Carnival Village Trust Collaboration Truck

Carnival Village Trust announce the Collaboration Truck to give smaller bands, both new and established, a cost effective and simple opportunity to be part of Notting Hill Carnival’s parade

Spaces are available on a first come first served basis
Apply now by emailing anthea@nhcarnival.org

For the first time at Notting Hill Carnival, Carnival Village Trust - London’s development non-profit agency that promotes and helps the arts, crafts and business of Carnival Arts - will have a Collaboration Truck as part of Carnival’s parade.

This brand new initiative will be available on both the Sunday and Monday of Notting Hill Carnival and has been created to give smaller bands and designers an opportunity to participate in an affordable and simpler way whilst ensuring they are celebrated and recognised for their art.

For context, it is important to understand that the spectacle of Notting Hill Carnival comes from the dedicated work of each band who apply to be involved and are not paid to perform. It is the bands that have the creative vision and the tenacity to be able to make and engineer their amazing costumes. These ambitions come at a financial cost and alongside the requirements of running a band on the road (stewards, HGV licensed drivers, food, drink and more) their financial burden should not be underestimated!

The Collaboration Truck will have 16 band slots available. Each slot will allow a maximum of 15 masqueraders and five team members and a band can take a maximum of two spaces. As part of this opportunity, bands will benefit from…

• The truck

• The music and DJs playing from the truck

• Stewards who stay with the trucks for the full parade

• Unlimited use of the Respite Bus

• All inclusive food and drink

• Their band/designers logo displayed on the float

• Official listing and individual recognition by Notting Hill Carnival that will ensure each band is individually judged as part of the parade.

For more information and to apply please email anthea@nhcarnival.org. 

Carnival Village Trust says - “From security and staffing to the financial cost of making costumes and promotion, putting a band on the road for Notting Hill Carnival can be extremely challenging! Sadly in recent years the after effects of the pandemic and the rise in the cost of living has had a devastating impact on a lot of bands.

”Our ambition for the Carnival Village Trust Collaboration Truck is to give bands and designers an affordable and simpler option to get on the road. We hope this new initiative will not only give a new generation of designers and masqueraders the confidence to take their first steps into running their own band, but also give bands who have found it challenging to participate in recent years to re-establish their foundations, concentrate on their art and allow them to flourish once again.

“As well as being able to play mas, the band leaders will also learn what is required to put a band on the road including music policy, stewarding requirements, truck dimensions and more. We hope this imparted knowledge will give greater longevity in future bands who can make decisions based on the knowledge of what will be required as opposed to ‘learning on the job’!.”