Carnival Leaning Centre Officially Opened!

After years of waiting and many hiccups along the way, the Isle of Wight’s very own Carnival Learning Centre, the first of its kind in the UK, opened its doors to the public on Friday 25 April.

In a suitably loud, colourful and vibrant event, attended by representatives of the project’s key funders The Learning and Skills Council, Arts Council England and Isle of Wight Council, the opening marks the culmination of years of dedicated development work and fundraising by artists, carnival practitioners and the local authority’s Adult and Community Learning Service.

The Official Event was presided over by the Minister for Culture for the Bahamas, enjoying a visit to the Island with his wife to support the International Junkanoo project underway at the Centre – the first such residency ever to take place outside of the Caribbean and the U.S.

Also in attendance were representatives from Viareggio Carnival, Italy, Nice Carnival, France and a host of mainland UK carnivals and carnival organisations.

Entertainment was provided by Island carnival bands RAW Samba, Greenmount Samba Band and dancers, Fen Fire stilt walkers, A Pound for the Trolley street performance group, masqueraders from Earth Magic touring band and, of course, special guests from the Bahamas, JUNKANOO LIVE!

The Centre kick starts its summer term with a wide range of courses and workshops stating 5 May, and plans to develop more accredited courses and residential opportunities for visiting artists over the summer months.