Global Grooves instrumental in national children’s Carnival initiative

Mossley-based Carnival arts organisation, Global Grooves, will be bringing the Carnival spirit to local children during a week-long celebration this summer.

The brainchild of the UK Centre for Carnival Arts based in Luton, National Children’s Carnival Week is an initiative which seeks to provide a celebration full of camaraderie, vibrancy and exuberance for every child and young person this July.

Delivered by Carnival arts organisations up and down the country, Global Grooves will be representing the North of England, with activity taking place at their home, The Vale, on Micklehurst Road in Mossley.

The activity comes at a particularly exciting time for The Vale, as it is currently undergoing significant development to become a purpose built, world class Carnival arts facility.

Participants will have a sneak peek at the brand new mixed arts studios, making facilities and purpose-built live performance venue.

National Children’s Carnival Week will provide online teaching resources and ‘make Carnival at home’ videos that can be shared and delivered in all kinds of settings, in and out of school, for everyone to get involved.

Mini Carnivals will be ‘popping up’ all over the place, in the safety of school playgrounds, on sports fields and in secure outdoor community spaces.

Over the last 13 months, Carnival parades, outdoor arts and events have been severely hit by the pandemic.

With cancellations being announced once again, the Carnival sector felt the need to act.

The events of all partners have been badly affected, which has impacted on the thousands of children and young people who take part each year, making costumes and choreography at school or at clubs and presenting them ‘live’ on the streets.

Holly Prest, Artistic Director of Global Grooves, said: "We loved the idea of finding a way to bring together children, teachers, and organisations to celebrate together during the Children’s Carnival Week, be it online or in person where groups can assemble.

"The isolation and separation felt during lockdown will take time to heal, and reconnecting through communal arts activities like Carnival will play a central role in the wellbeing and happiness of individuals all over the country and the world.

"We have joined the National Children’s Carnival Week programme to connect our emerging young arts leaders from our Future Leaders programme with other young people to inspire and excite them about Carnival, and to be involved in the arts long into their futures."

Clary Salandy, Artistic Director of UKCCA, added: "We recognise that teachers have been under enormous pressure to keep children learning during the pandemic, so we are offering a range of carnival activity that can link to the summer curriculum.

"Our dream is to have all children in the UK celebrate carnival together in their schools."

Schools and groups are being asked to record their projects and their own Carnival celebrations and share them onto the national page.

National Children’s Carnival Week (#kids4carnival) will promote opportunities to participate in all Carnival art forms, including steel band, drumming, dance, and calypso (lyric) composition.

There is even a National Children’s Carnival song, ‘This is our Carnival’, which is being shared and taught across participating schools and aspires to be the world’s greatest live sing-out, with half a million young voices taking part.

For more information about National Children’s Carnival Week and how schools can book activity for their students, contact Holly Prest at Global Grooves via 0161 870 6895 or email: hello@globalgrooves.org, or keep your eye on globalgrooves.org for further updates.

---

Do you have a story for us? Want to tell us about something going on in and around Oldham? Let us know by emailing news@oldham-chronicle.co.uk , calling our Oldham-based newsroom on 0161 633 2121 , tweeting us @oldhamchronicle or messaging us through our Facebook page. All contact will be treated in confidence.