Bristol Black People's Assembly
Building Black unity, power and community in Bristol.
The Bristol Black People's Assembly is a grassroots, Black-led democratic space that brings together Black people from across Bristol to listen, organise, imagine and build our collective future.
In 2025, SKARUB was awarded funding from the Disrupt Foundation to begin developing Bristol's first Black People's Assembly. Since then, a growing organising team has spent months researching historic Black organising traditions, consulting with communities across the city and collectively designing an assembly rooted in participation, accessibility and shared ownership.
What began as a small group of volunteers has now grown into a consensus-led organising collective of twelve people, working together to build an assembly that belongs to the community—not any single organisation.
The Assembly exists because many Black organisers, artists, entrepreneurs and community leaders are doing vital work in isolation. While Bristol has a rich history of Black activism and culture, there are few spaces where we can come together across generations, backgrounds and disciplines to identify shared priorities and organise around them collectively.
Assembly traditions have long been central to Black life. From African councils and community gatherings to liberation movements, workers' organisations and anti-colonial struggles across the diaspora, collective assemblies have enabled communities to make decisions together, build solidarity and create lasting change. As many community spaces have disappeared over recent decades, we believe it is time to rebuild this tradition for Bristol.
Our ambition is simple: to create an ongoing democratic space where Black communities can identify challenges, celebrate culture, develop solutions and take collective action together. This first Assembly is only the beginning.
Bristol Black People's Assembly 2026
Sunday 4 October 2026
11:00am – 8:00pm
Malcolm X Community Centre, Bristol
11:00am – 8:00pm
Malcolm X Community Centre, Bristol
The inaugural Bristol Black People's Assembly will be a full day of community, culture and collective decision-making.
Across the day there will be:
Community discussions and facilitated assemblies
Speakers and shared learning
Music and cultural performances
Food and refreshments
Children's activities and dedicated childcare spaces
Opportunities to shape the future priorities of the Assembly
We're continuing to develop the programme alongside community partners, and further details will be announced in the coming weeks.
The event is free to attend, with free food provided throughout the day. Donations towards future assemblies are welcome but entirely optional.
This is a Black-led space where the experiences and voices of people who identify as Black are centred and prioritised. Everyone who attends is expected to contribute with respect, care and solidarity.
We are committed to creating a welcoming and accessible environment. Discrimination, harassment or abusive behaviour of any kind will not be tolerated.
Entry requirements: Open to all ages.\
