UK Centre for Carnival Arts

UK Centre for Carnival Arts UK Centre for Carnival Arts (UKCCA) is a dedicated organisation and centre promoting excellence within carnival arts.

We support and champion the work of Carnival Groups across the UK and facilitate carnival education in Luton and the surrounding areas. We host the annual Luton International Carnival promoting cohesion and inclusion in the community. The UKCCA mission is to:

Champion high quality art that is ambitious, challenging and innovative

Connect, inspire and strengthen the Carnival Arts sector across the UK

Unite, support, develop and sustain the cultural and artistic sector within Luton

🎉 LUTON CREATIVES – LISTEN UP! 🎨✨The Luton Create Fund is launching THIS MONTH and it’s an amazing chance to bring your ...
09/06/2025

🎉 LUTON CREATIVES – LISTEN UP! 🎨✨
The Luton Create Fund is launching THIS MONTH and it’s an amazing chance to bring your creative ideas to life 💡

Whether you're into 🎭 theatre, 🎶 music, 🎬 film, 🖼 visual arts, 🎤 comedy or anything in between – you can apply!

📢 Open to all creatives in Luton – especially those looking to grow and reach new audiences.

📲 Head over to Luton Arts programme for more info and how to get involved.

Let’s make something incredible, Luton 💥

🎭✨ What a Carnival! ✨🎭Luton International Carnival has wrapped up and what an incredible celebration it was! The streets...
09/06/2025

🎭✨ What a Carnival! ✨🎭

Luton International Carnival has wrapped up and what an incredible celebration it was! The streets came alive with music, dance, and pure joy - everything that makes Carnival Arts so special! 🎉

But the rhythm doesn't stop here! 🥁

Keep the Carnival Spirit Alive - Continue to Ping-ah-Pound!

Your support helps us keep this amazing artform thriving year-round: 🎨 Developing new carnival artists 📚 Delivering education programs 🏘️ Building stronger communities 🎭 Preserving our cultural heritage

Every pound you ping helps keep Carnival Arts beating strong!

Donate at: https://www.carnivalarts.org.uk/donate

Or use the QR Code on the next slide

Music and Lyrics by Wade Austin | Producer - Wade Austin | Executive Producer - Luton Carnival Arts Development Trust | Original Concept by Chauntier Irish-Downes | © 2025 Wade Austin

🎭✨ A HUGE thank you to the incredible Colin Salmon for once again being our Carnival Champion at the 49th Annual Luton I...
09/06/2025

🎭✨ A HUGE thank you to the incredible Colin Salmon for once again being our Carnival Champion at the 49th Annual Luton International Carnival! 🎉

What an absolute honor to have such a distinguished actor and screen star lead our celebrations on Sunday, May 25th. Colin brought such warmth, energy, and star power to our community event! 🌟

The 49th Annual Luton International Carnival was made even more special with Colin's presence, and we're so grateful for his support of our vibrant, diverse community celebration.

Thank you, Colin, for helping make this milestone carnival unforgettable! 🙏❤️

🎭✨ A MASSIVE thank you to the brilliant Luton Council Costume Band for their incredible support at our 49th Annual Luton...
05/06/2025

🎭✨ A MASSIVE thank you to the brilliant Luton Council Costume Band for their incredible support at our 49th Annual Luton International Carnival on Sunday 25th May!

What an absolute joy it was to see our new Luton Council Mayor Amy Nicholls, Luton Council Interim Chief Executive Mark Fowler, and PCC John Tizard all dressed to impress in gorgeous costumes provided by Mahogany Carnival! 👑🎪

49 years of carnival magic and it just keeps getting better! The community spirit, the colours, the music, the smiles - this is what makes Luton special. Thank you to everyone who made this year's carnival an unforgettable celebration! 🌈🥳

🎉 WHAT A DAY! 🎉The Luton International Carnival has wrapped up and WOW - what an incredible celebration! The streets wer...
04/06/2025

🎉 WHAT A DAY! 🎉

The Luton International Carnival has wrapped up and WOW - what an incredible celebration! The streets were alive with music, the costumes were SPECTACULAR, and the community spirit was absolutely electric! ⚡

None of this magic would have been possible without our AMAZING support network. Time for some well-deserved appreciation! 👏

🌟 HEADLINE SPONSOR: 🚀 LUTON RISING - Our champions who truly live up to their name! Your commitment to creating a Luton where everyone can succeed shines through everything you do!

🎯 SPONSORS: 💙 TESCO, TUI, AMAZON, PPL PRS & POPUPFINDER.CO.UK - Thank you for keeping the carnival energy flowing and supporting our community celebration!

