Our Mission
Trestle is a mask and physical theatre company with a 40-year history. Our mission is to inspire creativity for all through participation and dialogue. We do this by approaching opportunities with an open mind and playful attitude using masks and mask technique to unlock creativity.
We open up opportunities for everyone to engage with the arts, unleash their creativity, and increase confidence and general wellbeing through participation. Working with our masks presents participants especially those who may otherwise struggle to communicate their stories, feelings and thoughts, with a liberating canvas to be creative, and join with others to build confidence and self-expression.
Our Aims
Create and deliver high quality mask and physical theatre performances and training locally, nationally and internationally.
Support creative growth and improved mental health and well-being through our participatory work with young people and adults.
Send high quality, handcrafted Trestle mask sets and accessible resources across the world
Run Trestle Arts Base as a welcoming venue for professional artists and creative space for local communities
Deliver professional development for teachers and arts practitioners, including MA, PGCE and CPD training.
Partner with professional artists and companies in the development and sharing of their work
Arts Award Provision
Trestle is also an Artsmark Partner delivering all of our workshops and participatory projects in line with the quality principles.
Our Patrons
Patrons: Jim Broadbent and Nina Conti
A note from Jim Broadbent:
‘I have supported Trestle as a Patron for over twenty years and have been delighted by the inventive use of mask, puppetry and storytelling through the Trestle’s Masked years and into the Unmasked productions. The last show, The Birthday of the Infanta was a celebration of performance, storytelling and physical theatre; evidence of the Company’s continuing and considerable prowess as a creative force in UK theatre.
Trestle led the way as the first UK touring company to build its own home and the beautiful Trestle Arts Base in St Albans has inspired artists from across the globe to make new work. The Company has moved with the times and adapted to circumstance while sustaining a strong commitment to artistic quality, community development and young people.
However, Trestle’s unique creativity and ways of linking touring work with participation programmes and a community building are threatened by cuts in government funding. For thirty years Trestle has given the arts community, young people and audiences across the UK inspiration and learning and now is the moment for you to give back to Trestle.
Please support Trestle by patronising their new projects and donate whatever you can to help Trestle stay creatively vibrant and effective. Anything our supporters can give will make a difference to Trestle’s future.’