Statement in response to Cowley Road Carnival 2023 cancellation

“We’re very sad to hear that Cowley Road Carnival won’t be taking place this year. We have provided a three-year grant to the organisers Cowley Road Works, which continues till 2025, and we’ve been working with them since early this year to try to support their funding needs to organise Carnival 2023. It’s a tough time for all voluntary organisations to raise money, and we understand the funding rejection from the Arts Council had a significant impact on plans. We know how disappointed people will be by this news, the carnival has been a hugely popular event for Oxford’s different communities for many years. We are ready to support Cowley Road Works if they decide to use the current momentum to plan towards a carnival next year.”

“We have offered a number of different opportunities to support the organisers this year. We encouraged Cowley Road Works to apply for our small and medium grants this year, which had the potential to provide £15,000 extra funding. We also offered the option to stage the event at one of our parks, to avoid the cost around a road closure. Although these offers were not take up this year we remain ready to support a return of the carnival next year, if that is what the organisers wish to do.”

Councillor Ajaz Rehman, Cabinet Member for Inclusive Communities