Meet the woman leading one of Bristol’s most diverse and celebrated venues

Like so many people, Emma Harvey first came to Bristol for a night out and never left.

“We’re a really eclectic, creative city where there’s stuff happening all the time and it’s really vibrant and diverse – and that’s really addictive,” says the CEO of Trinity Community Arts Centre about the city she now calls home.

Trinity, a stunning Grade II-listed building in Old Market boasts one of Bristol’s most diverse and eclectic offerings and Emma has been involved since 2007, eventually going on to run the venue.

“I just love it – every day’s different,” says Emma about her role. “One of my proudest moments was coming to Booty Bass in our socially distanced outdoor event space and just seeing people having the most amazing time.”

When Bristol24/7 visits on Monday afternoon, a small community dance event is taking place downstairs while the upcoming musical lineup includes Grammy-nominated and international artists, as well as emerging local talent. The Making Tracks programme, created to help young people develop their skills in music, has seen the likes of rapper Lowkey and Idles come to do a Q+A session.

Peachin’, a female collective offering a change of scenery in the music and dance culture are playing at Trinity on Saturday. Both Peachin and all-women DJ collective Booty Bass are examples of how women and non-binary people in Bristol are changing the face of music and leading the way in making the city’s night life and cultural scene more inclusive and diverse than ever.

It is these pioneers who will be celebrated at the upcoming Bristol24/7 Presents event at Lost Horizon on Thursday, March 31, hosted in partnership with Bristol Nights.

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This event is a hybrid event

Register now to secure a free ticket to the event at Lost Horizon: www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/bristol247-presents-celebrating-women-in-the-nighttime-economy-tickets-274830815367

or

Register to attend the live stream online via: www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/bristol247-presents-celebrating-women-in-the-nighttime-economy-virtual-tickets-294452042987

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Emma is one of the panellists, alongside Carly Heath, Bristol’s nighttime economy advisor, Laura Lewis-Paul, founder of Saffron Records and co-founder of Beyond the Mix, and Ola Poroslo, the founder and director of Phat Bristol and Crotch.

The event will champion women who make the city’s night life so great but also discuss how best to tackle some of the challenges faced.

One of the key issues is ensuring women’s safety at night and making a space that is accessible and inclusive for all.

Emma says the proactive approach taken by Bristol Nights in setting a citywide standard is crucial.

Aysha Tailor-Whyte, Trinity’s events production coordinator, is running training sessions being offered to 1,000 staff working in the nighttime economy.

Reporting is really important in making people safer,” says Aysha.

“What’s good about making it citywide is it not only changes people’s perceptions but it also means if people see something they are more likely to call it out because there’s a citywide understanding that that’s not OK.”

Register now to secure a free ticket to the event at Lost Horizon: www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/bristol247-presents-celebrating-women-in-the-nighttime-economy-tickets-274830815367

or

Register to attend the live stream online via: www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/bristol247-presents-celebrating-women-in-the-nighttime-economy-virtual-tickets-294452042987

Main photo: Trinity Community Arts

Read more: Elevating the voices of women in Bristol’s night life scene 

Listen to the latest Bristol24/7 Behind the Headlines podcast interview with Emma Harvey: