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Who we are

We create the environment for Carnival arts, people and communities to thrive.

What we believe

We believe in the overwhelmingly positive impact of Carnival celebration! By injecting a town, a city, organisation, an event or community with the joy and colour and possibilities of Carnival, we can become a catalyst to benefit our societies. We believe that healthy and happy communities need diverse, quality art experiences in which they can get actively involved.

We embrace the fact that everyone can be uplifted in a multitude of ways through Carnival, so we make it our mission to create the environment for Carnival: to bring people together to enjoy, share, collaborate and develop in whatever way appeals to them most.

'What’s interesting about Global Grooves is it looks across all the art forms on an equal level. The maturity of the company is around working with those different art forms and getting experts in each of those. That’s the richness that you get with Global Grooves.'

Angela Chappell, Relationship Manager Arts Council England

'The people that they have here have first-hand experience. They’ve been out there in the industry and know what it’s like.'

Johnny Kalsi, Founder of the Dhol Foundation, Future Leaders Patron

'Carnival is in safe hands.'

Colin Spalding, Artistic Director at Rampage Mas CIC

What we do

We draw on worldwide cultural art forms to deliver jaw-dropping, inspirational Carnival experiences through music, dance and visual arts. As the only Arts Council England National Portfolio Organisation (NPO) in Tameside, we are proud to say we run the North’s only Carnival Centre of Excellence. Artist-led and ambitious, we work throughout the UK and – as our name suggests – internationally, bringing together world-class artists with young people, communities and organisations to create the most extraordinary opportunities, moments and memories.

Providing training, mentoring and consultancy coupled with volunteering, participation and performance, we have witnessed that the immersive nature of Carnival can take people on phenomenal journeys, allowing them to discover everything they need for their own personal growth.

Explore how our work manifests in amazing projects and performances.

Get inspired

We are also highly invested in championing the wider Carnival arts sector for the development of truly thriving artistic communities. We pride ourselves on providing opportunities for discovery, exploration and innovation, and supporting artists in collaboration. This in turn has helped us build lasting relationships and partnerships with artists, groups and organisations that share our goals to build a confident, progressive and grassroots arts culture in the UK and beyond.

We heartily encourage anyone who feels the same way to get in touch to discuss any enquiries or ideas for collaboration – the whole sector is so much stronger when we’re together.

Our Values

Quality and excellence

Our passion is to demonstrate and showcase the life-changing power of Carnival arts. We are dedicated to delivering high quality art and developing UK artists from the ground up. This requires regular investment in our own continued development and  bringing inspirational world-class artists to the UK to share their unique talents, skills and expertise with us and our people.

Honour and respect

From our inception, we have had the great privilege to learn from and collaborate with diverse artists and art forms from around the world. We cherish the cultures, wisdom and traditions that we have had the great fortune to be immersed in and we are extremely honoured to be entrusted to share them with new audiences. We are proud that our work contributes to the long-term sustainability of these very special art forms, nurturing our efforts to make conscious choices of materials and processes that are sensitive to our environment.

Growth

We invest wholeheartedly in passing our knowledge forward and creating a space for young people, individuals, artists and organisations to develop their own journeys within Carnival arts, doing everything we can to support and raise up our sector in our local and global communities. As we grow, we take people with us. We wish to leave a legacy of talented people who will steward, protect and grow the art forms we love.

Inclusivity and collaboration

We believe deeply that together is the only way for us all to collectively prosper. We are immensely proud that our work enables us to bring everyone together in harmony and celebration. We actively seek partnerships and collaborators so that we may increase our possibilities. It goes without saying that our door is open to all, and our work takes a global view, fostering acceptance, compassion, empathy and commonality.

Our Audiences

Young people

through schools, colleges and universities, through youth organisations, and individual young people seeking opportunities in Carnival arts

Organisations

fellow arts organisations, town centres and Local Authorities, festivals and event organisers and agencies, funders, and corporates

Artists

professional and amateur dancers, drummers, musicians, singers, street performers, visual artists, costume makers and textile artists, international tutors and collaborators

Communities

voluntary and social organisations, community groups and volunteers, private parties, local residents, global communities and networks

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Pop your email address in the box here and we’ll send you updates about our work, including how to get involved. We promise we won’t inundate your inbox, but you will be able to unsubscribe at any time.

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Subscribe to our newsletter

Pop your email address in the box here and we’ll send you updates about our work, including how to get involved. We promise we won’t inundate your inbox, but you will be able to unsubscribe at any time.

  • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.