Notting Hill Carnival Strategic Review - Intelligent Space

(a) a Carnival management and leadership development programme is established, the
completion of which should be mandatory for all serving and prospective board members;
(b) individual board membership of LNHCL should be limited to a maximum term of four years;
(c) membership of the LNHCL board should be broadened to include residents, young people,
carnival-related businesses and education and heritage practitioners; and
(d) independent legal, finance, management, public safety, business and marketing experience
and skills must always be present on the board.
19. A clear distinction must be drawn between the long-term development of London’s carnival
industry on the one hand and the event planning, management and delivery of the Notting Hill
Carnival on the other, since they are two separate but nevertheless complementary and important
roles. The first involves the overall strategic development and direction of the carnival industry
within the context of London’s creative industry sector. The second involves the event
management, administration, logistical arrangements, operational planning and public safety
aspects of the Notting Hill Carnival as a major event. In our view, the former role can only be
satisfied through the creation of a London Carnival Development Strategic Forum whose
membership would comprise of representatives from the LDA, Arts Council, Recycle for London
(RfL), GOL, DCMS and Visit London, together with representatives from the carnival arts,
businesses, education and heritage sectors and creative industry professionals. The latter role will
require a greater level of investment in LNHCL in order to enable it to either outsource the event
management function entirely or employ a professional full-time events team.
The Social, Cultural & Community Value of Carnival
20. There is no doubt that the social and educational value of the Notting Hill Carnival, through its
promotion of the carnival art forms has been significant. The work of carnival arts-related
organisations and groups illustrates the positive contributions that they have been making in the
areas of educational enrichment and achievement. This work continues to be overlooked and we
therefore believe that a more detailed study should be conducted into the educational potential
and benefits of the Carnival arts, together with the possible linkages that could be made to
existing curricular and lifelong learning programmes. Such a study could be funded by the
Department for Education and Skills and would include:
(a) a mapping of past and present carnival arts and education initiatives;
(b) researching areas of good practice in the development of carnival and carnival arts in schools;
and
(c) an evidence-based approach to the contribution of the carnival arts and carnival education to
the development of communication and life skills.
21. The development of Carnival Sunday into a true Children’s Day event would be greatly assisted by
the establishment of greater links between educational institutions and carnival arts
organisations. Sufficient funding, through the Arts Council or the Department for Education and
Skills (DFES), should be made available to the Carnival organisers in order to:
(a) create a new post of Carnival Arts Education Officer with the specific responsibility of liasing
with schools, facilitating school-community partnerships and developing Carnival education
resources;
26