TRINITY
COMMUNITY
ARTS
PROGRAMME STRATEGY
The Trinity Centre, Trinity Road, Bristol, BS2 0NW
0117 935 1200 / [email protected]
@trinitybristol
facebook.com/trinitybristol
www.trinitybristol.org.uk
Trinity Community Arts – Reg Charity No.1144770 / Company No.4372577
TRINITY COMMUNITY ARTS – PROGRAMME STRATEGY
Introduction
Trinity has built a strong reputation for engagement
across different communities and across different
disciplines. It is a well-established music venue,
and has further developed as a centre for learning
and creative activity.
The Trinity Centre is used by over 50,000 people each
year across over 250 activities and events. This offer has
been enhanced by recent capital developments which
are part of a wide and ongoing programme of increasing
capacity and improving visitor experience.
The need to develop our Programme Strategy has been
identified as part of discussions with The Paul Hamlyn
Foundation and The Arts Council. Strategic investment at
this point of our development will add significant value
to our work and investment to date, and is of critical
significance in supporting our future progression and
long-term sustainability.
In developing this Programme Strategy, we have talked to
a range of our key stakeholders, including centre users,
staff, Board members and representatives of other Bristol
arts organisations. The strategy has also been informed
by previous work, consultation and Trinity strategy
documents, including our business plan. Our starting
premise was that we want to add value to existing activity
rather than change our approach; to increase connectivity
and audience participation between different strands;
and to raise the bar for the ambitions and performance
of this unique Bristol venue. While this is a new strategy,
it takes its cues from our journey to date, maintains our
current strengths, and identifies key ways in which we
can significantly improve our delivery and impact.
“These days, the Arts have to fight for their place in our
society and I saw when I visited Trinity that it is not
only committed to encouraging and fostering the Arts
in Bristol, but also to ensure young people from diverse
backgrounds experience all aspects of art and enable
them to realise their dreams.”Miriam Margolyes OBE,Patron,Trinity Community Arts
TRINITY COMMUNITY ARTS – PROGRAMME STRATEGY
Key aims
National context
Through this process we have identified the following
deeply practical and overarching aims:
• T
o work together with the wider sector to effect real
change in diversifying participation in the arts in Bristol
• T
o add value to the existing offer through building on our
strengths and heritage
• T
o better facilitate the journey of our audiences and
participants between our different events and activities,
in terms of:
Exploration: attending events, performances and
encountering cross-cultural artists and ideas that might be
new, challenging and transformative
Progression: allowing for opportunities at any entry point,
particularly for young people, that can support and/or
signpost further progression within the overarching context
of our learning and arts provision
Warwick Commission Report 2015
The national context is clear; the Warwick Commission Report
2015, Culture, Creativity and Growth, presented a compelling
case for change:
“A strategic shift is needed from a funding and policy
infrastructure that focuses on the support of the supply
of cultural experiences, to an approach that address
un-representative levels of diversity and participation as
an equally important objective of policy and strategic
development for the arts, culture and heritage.”
The Warwick report is based on the principal understanding
that culture, creativity and learning exist together within a
distinct and symbiotic eco-system. From a very young age,
including within school education, a pattern is established
relative to the amount of access to creative opportunity,
expectation and funding that individuals have; current levels
of participation correlate with a more comfortable socioeconomic and largely white background.
This is a significant issue of equality for individuals, but
also impacts on the health and strength of our cultural and
creative sector; on its relevance to diverse communities, and
its efficacy in promoting social and cultural cohesion through
exchange and understanding.
“The wealthiest, better educated and least ethnically diverse
8% of the population forms the most culturally active segment
of all; between 2012 and 2015 they accounted for (in the most
conservative estimate possible) at least 28% of live attendance
to theatre.” Warwick Commission Report 2015
TRINITY COMMUNITY ARTS – PROGRAMME STRATEGY
Local context
The local context is also clear; while Bristol is one of only
two locations outside London to make the top 20 list of UK
creative and high tech clusters, and is wealthy compared
to other core cities in England, it has the lowest per capita
spend on cultural activity, and contains a number of the
most economically deprived areas in the UK.
