Global Carnival Centre

 The Giant Traditions

The tradition of giants parading in some of the English towns has been going on for over 400 years. The organisation Chester The Giant City are revamping what used to be medieval processions into carnival activities that relate to modern day processions and cultures.

Conference Key Outputs:

The Conference is free and will be Chaired by Global Carnival Centre Executive Director. Apart from discussing issues relating the Carnival Giants, the key output will be a Position Paper on this area.

Free Tickets to GCC Friends: are now gone

The Programme on the day is as follows:

International Giants Conference Schedule 11th June
Highfield Community Primary School, Blacon Point Road, Blacon, Chester, CH1 5LD

Hall
08.30 to 09.15 Registration and
refreshment stands and exhibitions
09.15 to 09.30 Take seats for prompt
09.30am start
House keeping – Kristine Szulik, Project Director Giants Enterprise
09.30 to 09.45 Welcome David Pickering Carnival Giants Chair and Pax Nindi Executive Director, Global Carnival Centre

Hall
09.45 to 10.05 Speaker 1
Giants the European experience with
Jaume Lopez – International Giants Guild
10.05 to 10.25 Speaker 2
Modern processions – how do they look
and how could they look?
Liz Pugh - Producer, Walk the Plank
10.25 to 10.45 Panel questions and answers David Pickering or Kristine; Liz Pugh; Pax
Nindi;; Jaume Lopez;

Breakout Room 1
11.00 to 11.45 Session 1 – what will our giants of the future be?
· How are giants evolving?
· What types of giants and giant structures (e.g. Sultan’s Elephant) will we see, or be in
the future?
· What new opportunities and challenges does this create for us?
Facilitator – Liz Pugh (Walk the Plank) Support Rowan Watts (Carnival Giants)

Breakout Room 2
11.00 to 11.45 Session 2 – how can we bring together carnival and giants to
create a carnival of giants?
· How can we collaborate together to achieve this?
· What are the barriers to collaboration?
· How can we overcome these?
Facilitator – Pax Nindi Support ‐ Francisco Carrasco (One Latin Culture)

Breakout Room 3
11.20 to 12.05 Session 3 – how can we create and maintain effective archives
and networks?
How Carnival currently achieves this
· What archives and networks do we need to create?
· What is the best way to create these?
· How will people from around the world contribute to and access these?
Facilitator – Paul Anderson (Chief Executive ‐ UKCCA) Support – Kristine Szulik

Breakout Room 4
11.20 to 12.05 Session 4 – how can we involve young people to ensure that
giants and carnival continue to flourish?
· How do we currently involve young people?
· What could we do differently to attract young people and
benefit from their creativity?
Facilitator – Giles Agis (Executive Director
Brouhaha International Festival)
Support – Freddy Perez (One Latin
Culture)

Breakout Room 5
11.20 to 12.05 Session 5 – how can we create stunning cohesive visuals?
· How does Carnival currently create stunning cohesive visual processions
· How can we achieve the same with giants?
Facilitator – Rebecca Gibbs – St Pauls
carnival Chairperson
Support –David Roberts (Giants)

12.00 to 13.00 LUNCH Screenings of delegates short films – submit during
registry
13.00 to 13.15 Take seats for prompt 13.15 start

Hall
13.15 to 13.35 Speaker 3
Public funding of festivals and processions
Debbi Lander - Creative Programmer,
North West Cultural Olympiad

13.35 to 13. 55 Speaker 4
Taking the Giants into UK Carnivals and
Festivals beyond Chester
Pax Nindi - Executive Director, Global
Carnival Centre

13.55 to 14.15 Panel question and answer session; Pax Nindi; Debbi Lander; and all Facilitators

Repeat of Morning sessions
14.30 to 15.15 Session 1 - What will our giants of the future be?
14.30 to 15.15 Session 2 - How can we bring together carnival and giants to
create a carnival of giants?
14.30 to 15.15 Session 3 – How can we create and maintain effective archives
and networks?
14.50 to 15.35 Session 4 – How can we involve young people to ensure that
giants and carnival continue to flourish?
14.50 to 15.35 Session 5 – How can we create stunning cohesive visuals?

Hall
15.50 to 16.20 Feedback from Sessions
Feedback from each Session led by the Facilitators – 5 minutes each

Hall
16.30 to 17.30 Delegates presentations - Maximum 5 minutes long using slides or short
film (less than 3 minutes)
16.30-16.40 Presenter 1
Forest Brothers
16.40-16.50 Presenter 2
Steve Fletcher – South
Wales Intercultural Arts
16.50-17.00 Presenter 3
Belgians – Elllias Christophe
17.00-17.10 Presenter 4
Deb Mullins – Emergency
Exit Arts
17.20 –17.30 Presenter 5
UK Centre For Carnival Arts
17.30 – 17.40 Presenter 6
Giants International

Hall
17.50 to 18.00 Closing remarks from Pax Nindi and Jaume Lopez
18.00 – 19.00 Networking, wine, biscuits etc

Conference Booking