Bristol City Council.
The panel made it a richly interesting, energetic evening of discussion, for which we thank them. Catch the last talk in our series on the 31st July at 7pm, ‘Reconstructing Trinity: From Disrepair to Glory’. It will be another panel discussion featuring Trinity members past and present, don’t miss out.
These notes are written by Tess Sieling, who is the project intern on the Heart & Soul heritage project. Read more of her notes on our Tuesday talk series - Father Paul, Fidel Meraz, A Million Bricks of Love, and Same Building, Different Meaning. Our talk series explores the challenges and achievements of transforming and preserving historic buildings and is programmed in collaboration with Bristol's Architecture Centre and the University of West England (UWE).
]]>This year, we will host the preview of We Are Bristol’s first project THE DEMOCRATIC SET produced by our members Up Our Street and In Between Time.
THE DEMOCRATIC SET has been created by the people of Bristol in collaboration with the world-leading theatre company Back to Back Theatre (Australia) and In Between Time in partnership with Up Our Street, Knowle West Media Centre, Ambition Lawrence Weston & UWE.
Heart & Soul running order:
6:00 pm Trinity Open Music from Rob Hall, Trinity Volunteer, in the Main Hall
6:30 pm Selection of light snacks served in main hall
6:45 pm - 6:50pm Opening of event with welcoming speech from Dr Edson Burton
6:50 pm – 7:00 pm Speeches from: Wilbert Smith (Heritage Lottery Fund, Committee Member for the South West), Stacey Yelland (Director, Up Our Street) and Vashti Waite (Joint Executive Director of In between Time)
7:00 pm – 7:10 pm Screening of The Democratic Set.
7:10 pm Tom Marshman, Artist and Trinity Board Member creatively responds to Trinity’s Free Speech Policy.
7:15 pm AGM begins Chair welcomes, Rhiannon Jones, Programme Manager Trinity, to present Trinity’s Arts Programme
8:05 pm Close of meeting Meeting with Emma Harvey, Centre Director
8:15 pm Music from Rob Hall, Trinity Volunteer
9:00 pm Curfew
This is a free event but we suggest people reserve their place online,
Memory sharing and dancing was one of the activities offered this year as part of our heritage project @Khali Ackford
About THE DEMOCRATIC SET
THE DEMOCRATIC SET marks the launch of a three-year programme called We Are Bristol, a new project that’s all about bringing arts events to neighbourhoods around Bristol and supporting communities to share what matters to them and the wider city funded by Paul Hamlyn Foundation and Bristol City Council. For more information email contact@upourstreet.org.uk
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