The three inner-city wards that surround the Trinity building
are among those, and also show the highest number of
BME residents – (Lawrence Hill 32%, Ashley, 26% and Easton
25%). As in the UK arts and creative sector at large, Bristol’s
thriving creative scene reflects a largely white population
in both activation and participation.
Trinity’s mission is to empower communities through the arts.
Encompassing learning, culture and creativity, its mission
and activity strands reflect the highly dynamic potential of
this eco-system as described in the Warwick Commission
report. It’s strength and significance to the wider Bristol
ecology lies in its connective potential between individuals
and communities, and between different cultural forms. Its
capacity to bring these constituents together is based on
the following key elements: Trinity’s established place in the
locality, and in cultural experience and memory; the nature
and flexibility of its space; and the relationships that it has
established and grown.
Place
Neutrality: The geography/topography of where Trinity is
based, located at a key point between three wards (Easton,
Lawrence Hill/Barton Hill and Ashley Ward comprising St
Paul’s, St Werburgh’s and St Agnes), is seen as a neutral space,
not belonging to any particular ward. Trinity is used by the
Hindu, Sikh and Muslim communities, and has connections
with diverse nation groups for example Gambia and Somalia.
Unlike many venues in Bristol and in wider UK, it has not
become associated with a particular hegemony, and this holds
major significance in its ability to continue to both function
as an open centre and to continue to be perceived as open.
Cultural breadth: Trinity has the advantage of being many
different things to different people. It’s capacity and culture
has meant that it can occupy a place in people’s imagination,
experience and heritage as a music gig venue, a performance/
arts place, a learning, celebration and activity place, community
and a meeting place. While that can provide challenges in
terms of marketing and identity, this also has powerful potential
to create bridges between participants and audiences, and
to provide crossing places between them, allowing people
to access a full range of activity and experience.
Heritage: Trinity has been a music venue since 1976 and
is often cited as the birthplace of ‘The Bristol Sound’. The
reach of a venue is in a large part dependent on its past
journey, reputation and heritage. A word often connected
with Trinity that carries surprising weight in our monetized
terms is affection – for its music, theatre, event, community
and social activity. This connection to emotional memory is
an important one for any venue to recognise and nurture,
and is a factor in continuing to attract artists and performers
of high calibre to the centre, as well as a high and diverse
footfall built up over many years.
“Trinity is a stunning local landmark, and a beautiful
space... Everyone involved has shown remarkable
creativity in conceiving new uses and activities.”
Councillor Simon Cook, Cabinet Member for Culture and Sport
TRINITY COMMUNITY ARTS – PROGRAMME STRATEGY
Space
Trinity has indoor and outdoor space that offers a highly
flexible mix of opportunities. The redeveloped and flexible
space upstairs and the space downstairs can be re-invented
for different uses throughout the day, weeks and year.
Trinity offers a total standing capacity of 600 downstairs,
together with a capacity of 300 upstairs, offering a capacity
range not replicated in any other Bristol venue
The spaces can be adapted for music gigs and more formal/
intimate concerts, performance including theatre and dance
(with a sprung floor upstairs) film showings and a range of events
including weddings; a bar and kitchen area support events.
Well-equipped music training and recording facilities
back up the learning programmes. With blackout drapes
and technical lighting, Fyfe Hall is a versatile space for
performance and rehearsal; such space identified as
urgently needed by partners in the sector.
Trinity is able to provide space for both performance and
rehearsal with short lead-in time; fundraising is taking place
to increase capacity and resources in technical support which
will both improve efficiency and increase income generation
potential through being able to charge for these resources for
external hire.
A key programme strand, Trinity Community Initiative (TCI)
offers a subsidised and affordable space for a range of
groups using it as meeting, event and activity spaces. In 2015
we supported 140 groups through the TCI providing over
2,500 hrs of free or subsidized space for arts and community
activities and events, engaging over 24,000 participants.
Trinity aims for a balance of regular bookings and space in
which to be able to be responsive to need as it is requested,
maintaining openness to new groups and events.
The outdoor garden extends and enhances the indoor
space, and is run by a community group supported by Trinity
in capacity and management, opening opportunities for
learning, skill sharing and social activity. The car-park has
been improved and offers both a service to Trinity users and
audiences, as well as income to support core overheads.
