Paul Anderson first got involved with local community development programmes in the early 1980s. Now, to his surprise, he is founder and executive director of the UK Centre for Carnival Arts (UKCCA), which was the East of England regional winner in the Enterprising Britain 2008 awards and is on the verge of moving into its new £7.5 million centre in Luton.

“Empowered by the social reforms after the riots in Brixton and elsewhere in 1981 and eager to improve my own neighbourhood I became involved in a lot of residential issues,” he says.

Through part-time work with the Probation Service, roles at a Youth Offending Team and Camden’s youth services, and backed by numerous college courses in youth, arts and community work, Anderson learnt how successfully to bid for funding from charities and public bodies.

After four years as a funding consultant he accepted a job with the Luton Carnival Arts Development Trust in 2003. With only an admin officer and a budget of £30,000, he got UKCCA up and running, driving his organisation to engage with schools and the community at large to create a hub where all interested groups could meet to share ideas, techniques and skills. Having increased its budget tenfold with funding from central government, a regional development agency, the Arts Council and local businesses, UKCCA now offers work experience, workshops, a business incubation programme and pathways to higher education right up to degree level.

From a strong community programme based around Luton Carnival, UKCCA has expanded into the regions, has 14 permanent staff, secured funding for the next five years, and, with the opening of its new building in early 2009, is planning to establish a trading arm to underpin its future activities.

A pretty good result for “a bit of a bad boy from Highbury”.

www.carnivalarts.org.uk

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