Cowley Road Carnival in Oxford cancelled for fourth year due to lack …
Oxford City Council has announced that the Cowley Road Carnival has been cancelled this year. The event, which normally sees around 50,000 attend was set to take place on Sunday, July 9.
This comes as the carnival was expected to return this year after being cancelled due to several Covid-19 lockdowns[1] over three years. The carnival was set to return with the theme of Our Nature Our Future’.
The council[2] has revealed that the event has been cancelled due to lack of funding. The council also offered organisers the option of holding the event at one of the local parks, to avoid the cost around a road closure.
Councillor Ajaz Rehman, Cabinet Member for Inclusive Communities, said: "We’re very sad to hear that Cowley Road Carnival won’t be taking place this year. We have provided a three year grant to the organisers Cowley Road Works, which continues till 2025, and we’ve been working with them since early this year to try to support their funding needs
"It’s a tough time for all voluntary organisations to raise money, and we understand the funding rejection from the Arts Council had a significant impact on plans. We know how disappointed people will be by this news, the carnival has been a hugely popular event for Oxford[4]’s different communities for many years.
"We are ready to support Cowley Road Works if they decide to use the current momentum to plan towards a carnival next year. We have offered a number of different opportunities to support the organisers this year.
"We encouraged Cowley Road Works to apply for our small and medium grants this year, which had the potential to provide £15,000 extra funding. We also offered the option to stage the event[5] at one of our parks, to avoid the cost around a road closure.
"Although these offers were not taken up this year we remain ready to support a return of the carnival next year if that is what the organisers wish to do.”
References
- ^ Covid-19 lockdowns (www.oxfordshirelive.co.uk)
- ^ council (www.oxfordshirelive.co.uk)
- ^ The £6.25m Kingham home with stunning views and natural swimming pool (www.oxfordshirelive.co.uk)
- ^ Oxford (www.oxfordshirelive.co.uk)
- ^ event (www.oxfordshirelive.co.uk)