“Trinity Bristol is a fantastic space with endless possibilities
and a truly musical spirit.” Damon Albarn
TRINITY COMMUNITY ARTS – PROGRAMME STRATEGY
Relationships
As a church, and in its more recent history as an arts
centre, Trinity has held affectionate relationship with
its local community since 1832. Through its creative
partnerships, and the development of the Ignite scheme
which is driving this programme strategy, Trinity is
increasingly establishing its place in the Bristol ecology as
a connective element, adding value to resources and reach
of other venues through availability of space and through
its established relationships with target audiences.
It has a high diversity of constituent users, who in turn relate
to Trinity in diverse ways (eg. audience member, volunteer,
learner, community group member)
Strong relationships have been built with local young people
taking part in the learning programmes
Trust and good relationships have been established with a
number of BAME communities, many of whom have been
using the centre long-term
There are also strong relationships with promoters and artists
– for example Trinity showcases the Mercury prize winners,
and has been a venue of choice for bigger artists such as
Duran Duran and Damon Albarn
Trinity supports emerging artists by offering creation,
rehearsal and platform/sharing space, and is developing
productive relationships with key partners in the Bristol arts
sector, particularly MAYK, Ferment, In Between Time and
Theatre Bristol, through artist development opportunities
and festival programming
These elements set the scene for developing our programme
based on the key themes of heritage, connectivity and
diversity. We aim to address these within a five-year
framework, acknowledging our challenges and setting
out our key strategic priorities.
“The Trinity Centre is an important hub in Bristol and delivers valuable
work in bringing together various communities that would not normally
mix. It is a vital resource providing many community/voluntary groups
and organisations with great facilities for meetings and events and
support to develop their activities and reach.” Sarah Minter, Development Manager, LGBT Bristol
TRINITY COMMUNITY ARTS – PROGRAMME STRATEGY
Key challenges
We recognise that there are still significant challenges
in achieving the full potential of the Trinity Centre. We
are currently about a third of the way through a £3m
scheme of phased works that, once completed, will
help to ensure we can optimise use of the building and
increase revenue streams. The work undertaken so far has
brought us from being loss-making to breaking even, and
further investment is needed to take us further towards
sustainability.
We recognise that there is a significant challenge in
increasing our programme while remaining open and
responsive to new and short notice bookings; in balancing
commercial and subsidised activity; and in increasing activity
that does not overstretch core capacity.
We also know that while we reach communities, we do
not fulfil the potential to connect communities. In terms of
inclusion, as John Dyer said, ‘there is a difference in inviting
people to the party and asking them to dance.’.There are
many missing bridging points along the road to inclusion
that are largely invisible to people already dancing. We want
to be able to put in place some linking elements that allow
for exploration, exchange and progression. While these are
happening in a very organic way, within the limit of our current
capacity we are only able to nudge things along within the
remit of our existing resources, and the need to generate
revenue means that existing capacity for programming
and event delivery is consumed in pursuit of this.
The strategy outlined below identifies ways that we can
both retain the organic nature of the connections, and with
increased resources, steward and support an increase
of cultural experience, understanding and exchange.
“Diversity is asking someone to a party. Inclusion is asking
them to dance.” John Dyer, Director of Credibility
TRINITY COMMUNITY ARTS – PROGRAMME STRATEGY
Programme strategy
Trinity’s offer and placement within the city and the sector
resonates with John Knell’s comment at the Arts Council
‘No Boundaries’ conference this year:
“We need to foster a glorious messy plurality and
vibrancy, supported by a stronger, more collaborative
cultural sector.”
Within our stated aims as above, we are seeking to develop
a programme strategy that is relevant, pro-active, and
ambitious. Our offer is eclectic and we want it to remain
so: our challenge is to harness this plurality and to create
vibrancy by focusing on the linking elements between them.
Adding value to audiences and the ecology:
what we plan to do
A key priority for Trinity within this strategy is to become
more pro-active in its programming, and to be able to take
risk in booking performances that are ambitious, relevant,
and challenging, but are not necessarily commercial
decisions. We see that we are both custodians of space and
also that we have a role in pro-actively curating space, and
the objectives outlined below reflect this position.
