News / Education
Carnival Education Programme receives funding to continue
St Pauls Carnival CIC has announced it has received funding to continue its work in schools through its Carnival Education Programme.
Paul Hamlyn Foundation, a grant-making organisation supporting social change in communities, awarded the CIC £180,000 over the next three years.
Founded in 1968 as St Pauls Festival, the event began as a way of sharing Caribbean culture with friends and neighbours.
is needed now More than ever
Since then, Carnival has grown into a cultural asset and community celebration, running an internationally recognised Carnival Day alongside events and activities throughout the year.
At full scale, it welcomes over 120,000 people, contributing over £9 million to Bristol’s economy – not only supporting local businesses in St Pauls, but also across the wider city.
The education programme will see Carnival artists and practitioners deliver workshops and assemblies in local schools for students and teachers alike, covering costume making, drumming, dance, St Pauls Carnival history, anti-racism training and more.
View this post on Instagram
In 2022 and 2023, the programme worked with over 20 schools in the local area, engaging over 7000 students with Carnival arts and culture.
Alongside this, the organisation supported more than 400 teachers with training covering topics such as anti-racism and cultural awareness.
These topics are introduced as three categories:
- Condensed Carnival – programme of dance, drumming, costumes and assemblies
- Unspoken Conversation – workshops focussing on positive activism, cultural awareness and black history
- Exposure – programme focussing on people’s journeys and inspiring the next generation of Bristolians
LaToyah McAllister-Jones, executive director of St Pauls Carnival said: “We are delighted to have received this funding from Paul Hamlyn Foundation.
“The work we do in schools is vital to Carnival’s mission, engaging and educating the next generation on African Caribbean culture and preserving the legacy of St Pauls Carnival.”
St Pauls Carnival’s Education Programme re-launched last week. All funded spaces have now been filled.
However, due to the level of demand St Pauls Carnival (Bristol) CIC has decided to offer workshops for a fee to universities, colleges, schools and businesses to help fund Carnival and further Carnival programmes as part of their reviewed funding model.
Main photo: St Paul’s Carnival
Read next:
Our newsletters emailed directly to you
