| What is the Cowley Road Carnival? | Why did it come about? | How does it come together? | What is its future? |
What is Cowley Road Carnival? The Cowley Road Carnival 2003 promises to be a colourful extravaganza with music, dance, a procession and arts workshops. CARNIVAL DETAILS | Date: Sunday June 15
Time: 13:00 - 19:00
Place: Manzil Way, Oxford |  View last year's
carnival gallery |
In previous years, it has been a vibrant and exciting event where people of all ages have come together to celebrate and promote Oxfordshire's diversity. In fact, the carnival has become so embedded in the Oxfordshire community since it started three years ago that it's considered an event "that local people can feel proud of, that they can own" according to its organisers.  | | Cowley Road Carnival became a celebration of colour and artwork in years past. |
As Cowley Road Carnival co-ordinator Henrietta Gill said: "The Cowley Road Carnival helps the people of Oxford to mix up a bit, to give the local communities the opportunity to promote their area. "It's easy for people to be in their own little groups. So, the carnival helps people get to know each other and be positive about East Oxford." This year's Cowley Road Carnival theme is the rainbow, a symbol of how the East Oxford community comes together to celebrate. So what's it all about and how did it come about? The carnival is an ambitious project that is staged annually by a professional production company. Henrietta Gill said: "The carnival is slightly anarchic, where energy and fun are slightly uncontrollable."  | | Follow the rainbox of Cowley Road Carnival. |
It has grown so strongly over the past two years that it has been taken into schools across Oxfordshire to help children learn how carnivals are celebrated across the world. Local schools participating in the carnival are creating costumes and learning dance steps for a performance. And two after-school groups are receiving some expert advice from local artists and musicians. Read here to find out more about local groups participating in the carnival. How does it all come together?  We've got a commitment to keep the carnival alive until 2008. | | Henrietta Gill, Cowley Road Carnival organiser |
The carnival comes together with the heroic efforts of hundreds of local people and the support of local businesses. The carnival is run by a steering goup of local people who give a greal of their time and energy to make the day happen. How is it funded? Oxford, Swindon and Gloucester Co-op and Oxford City Council have stepped in and helped secure the long-term future for the Cowley Road Carnival. The Co-op is offering £30,000 over two years and Oxford City Council £10,000 this year to keep the Cowley Road Carnival alive. The future of Cowley Road Carnival: Planning has already started for 2004 as the Carnival project grows into a year-round programme of events and school activities and becomes independent of long-term funders. 2004 will see the introduction of storytelling into the build-up to Carnival. Chris Smith of Storystmith storytellers will lend their expertise as will B-boying, local skate boarders and Bhangara. Also, watch out for a winter warmer benefit night to generate the cash to keep the Cowley Road Carnival rainbow alive. | 