• W
e will work pro-actively with our community partners to
programme artists and performers from diverse cultural
backgrounds. We will also work closely with arts sector
partners including Come the Revolution, MAYK, and In
Between Time, to programme exciting new work that
provides the best fit to Trinity’s thematic priorities and
to locality interest. Through this we aim to expand our
national and international links and profile.
• W
e will continue to develop a seasonal and thematic
calendar of events and programmes, built both around
city-wide festivals and around national/international events
and movements, for example, capitalising on the growing
momentum in the city around holocaust memorial day,
LGBT events and issues, Black History Month.
• W
e will develop and promote summer programmes aimed
at family participation, utilising space and resources at
a time when traditionally there are a lower number of
bookings; expanding opportunities for children, young
people and their parents to engage together in new
learning and creative activities.
• W
e will explore regular thematic programming of the
upstairs and downstairs spaces together, for example
running a main gig downstairs, with workshops based
on the music/genre upstairs, together with wrap-around
activity and opportunity to showcase student work.
• While we want to remain eclectic, we recognise that we
also have the opportunity to develop a more distinct
offer that complements, and does not replicate, other
Bristol venues. Together with music/world music, a theme
that enhances our learning and cross-cultural agenda is
story-telling, through dance, drama and spoken word,
and provides a potential area to focus on in terms of
programming of new work.
• We will work closely with other partners, specifically Theatre
Bristol, Bristol Old Vic Ferment, MAYK and In Between
Time to develop a strategic artist development programme,
which co-ordinates resources and support, allowing artists
to ‘journey’ through different stages and different partners
without having to knock on each door individually. Our part in
this is our capacity to allocate creation and rehearsal capacity,
plus platforming and performance space. As outlined below a
key focus is to increase the diversity of artists, producers and
technicians who can benefit from this approach.
“We need to foster a glorious messy plurality and vibrancy, supported
by a stronger, more collaborative cultural sector.” John Knell, Chair of Sound and Music
TRINITY COMMUNITY ARTS – PROGRAMME STRATEGY
• W
e will invite all programmed and resident artists to work
with us on this approach to artist development, for example
by: offering wrap-around workshops and masterclasses;
allowing students to shadow their technicians /stage
managers; offering a pre-gig event such as a Q & A, possibly
led by young people; opening rehearsals to students.
• A
n important aspect of our programming is our ability
to respond to short notice and new bookings. Trinity
Community Initiative (TCI), our subsidised space initiative,
continues to be an important thread. We will ring-fence a
proportion of our bookable time and space for this as we
want to continue to serve the local community with meeting
and event space and allow new groups to book.
Increasing diversity and strengthening connections:
how we plan to do this
Cultural activity emanates from the lives of individuals
and societies, made up of many threads of heritage,
common experience and exchange of ideas. It is not
something that can be handed out complete, as a finite
offering, and assumptions can’t be made about universal
relevance. Trinity aims to work with its diverse constituencies
to provide a programme that is relevant and responsive
to existing participants and groups.
“If you break down most institutional models…one
would be a monastery and one would be a square. In the
monastery…ideas are developed or presented by minds
that think alike…they are inside out. But the other model,
the square, is a form of instituting without a finality in
sight…I am for an institution that is not located in a space,
but in the psyche of the people it engages with.”
Transcript from Vasif Kortun’s talk at No Boundaries 2015.
Invitation to select work: Through an established
programming forum, we will invite constituent members
of Trinity to programme work and events that are relevant
to them and their communities. In the consultation on this
strategy with our stakeholders, we heard there is a will to work
with us in identifying artists and work that they would like to
see. This includes for example, working with the Senegambian
group who run events under the name Hidden Talents, to
book West African musicians that come to London but rarely
tour outside the capital, tying in with their annual celebration
event; programming Bollywood films and Indian music such
as tabla and sitar players; offering a lead to different groups
in finding artists and performers that can be showcased at
regular calendar events such as the Garden Party.
Expanding opportunities: We recognise that popular culture
provides an entry point that can be used to encourage people
to experience other art forms. For example, Hype is a street
dance group which attracts a high number of local young
people and is a long-established Trinity user. With additional
resources we can work with them to expand their offer by
programming key street dance artists, bringing in guest
instructors, offering subsidised opportunities to see other
forms of contemporary dance programmed.
