Spring–Summer 2025: Celebrating Culture, Carnival & Creativity

 

23 Years of Community — 25 September 2025

This September, we’re celebrating not just the achievements of our vibrant 2025 programme of activities, but also something even bigger. On 25 September 2025, we mark 23 years as a UK arts organisation and charity, rooted in community, culture, and carnival — locally, nationally, and globally.

Supported by Arts Council England, and with special thanks to Lambeth Council and Lambeth Arts, our journey has been one of collaboration, creativity, and resilience. The first half of this year has been nothing short of extraordinary.

Overachieving Together 

At the halfway point of 2025/26, we’ve already exceeded our annual targets in nearly every strand of our work.

This tells a bigger story — not just of events delivered, but of lives touched, families engaged, and communities strengthened. It also highlights the ongoing importance of programmes that celebrate culture and carnival.

 

HIGHTLIGHTS

 AiDA — Art in De Alleyway

On 26 April, the centre reopened with the Mas Camp exhibition, celebrating carnival’s deep cultural roots in Caribbean traditions.

Partnerships: Camberwell Arts Open, Caribbean Carnival — De Mas Camp, Arte TV Germany

 

Mas Camp (Workshops)

Mas Camp has been buzzing with creativity — from schools and colleges to community venues. Highlights include performances at Eastbourne Carnival (10,000 audience), Stockwell Festival, and the Max Roach Children’s Festival, where over 300 young people and families joined in.

Partnerships: Kingston College, Towner Gallery Eastbourne, Stockwell Festival, East Sussex College, Eastbourne College, Eastbourne LGBTQ group Allsorts Youth Project, Monarch Mas (Notting Hill Carnival production), Brixton House

 

🌱 Interns

Six talented interns joined us this year, including students from Kingston College and Wimbledon College of Art, alongside emerging local artists. Their fresh energy is shaping the carnival traditions of tomorrow.

Involved: Sasha Morant, Zy Reuben, Jacy Xavier, Chloe Chancer, Tanika (local community artist), K. Morgan (local artist)

 

👶 Early Learning

From family workshops at the Garden Museum and the Lambeth Country Show to refugee projects and summer schools, our early learning programme has reached hundreds of children and families, sparking curiosity and joy in our youngest audiences.

Partnerships: Unity Matters Brockwell One O’Clock Club (Dad Project), First Five Lambeth, Lambeth Country Show, Garden Museum, Towner Gallery Eastbourne (local families and Sanctuary Eastbourne clients), Bounce Festival (Brockwell Park), Refugee Project (St Stephen’s Children Centre), Max Roach Summer Schools

 

Think Local

Through projects like No Place Like Home, Windrush Day at the Garden Museum, and workshops with Brixton House, schools, and community groups, we explored identity, belonging, and local history — reminding us that home is something we create together.

Partnerships: Towner Gallery community groups, Afrco Lab, Garden Museum (Windrush Day & Neighbours Day), Jessop Primary School, LJAG at The Farm, Max Roach Festival, Eastbourne Carnival

Community Pulse

Nine sessions across Lambeth and beyond have amplified grassroots voices on issues from climate and recycling to neighbourhood development and local change-making.

Going Digital & Global 

• German Filming Culture Talks: Three days exploring Caribbean cultural heritage, food, gardening, and Windrush stories.
• Windrush Caribbean Film Festival 2025: Our Artistic Director, Ray Mahabir, featured on the podcast “Notting Hill Carnival on Film: The Story of Resistance and Joy.”
• Indo-Caribbean Windrush Oral History Project: Capturing stories of migration, racism, dislocation, and resilience. Ray shared reflections from his journey from childhood in Trinidad to life in London.
• Cultural Identity Workshops: Continuing work with Kingston College and beyond, nurturing the next generation of carnival designers.
• Museum Collaborations: Bringing carnival into galleries and museums, opening the experience to audiences who may never have been this close before.

We’re also proud to continue creating and delivering carnival costumes for clients across the UK — from spectacular large-scale commissions to unique, bespoke individual designs.

 

Audience Engagement Success

Our team has successfully navigated the challenges of audience delivery and engagement in our public-facing work. We’ve consistently submitted all required forms each quarter, showcasing our commitment to accurate data tracking and program evaluation.

Total to Date:

– 74 Events

– Audience/Participants: 20,000

23 Years Young 

As we mark 23 years of Sprinkler on 25 September, we celebrate the incredible communities who have carried us this far — from the classrooms where carnival costumes are first imagined, to the festival streets where they come alive.

This anniversary isn’t just about looking back. It’s about looking forward with energy, colour, and commitment to culture. With the support of Arts Council England, we remain excited to create spaces where art, learning, and community thrive together.

Here’s to the next chapter — full of rhythm, resilience, and joy.

Read our story here.

— Ray and the Sunshine Team