Celebrating heritage through song

Lullabies performance. Photo Khali Ackford

Lullabies, created by multi-disciplinary artist Roxana Vilk, reached out and connected with communities across Bristol, recording and collecting songs from the many people who call Bristol home.

“Sharing lullabies is deep and private because you end up talking about your past, your motherhood, your mothering and your mother." Participant Lullabies

Initially developed during an IGNITE residency the project was selected to be part of the national project Here and Now to celebrate the National Lottery 25th Anniversary. Initially, Roxana worked with partners deliver song and music workshops in local community centres. However, due to the impact of the pandemic Roxana moved these workshops online meaning her project began to connect with people across the world.

Roxana used the sounds and stories of the people taking part in the project to influence the project. This saw a one person who initially took part in a workshop became a collaborator, helping in the delivery of the music-based workshops.

To celebrate Lullabies, Roxana staged a two day Trinity take over. She collaborated with tech-creatives Squidsoup to create an immersive, interactive performance inspired by the Lullabies journey with movement from dancers Delicia and Marianna, Real World Studios, Arron Hussain.

Bristol-based illustrator, Jasmine Thompson created portraits of some the families who took part in Lullabies exhibited and outside in the garden DJ’s staged a Baby Rave for the youngest members of our communities (plus their grownups).

Roxana is further developing her creative practice working with Bristol and Bath Creative R+D to further explore the Lullabies Project and is developing an ‘Adaptative Podcast’ with brand new technology featuring the co-creators Lullabies.

Projects like Lullabies are at the heart of Trinity’s commitment to artistic development.  We offer paid commissions to artists to develop work in collaboration with communities as well as artist residencies, free/subsided hire for R&D and producer and marketing support.