ORGANISERS of the Cowley Road Carnival have revealed Oxford Brookes University will sponsor this year’s event.

Cowley Road Works, the team behind the annual street extravanganza, has announced the university will take centre stage as one of the festival’s lead backers.

The deal, the details of which are being kept confidential, comes as the university celebrates its 150th anniversary this year.

Oxford Brookes University vice-chancellor Alistair Fitt said: “Oxford Brookes is extremely proud to be so involved with this year’s Cowley Road Carnival which has firmly established itself as an important cultural event for the city.

“The East Oxford community is so important to Oxford Brookes. This year’s Cowley Road Carnival will be a great opportunity to celebrate what our vibrant community has to offer and all of the good things which happen at Oxford Brookes.

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“With 2015 being our 150th year, we are planning an extra special celebration and I look forward to working closely with our local community as part of this fantastic event.”

Revellers will take to Cowley Road on Sunday, July 5, to celebrate this year’s theme of “Creating Our Future”.

It coincides with the university’s year-long programme of events and activities to mark its early beginnings as the Oxford School of Art in 1865. University staff and students are hoping to support this year’s carnival by hosting fundraisers, workshops with schools and helping with book-keeping.

Cowley Road Works executive director Danielle Battigelli said: “The bond between carnival and Oxford Brookes is strong and long-standing and we have benefited from the support of staff and students through work experience and volunteering, as well as through sponsorship and fundraising.

“We are very grateful to Brookes for the increased level of support this year and look forward to working closely with the university in developing a programme of activities for carnival 2015. The theme ‘Creating our Future’ is a fitting tribute to Brookes’ outstanding contribution to educating future generations.”

Preparations for this year’s festivities began last September and more than £34,000 has been raised towards the £120,000 needed.

Last year more than 45,000 people enjoyed the free event, making it the biggest to date.

City councillor for St Clement’s Bev Clack said: “Last year was really successful and it gave a sense of the different faces and voices of Oxford. I think the carnival is one of those wonderful events where you see just how vibrant and exciting a place Oxford is to live. It reminds us that we are a very diverse city and in that diversity is our strength.

“I think it’s really brilliant that the university is supporting it. It’s a very good thing.”

Also signed up to sponsor the carnival are Oxfordshire County Council and charity The Patsy Wood Trust, set up in memory of Oxford Brookes environmentalist Patsy Wood, who died in 2007.