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NewsA smashing start to bring something new! - [13-10-2006]
Work is beginning in Luton on the construction of the UK’s first centre dedicated to the Carnival Arts. This innovative £6.75 million development is being funded by Arts Council England, the European Regional Development Fund and the East of England Development Agency, with the site in St Mary’s Road being provided by Luton Borough Council. The Centre is the product of creative planning and collaboration with key stakeholders by Luton Carnival Arts Development Trust, whose aim is to raise the status of carnival arts in the country to the level enjoyed by other art forms. Designed by Ash Sakula Architects, the new Centre will feature two single storey buildings either side of a central courtyard. Neville Construction will begin work to clear the site on Monday 9 October to be followed by Laing O’Rourke who will focus on the diversion of services around the site. The main contract works are expected to begin in early 2007 to be completed by the end of the year, so that the Centre can open to the public in spring 2008. The Centre will offer training and skills development opportunities for people at all levels of experience, state of the art production facilities to make spectacular carnival costumes, performances of music and dance and support for carnival arts businesses and organisations. It will develop a National Carnival Archive and attract international artists to live and work in the region to share their skills with a new generation of artists. Paul Anderson, Executive Director of the Trust, said ‘it is fantastic to see our ambitions finally being realised with the beginning of work on site. It has been a long hard road to assemble the funding package and now with the support of our partners it is really exciting to know that it is finally going to happen.’ Tony Isles, Chair of the Board of Directors, said ‘the Centre will enable carnival arts to flourish in the UK. Luton hosts the biggest one day carnival in the country with over 100,000 visitors and it’s appropriate that the Centre is being built here.’
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