🤝 PARTNERS: 🎭 MAHOGANY ARTS - For bringing that authentic carnival artistry 🎓 UNIVERSITY OF BEDFORDSHIRE - 20,000 students from 115 countries representing our diverse community 🎪 THE CULTURE TRUST LUTON - Championing arts and culture in our town 🥁 STEEL PAN IN MOTION - The heartbeat rhythms that had everyone dancing 🚗 HATTERS - Local business support that drives us forward 🌱 PENROSE ROOTS - Community growth and healing through nature 🎵 LUTON ASSOCIATION OF MAS - Keeping the mas tradition alive and vibrant 🛡️ STEEL IN MOTION - For your continued partnership and support 🏗️ BUTTERFIELDS BUILDING & TIMBER SUPPLIES - Building our community dreams 🥤 GEN JUICE - Keeping everyone refreshed and energized 🏛️ LUTON BOROUGH COUNCIL - Our local government champions 👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 LUTON FAMILY HUBS - Supporting families across our community 🏢 LUTON POINT - Our town center partners 🏢 LUTON BID - Our business improvement district for Luton Town Centre.

💰 FUNDERS: 🎨 ARTS COUNCIL ENGLAND - Believing everyone deserves creative expression 💪 THE STEEL CHARITABLE TRUST - Deep Luton roots supporting our community 🤝 BEDFORDSHIRE & LUTON COMMUNITY FOUNDATION (BLCF) - Fighting inequality, fostering inclusion 🎵 YOUTH MUSIC - Empowering young voices through music

🎪 SOCIAL VALUE PARTNER: ⚡ BT EVENTS - Keeping everything running smoothly behind the scenes!

To EVERYONE who danced, played, performed, volunteered, and celebrated with us - THANK YOU for making this the most memorable Luton International Carnival yet!

The rhythm lives on! 💃🥁✨

Luton Rising TUI Tesco Amazon.co.uk Juice Generation Popupfinder Luton Council University of Bedfordshire Arts & Creative Industries Luton Point Steel Pan In Motion Penrose Roots to Recovery Mahogany Carnival Arts Luton BID

🎭✨ Still craving that carnival magic from last Sunday? Head down to the Hat Factory Windows in Luton to feast your eyes ...
02/06/2025

🎭✨ Still craving that carnival magic from last Sunday?

Head down to the Hat Factory Windows in Luton to feast your eyes on stunning carnival costumes that'll transport you right back to the vibrant energy of Luton International Carnival. These beautiful pieces showcase the incredible artistry and craftsmanship that makes our carnival so special.

Huge thanks to for generously donating these spectacular costumes for everyone to enjoy! 🙌

Whether you were there dancing in the streets or watching from the sidelines, these displays are the perfect way to keep that carnival spirit alive a little longer.

♻️🎉 BRILLIANT SUSTAINABILITY AT THE 49th LUTON CARNIVAL! 🎉♻️Cardboard costumes, Tesco trolley floats, and a brilliant ca...
02/06/2025

♻️🎉 BRILLIANT SUSTAINABILITY AT THE 49th LUTON CARNIVAL! 🎉♻️

Cardboard costumes, Tesco trolley floats, and a brilliant cardboard DeLorean!

What a fantastic example of creativity meets sustainability we witnessed at this year's carnival! Our community truly showed that you don't need expensive materials to create absolute magic - just imagination, enthusiasm, and a brilliant commitment to reusing and recycling!

🌟 Our sustainability stars included:

📦 Amazing cardboard costumes - especially from our brilliant children who turned everyday cardboard into works of art! The creativity was absolutely mind-blowing!

🛒 Ingenious mini-floats - made from recycled materials and placed on trusty Tesco trolleys! Who knew grocery shopping could inspire carnival engineering?

🎵 Body Speakers from We Are Stems - allowing our paraders to wear their music and dance through the streets in style!

🚗 The pièce de résistance - a spectacular cardboard DeLorean that perfectly captured our 'Back to the Future' theme! Even more brilliant was seeing it placed on a wheelchair to ensure all children could join in the fun - now that's what we call inclusive creativity!

This year proved that sustainability and spectacular carnival celebrations go hand in hand perfectly! Our community's commitment to reducing waste whilst creating unforgettable memories shows exactly what makes Luton special.

A huge well done to everyone who embraced the reuse and recycle spirit - you've shown that the future of carnival is not only colourful and joyful, but also wonderfully green! 🌱

🎉🌟 CELEBRATING OUR AMAZING SCHOOLS! 🌟🎉Thank you to all the brilliant schools who made the 49th Luton International Carni...
30/05/2025

🎉🌟 CELEBRATING OUR AMAZING SCHOOLS! 🌟🎉

Thank you to all the brilliant schools who made the 49th Luton International Carnival unforgettable!

What an absolutely spectacular celebration we had on Sunday 25th May! The 49th Luton International Carnival was bursting with colour, creativity, and community spirit, and it simply wouldn't have been the same without our incredible local schools.

