St Pauls Carnvial Receives NPO Investment From Arts Council England
LaToyah McAllister-Jones, Executive Director of St Pauls Carnival, reflects on the 3 year investment.
The morning of Friday 4th November was a nerve-wracking day for arts organisations as we all waited for the outcomes of applications to Arts Council England’s Let’s Create investment fund. It had been a long wait, including 2 delays to receive the outcome.
I am very proud that St Pauls Carnival has been successful in its application to the Let’s Create Investment fund. The team and board have worked hard to deliver content and activity through the Pandemic Years, like many other organisations in the city; it has not been easy. However, it has been a very creative time for our organisation: we’ve learnt how to deliver things in different ways, developed our education and community engagement work which has enabled us to extend our reach and impact into communities.
I am immensely proud of working in the cultural sector; we offer so much to the localities and communities we are part of. Not only do we bring strong positive economic impact (St Pauls Carnival was estimated in 2018 to bring in £5.1 into the city over Carnival weekend), the sector also provides employment, experiences and skills for a diverse range of people. The sector is a critical part of the communities we live in.
Arts Council England investment is much appreciated and means that over the next 3 years, we have a significant contribution to the fundraising needed to deliver the Carnival arts programme you all know and love. It means that our work and contribution to the community is valued. It also means that for the next 3 years, Arts Council England will support some of the work we deliver through our arts programme.
However, we remain a fundraising organisation which doesn’t end with the National Portfolio Investment. There’s more to do and more to raise. If you or your organisation want to support fundraising for 2023 Carnival, you can get in touch on admin@stpaulscarnival.org.uk. As someone once said, every little helps!
*St Pauls Carnival event costs an estimated £450,000 per year (figures taken from Bank of England inflation calculator on event costs reviewed in 2020).
Arts Council England investment is £219,000 per year for the next 3 years.