Investment Partnership Launched
The event marked the founding of the Luton Carnival Investment Partnership.
The launch of the partnership is the successful conclusion to the process of finding the £6.2 million required to realise the project. The investment partnership includes The East of England Development Agency, Arts Council England East, GO-East (the Government office for the East of England), the Luton and Dunstable Partnership and Luton Borough Council.
With all funding now in place, the National Centre has received the final green light to turn a dream into reality. Luton Carnival Arts Development Trust. who will manage the centre were pleased to mark the committment of the funding partners
LCADT Director, Paul Anderson said: "We are delighted that our partners have confirmed their backing for this exciting initiative, and that we are now able to secure long term benefits for Luton and the region's carnival community".
The partners agreed to hold regular "Hearts & Minds" meetings which will recieve reports on the progress of the project and will monitor development to ensure that the Centre accords with the agreed plans. The launch ceremony featured the Luton Steel Pan Orchestra, graduates of the Digital Academy and Rampage Carnival Club along with some of the best known names in the carnival including the internationally acclaimed steel pan artist Ken 'Professor' Philmore (above).
A series of displays illustrating the proposed new Centre were exhibited alongside archive material on the history of the Luton International Carnival
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