SCHOOLS and adults with learning disabilities will help brighten up a summer weekend of carnival fun thanks to a £15,000 arts grant.

They will provide artwork for Alice’s Day, on July 5, and Cowley Road Carnival, on July 6 thanks to the Arts Council England cash.

Artists Kleiner Shames, Ged Palmer, Neill Cameron and Nicola Armitage will work with city groups.

Among those set to take part are Summertown’s Northern House School, for children with special needs and Marston’s Meadowbrook College, Oxfordshire’s pupil referral unit.

Oxfordshire Skills and Learning Service, which supports adult learning, and the Museum of Oxford will also contribute.

The artists have been nominated by Cowley Road Works, which organises the carnival, with the city’s Story Museum and Arts at the Old Fire Station.

Alice’s Day is an annual event which marks the first telling of Lewis Carroll’s Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland on the River Thames in Oxford in 1862.

Cowley Road Works’ creative producer Jacqui Grange said: ‘‘We have a really talented group of artists here, and I know they, like us, are excited about the potential of this collaboration.

“We expect they will create strong work that will celebrate both events, as well as getting across our key messages about using cycling and public transport to get to both events and dressing up for the weekend of festivities.”

Story Museum co-director Tish Francis said: “We’re delighted to hear that Cowley Road Work’s application has been successful and that we will be able to progress some of our shared ideas for collaborative projects.

“Both Alice’s Day with its 2014 ‘underground’ theme and the carnival will reflect the diversity and creative spirit of this amazing city in what promises to be a weekend to remember.’’ Comic book artist Mr Cameron said: “I’m really looking forward to working with the young people, schools and the other artists on this project.

“We are still in the early stages of planning how it is going to work but it should be exciting.”

Painter and filmmaker Nicola Armitage, based at the Old Fire Station, said: “For this project I will be doing a fine art workshop as well as a film making workshop.

“This project sounds really different and I am intrigued.

“I’ve been to the carnival before, but I have not worked directly with it, so it will be good to have that involvement.”

  • For more information people are asked to visit cowleyroadcarnival.co.uk