[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]We are delighted that Arts Council England has supported our work to drive forward inclusion in the Arts.

We have partnered with the ARK T Centre in Cowley to help train and increase the skills and opportunities for young disabled people to work within the Arts.

There is an urgent need to improve the opportunities for disabled people to get involved and progress in the Arts and we are absolutely determined to do this. We have already achieved a lot through our ROCKET carnival arts training scheme which provided training for a group of young aspiring artists and helped develop their ability and skills as carnival practitioners.

• Supported costume and movement workshops for two SEN school groups – Mabel Prichard school and Virtual School for Looked after Children leading to their participation in the Cosmic Cowley Road Carnival procession on 7 July.
• Helped thirty young female Global majority musicians with the Young Women’s Music Project ‘Team Drum’ (an Oxford-based all-female drum troupe) to work with local designers and make costumes, write and learn five new processional songs for performances at Carnival and other regional festivals.
• Commissioned an inclusive dance performance from two local dance companies, Body Politic and Parasol Dance who  performed in the Disco area with the Arcadia bug sound system on Carnival Day.

Cowley Road Carnival is accessible

CRW worked with consultants Attitude is Everything to ensure that the event is as accessible as possible for disabled and Deaf audiences and performers. Staff and volunteers are trained, signage and marketing improved and access to stages and activities on the day.

This work is ongoing and builds on the foundations of  ACE funded projects in 2019 and 2018 designed to drive and amplify the representation and participation of disabled people in the arts in Oxfordshire