A massive thank you to all the schools who participated:

🏫Pioneer Learning Trust - supported by Luton Town Football Academy which includes:
- Chantry Primary School
- Whitefield Primary School
- Southfield Primary School

🏫 Ferrars Academy
🏫 Ickneild Junior School - support by The History Knights
🏫 Woodlands Primary School
🏫 Hillborough Junior School - support by local Police

The dedication of teachers, staff, parents, and most importantly, the children themselves, truly shone through in every costume, every dance move, and every beaming smile. It was truly something to see!

From the planning stages through to the parade itself, these schools brought such energy, enthusiasm, and artistic flair. You've helped create memories that will last a lifetime for everyone involved.

Thank you for keeping the carnival tradition alive and for showing what makes Luton such a special place to live. Here's to many more years of celebration together!

🙏✨ A MASSIVE THANK YOU! ✨🙏Thank you Amazon LTN4 for making Sunday magical!What an absolutely brilliant day we had at Lut...
29/05/2025

🙏✨ A MASSIVE THANK YOU! ✨🙏

Thank you Amazon LTN4 for making Sunday magical!

What an absolutely brilliant day we had at Luton International Carnival on Sunday 25th May! The sun was shining, the costumes were spectacular, and the community spirit was incredible.

We want to give another HUGE thank you to the wonderful team at Amazon LTN4 Distribution Centre for their amazing generosity in providing free books for children throughout the day. Seeing the smiles on the children's faces as they chose their books was truly heartwarming!

📚 Your commitment to supporting literacy and our local community made such a difference to so many families. The combination of vibrant carnival celebrations and the gift of reading created memories that will last a lifetime for these young people. Thank you for believing in the power of books and for investing in our community's future.

We're so grateful to have such a community-minded partner in Amazon LTN4

Can’t wait till next year! 🎉

🎉 A huge THANK YOU from our Carnival Champion, Colin Salmon! What an unforgettable day at Luton International Carnival —...
28/05/2025

🎉 A huge THANK YOU from our Carnival Champion, Colin Salmon!

What an unforgettable day at Luton International Carnival — your energy, colour and joy made it truly spectacular! 🌈💃🏽🥁

Colin didn’t just join the celebration — he played live with his UFO Steel Pan band, bringing those sweet carnival sounds to life! 🎶✨

🗓 Mark your calendars – Sunday 24th May 2026 next year we celebrate our 50th Anniversary, and it's going to be even bigger and better. You won’t want to miss it! 🎊🎈

We're absolutely BLOWN AWAY by how our carnival community embraced our green initiatives at this year's "Back to the Fut...
28/05/2025

We're absolutely BLOWN AWAY by how our carnival community embraced our green initiatives at this year's "Back to the Future" celebration! 💚

🔄 AMAZING eco-achievements: ♻️ Stunning costumes created from recycled materials & repurposed from previous years 🚲 Luton Council's E-Cargo bikes providing zero-emission carnival logistics
🎭 Decorated Tesco trolleys transformed into eco-friendly mini floats ⚡ Electric-powered sound systems from throughout the event 🌿 Sustainable practices that prove going green doesn't mean sacrificing FUN!

Huge thanks to the (supported by our friends at Bedfordshire and Luton Community Foundation) for helping us go further in our green initiative!

Special shout-out to our Green Board Champion Louise Allen for leading the charge in transforming our carnival into a blueprint for eco-friendly celebrations! 🌟

From costume bands using innovative recycled materials to our community groups embracing sustainable practices - YOU are helping us create a model for how festivals can thrive while protecting our planet! 🌍

We're proud to support Luton's goal to be carbon neutral by 2040. Together, we're not just creating memories - we're creating a sustainable future!

🎉✨ HUGE THANKS TO OUR HEADLINE SPONSOR LUTON RISING! ✨🎉What an absolutely INCREDIBLE 49th Luton International Carnival w...
28/05/2025

🎉✨ HUGE THANKS TO OUR HEADLINE SPONSOR LUTON RISING! ✨🎉

What an absolutely INCREDIBLE 49th Luton International Carnival we had on Sunday 25th May! 🌟

Under glorious sunshine, we celebrated our "Back to the Future" theme with: 🎭 700 amazing participants from across the UK 🌍 Spectacular multicultural performances ♻️ Groundbreaking eco-friendly initiatives ♿ Full accessibility for everyone 🎵 Non-stop music, dance and community spirit!

None of this magic would have been possible without the fantastic support from Luton Rising Your partnership helps us bring this beloved celebration to life year after year, showcasing the incredible diversity and unity that makes Luton so special. 💛

From the dazzling costumes made from recycled materials to the E-cargo bikes keeping us green, from our amazing community groups to visitors from across the UK - YOU helped make it all happen!

Roll on 2026 for our GOLDEN 50th anniversary celebration! 🥇

Address

3 St Mary's Road
Luton
LU13JA

Opening Hours

Monday 9am - 5pm
Tuesday 9am - 5pm
Wednesday 9am - 5pm
Thursday 9am - 5pm
Friday 9am - 5pm
Saturday 9am - 5pm
Sunday 9am - 5pm

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