Our portfolio

The COVID-19 lockdown had a devastating impact on the arts, and particularly for freelancers.

Let us introduce to you the Incredible Plastic Street Band – and how Global Grooves was instrumental (groan) in its inception.

In late 2020, we assisted Tameside Arts in the design, kit out and transformation of their community space into a unique accessible theatre, dance and music studio at the Create Centre in Denton.

Kendal Calling is always lots of fun for Global Grooves – even when it’s raining!

Imagine stumbling across a colourful world of Carnival when out shopping...

Take a look at our video documenting our Creating Carnival Singapore project in 2014...

Take a look at our video documenting our Creating Carnival Illuminated project in 2017...

The Devils are coming. This thrilling and chaotic street act will have you clutching your family close.

How do you know when the party’s started? When our Bloco and Brass have arrived, that’s when!

Try to keep up with the lightning-fast, cheeky Arctic Fox.

Volunteering with us on a mass batiking session? Making headdresses or lanterns at a community workshop? Dancing en masse at one of our performances?

Percussionists attending Global Grooves courses may come across Jordan Ferguson, an enthusiastic leader, teacher and band director who, like many of our friends and family, joined our ranks after discovering the Future Leaders programme.

If you’ve ever watched one of our performances and been stupefied by our dance, it’s a good chance it’s been performed or choreographed by Louise Gibbons.

Keiran Pearson is a London-based percussionist and music teacher who is also frequently gigging and writing music.

Have a booking with us? If so, you’ve probably spoken to our producer, Kate Rothery.

When our Artistic Director, Holly Prest, met a twelve-year-old Farheen Saloojee, both knew that this would be the start of an ongoing, musical relationship.

Freya Bennett-Nielsen is a valued member of the Global Grooves Office, working and organising the wonderful programmes held by Global Grooves.

Blue Dot is out of this world. We're always proud to be a part of it.

It's been almost a decade since CarFest North and South began supporting children's charities, and we've loved every minute of our involvement. (Just don't mention the Chris Evans incident)

What’s bigger and more impressive than a pterodactyl? A pteranodon, of course!

Our Indian movie star royalty are built to dance – and your guests will be joining them once they see these jaw-dropping puppets! Decked out in their finery, Padmini and Sivaji also glow after dark.

Drifting over the battleground to find their prey, hooded and winged Valkyries appear out of the smoke, joined by Val, the Nordic horse god.

Spice up your life with our beautiful Indian elephants!

Isn’t a baby T-Rex sweet? That is until he tries to eat you, of course!

Born out of fire and back from the ashes, Phil might sound ordinary, but this mythical firebird is anything but.

Toni might not be a bat out of hell, but you might not want to get too close – Toni breathes fire!

Soaring high above the crowds, Kantaben is our vibrant Indian roller bird.

Our stilt-walking drumming robots are programmed to entertain.

Standing at an impressive four metres tall, Oxumaré (oh-shoo-mar-ay) shimmers all the colours of the rainbow – and shimmies with the best of them.

Who said snails are sluggish?

It might be dark, it might be damp, but Oldham Illuminate lights up our calendar.

The development of our Digital Head character-puppet, named Efe (ee-fee), was particularly exciting for us.

The eerie Dragon Plague Doctors are on the hunt for something to be purified with dragon fire, so when Bessemer spits, you know she’s on to something – watch out!

Over the festive season in 2019, Global Grooves hit the streets of Qatar to share some ‘robo-grooves’ with visitors to Souq Waqif and Souq Al Wakra.

The first Celebrate Festival took place in our home neighbourhood of Mossley in 2017.

We're always excited to be an integral part of the annual Tameside Winter Carnival.

Exodus fuses percussion, song and dance traditions to celebrate Bob Marley’s Exodus as you’ve never seen it before.

In January 2018, Global Grooves took a team of 40 artists of all levels of experience to the Gambia on an international study experience.

We wanted the opportunity to bring on some of our newer, emerging artists to work at a larger scale and put their ideas to the forefront.

This winter-time celebration brings together everyone from our beautiful, unique community.

Commissioned by Manchester Mega Mela, Global Grooves produced the Desi Carnival for the 2017 Mega Mela.

Junk Jam is a spirited multi-arts spectacle for young and old, specialists and community members, artists and designers.

We’re especially proud of our Future Leaders programme, designed to enable the next generation of arts leaders to pave the way for those that follow.

The enrichment we experience through cultural exchange and migration is celebrated in our Carnival production, Journey of the Orixas (oh-ree-sha-s).

Afoxé (a-fo-shay) Manchester is about sharing deep-rooted Afro-Brazilian heritage with a community in a modern setting to inspire and invigorate musical and creative experience and facilitate a meeting of minds.