Economic Inclusion: We see economic inclusion as a key
part of this active inclusion; people who are not used to
prioritising spend on cultural experiences take a bigger risk
in buying tickets for events and performances. Linked to
economic hardship and low income, this risk is then greatly
proportionally increased. We want to offer some pay-as-youwish prices and/or lower ticket prices linked to Trinity activity
membership.
“I am for an institution that is not located in a space, but in the
psyche of the people it engages with.” Vasif Kortun, Director of Research and Programs at SALT
TRINITY COMMUNITY ARTS – PROGRAMME STRATEGY
Networking and sharing opportunities: We want to set up
‘bridging points’ in our schedule, for example booking slots
where different users of the space are invited/encouraged
to share some food and drink together, e.g. early evenings.
Sharing different kinds of food is in itself a significant form of
cultural exchange, and sharing food itself a universal bridge.
Cheap or free food is therefore an essential part of this, and
different constituencies could be invited to cook food from
their culture.
Family inclusion: We will look at ways of strengthening the
family activity programme, by scheduling in more family
events and/or setting up a family time as part of another
event (for example an activity linked to a performance or
event that is showcased earlier in the evening including
workshops, curtain raisers).
Opening opportunities for debate: We want to explore
scheduling ‘hot topic’ debates, possibly using open space
technology, to open up opportunities to discuss face-to-face
contemporary issues that are often polarised in expression
through social and public media; ensuring that direct
invitations are made to a wide range of people as well as
within open publicity
Expanding diversity in creative industry: We have the
opportunity to expand both the scope and the reach of artist
development to incorporate learning activities in Trinity –
through actively developing and promoting opportunities for
young people who are involved in our programmes to take
further steps in all aspects of the creative industry, including
as artist, producer and technician; working with other
arts sector partners to provide bursaries, internships and
commissioning opportunities targeted at students and local
young people.
Making our offer visible: We will in our internal and external
communication strategy give attention to how we can make
each activity strand more visible and inter-connected, utilising
for example word of mouth, social media, notice boards
and newsletters, and harnessing our key members and
stakeholders as Trinity ambassadors.
“The Trinity Centre is a case in point of how old historic buildings
can be given a new lease of life and once again become a key part
of the community.” Andrew Vines, Planning and Conservation Director, English Heritage South West
11
TRINITY COMMUNITY ARTS – PROGRAMME STRATEGY
Next steps
The development of this Programme Strategy is the
start of a long-term process to increase our capability
to deliver events to the highest standard and achieve
artistic excellence for arts activities delivered by diverse
communities.
Through implementation of this strategy, we will refine
our offer and establish a more proactive programming
approach, alongside sustaining our flexible approach to
new ideas and partnerships.
We will capitalise on our unique location and heritage,
so that we can continue to provide a much-needed
creative hub for inner-city communities, develop activities
that target new audiences and ensure more people can
experience and be inspired by the arts. Emma Harvey,
Centre Manager
Trinity’s evolution from a community centre and
independent music venue to a multi-use arts centre
underpins our unique position and approach within
Bristol’s arts ecology that can inform wider sector
development. The Ignite project will provide an
embodiment for this programme strategy. We will provide
a flagship model of inclusivity for the sector, employing
the ‘town square’ method; working with our communities
to curate and animate the space; working with artists
and organisations to ensure quality - rather than the
traditional ‘monastery’ approach; directing a programme
from a singular perspective (Vasif Kortun).
Supported residencies and strengthened partnerships will
help to raise and maintain the quality of works created
in the city, in particular, raising the quality of output and
delivery of works created by minority groups. Investment
in capacity, technical capabilities and artist development
will help raise quality of diverse arts, improving overall
art-form impact. Hosted sharings, peer feedback and
learning from different perspectives will support this
development. Rhiannon Jones, Programme Manager
Images courtesy of: Asian Arts Agency / Jessica Bartolini /
Khali Ackford Photography / Lee Ramsey Photography / Phase 8
Photography / What The F4 Photography / BIG FISH LITTLE FISH /
BBC 6 MUSIC / EBC / PITCHLAKE PRODUCTIONS
“Trinity is a Centre for the People – we want to make
sure that everyone has the opportunity to shape arts
and culture in Bristol.” Emma Harvey, Centre Manager, Trinity Community Arts