The Lancaster Carnival of Culture is in an embryonic stage - get involved and help shape the future of YOUR city.
carnivalofculture -at- googlemail -dot- com
Carnival of Culture
The Carnival of Culture is a celebration of all that's good and distinctive about Lancaster and a protest against the corporate takeover of our city by Centros Miller and other developers, against the wishes of the community.
From Centros Miller, the Northern Link road and out-of-town supermarket plans at Lawson's bridge, Lancaster is subject to a barrage of proposed developments designed to benefit large companies, yet threaten the fabric and liveliness of our communities. We are tired of the lack of any say for the residents of the city as to the direction that the planners are taking us.
The Carnival is about giving Centros, the Council and any other developers a taste of the strength of our communities and of our opposition. It's also about making links and creating lots of exciting and fun events!
We want to inspire everyone against the proposals and people in Lancaster’s fantastic cultural scene (music, drama, art, whatever!) to join together in a colourful and loud Day of Carnival. There will be lots of events on the day including a colourful street procession around the city, street performances, a buskers’ congregation, gigs and a party in the evening. All will be fun, safe, inclusive and effective. More ideas and contributions welcome.
When will it be?
The Carnival of Culture will be held on Saturday 1 March. This date was chosen as it is shortly before a new planning application from Centros Miller is expected.
Several events will take place in the run-up to the 1 March, also under the Carnival of Culture banner: a photo competition, a street performance, benefit gigs. More events welcome.
However we hope that this will also create an ongoing platform that brings people together who share the love of our city, its community and cultural life and who also oppose developments such as Centros Miller’s that threaten to destroy just these things. So if you have ideas for future events and projects get in touch.
What’s planned so far?
See our diary of events and add your own event!
Diary of Events (this needs fleshing out!!!!!)
15 December – Benefit Gig
January – LAWN gig
Half-term – workshops
Week before 1 March – Street performance: THE MAGGOT
1 March – Carnival
Photo exhibition
Why are we doing it?
Lancaster's unique appeal and vibrant community is under attack. It is threatened by the seemingly relentless "big box" developments that are transforming many British towns into mirror images of each other, where high rents/rates and bad planning decisions leave city centres with nothing but big chain stores and high street names you can find anywhere, at the expense of non-commercial culture, independent local retailers and services.
Ever since the old Victorian market burnt down in the 1980 one council administration after another seems to have pushed through development plans which have slowly destroyed Lancaster's heritage.
Most recently there has been the Centros Miller proposal for a bolt-on city centre ‘anchored’ to a department store and containing an additional 60% retail space for the city; the proposed sale of green-belt land at Lawson's bridge for an out of town supermarket, the proposed development of the Caton Road area into yet more retail space and a hotel; the Bypass (a.k.a. the Northern Route Heysham-M6 Link Road, which has just been through its public enquiry); the sprouting up of developments like ‘the Roundhouse’, the ‘Knight’s Bridge Apartments’ by the Water Witch, and the monstrosity appearing opposite the White Cross.
Our towns and cities are being transformed into privatised spaces of consumption, where business is far more important than an independent and democratic culture from the bottom up.
We are tired of the lack of any say for the residents of the city as to the direction that the planners are taking us. We don’t want Lancaster to turn into ‘Anywhere-ville UK plc’!
The Carnival of Culture is both a celebration of Lancaster's amazing melting pot of culture as well as an outspoken protest against what we don't want. It's about giving Centros, the Council and any other developers a taste of the strength of our community and of our opposition. And it's about making links and creating lots of exciting, fun events.
Opposing Centros Miller
We are particularly concerned about the proposed Centros Miller plans. This Big Box development for the Canal Corridor site which includes the old brewery is likely to have a destructive impact on existing city centres in Lancaster and Morecambe. It seems inevitable that the development will compete with existing retailers, driving many of them out of business and leaving nothing but a ghost town. Moreover, the area thus ‘redeveloped’ will not be public space any more, but privately-owned, which means that they will be policed by private security who will make sure nothing and no one, gets in the way of shoppers. This is another worrying trend that has affected many towns and cities in this and other countries.
Centros Miller's plans do not reflect what local people have said they wish to see on this site. A consultation conducted in 2003 demonstrated that local people would like to see the area developed as a cultural quarter, affordable housing to be built, space for small retail units and a city park. Instead, Centros Miller plan Big Box retail units and a giant car park.
The Carnival of Culture demands...
that current and future plans for redevelopment in Lancaster focus on fostering diverse, non-commercial culture and civic life, affordable housing, green spaces and supporting local independent businesses rather than easing the way for a corporate take-over of our city.
that in view of the Centros Miller proposals the City Council act according to the wishes of local people and in the interests of the city as a whole. Lancaster City Council must not to go any further forward with this development and instead support genuine community-led development of this site; something that sadly is not currently on the table.
For lots of reasons why the proposed development is bad for Lancaster see http://www.itsourcity.org.uk/IOCInfo/AboutUs.html
Who is involved
So far there are around 40 people involved in organising and preparing for the Carnival. They range from local musicians and artists, concerned residents, students, office workers and local shop owners. We are not associated with any political party. We have close links with It’s Our City, who have been spearheading the campaign against the Centros Miller plans for the past two years.
How can you get involved?
Are you concerned about what’s happening in Lancaster? Are you a local resident, a musician, an artist, a performer, involved in a community group, a writer, an organiser, a networker, a parent? Can you write press releases, or organise a mask making workshop or bake some cakes?
Get involved! There is something to do for everyone! There is room for lots of ideas and events. Remember, the Carnival is not just a one day event, but also an ongoing project.
Here are some ideas:
Write it in your diary: 1 March Carnival of Culture!
Tell everyone about the Carnival: your friends, your neighbours, your colleagues, your community group. We can provide you with leaflets and posters.
Start making costumes, props, masks, colourful things to bring on the carnival.
Start making banners and placards for the procession.
Put on a fundraising event: a gig, a workshop, raffles etc
To receive regular updates about what’s happening with the Carnival, subscribe to our announcements list here. We’ll send out about 1-2 emails a week.
Become involved in one of our working groups:
Infrastructure: help us with making leaflets, writing press releases, book keeping, publicity and outreach, fundraising.
Musicians: help organise all things musical. Make music on the day and before.
Carnivalism: help make the Carnival colourful and exciting.
Performance: get involved in street theatre and performance.
Workshops: help organise or run workshops for adults and kids in the run-up: mask making, singing, costume making, dance and whatever else can think off.
Photo competition and exhibition: help organise a photo competition celebrating Lancaster. Take photos and send them in.
Writers: write poems, stories, straplines for poster and leaflets
Contact:
If you’d like to get involved drop us a line or give us a ring:
Email: carnivalofculture [at] googlemail [dot] com
Phone: 01524 383012
Or come to one of our regular two-weekly meetings and bring your ideas. The next one is: Wed 9 January, 7.30pm, Meetings Room upstairs in the Gregson, Moorlane.
