Mas Without Borders with Pax Nindi

Faggamuffin Bloc Party presents Black History Season Workshops! These workshops are a first look and invitation for Queer people to explore the history, practice and play of Carnival and Soundsystem practices. 

Workshop #1: Mas Without Borders with Pax Nindi

Join us for a special interactive workshop led by Pax Nindi FRSA, one of the UK’s foremost Carnival consultants and strategists. With decades of experience spanning music, community media, Arts Council England, and Carnival leadership, Pax brings a wealth of knowledge and passion to the art of Carnival. His journey — from his roots in Zimbabwe to shaping Carnival culture in the UK and internationally — is a story of creativity, resilience, and community empowerment.

In this session, Pax will guide us through the fundamentals of Carnival organising, offering insight into how Carnivals are imagined, planned, and brought to life. Participants will explore the history and development of Carnival, gain real-world examples from UK and global contexts, and discover practical strategies for production — from funding and logistics to materials and creative direction.

The workshop will include:

• Pax’s personal Carnival journey
• Case studies from UK and international Carnivals
• Practical guidance on planning, funding, and delivering Carnival events
• A group exercise to design your own Carnival concept
• Discussion on community engagement, inclusivity, and working with stakeholders

By the end of this 2–3 hour session, participants will not only have a deeper understanding of Carnival arts but also the confidence to envision and shape their own Carnival journeys.

About Pax Nindi:

Pax Nindi FRSA is a distinguished Carnival consultant, creative strategist, artist, and cultural leader whose work has shaped Carnival practice in the UK and internationally.

Born in Zimbabwe, Pax initially pursued a career in printing and graphical reproduction before relocating to the UK in the mid-1980s. Early in London he founded PaxVision, a community video project, and began organizing festivals and cultural events bridging African, Caribbean, and diasporic communities.

For a decade, Pax held a senior role at Arts Council England, where he was responsible for cultural diversity, festival and street arts programmes, and helped to author the National Carnival Arts Strategy. Through that role he initiated international carnival conferences, fellowships, and research exchanges across Brazil, Trinidad, Europe, and the U.S.

Pax has held leadership and advisory roles across many Carnival and cultural arts organisations. He founded and leads Global Carnivalz Ltd, and has acted as Creative Director of the UK Centre for Carnival Arts (UKCCA). He is Vice President of the World Carnival Commission (Canada).

Pax has supported carnivals and cultural programmes in Brazil, USA, Ghana, Kenya, the Bahamas, and Canada. He has worked with Notting Hill Carnival, Leeds Carnival, Miami Carnival, Recife, Carifete (Canada), and more.

Pax is a Fellow of the Royal Society of the Arts (FRSA) and frequently lectures, presents, and hosts panels on Carnival, arts strategy, and cultural policy globally. He is recognized for advocating sustainable and inclusive Carnival practices, including use of recycled materials, community engagement, and environmental awareness in Carnival design and production.

About Faggamuffin and the Workshops: 

Faggamuffin was founded in Hackney by a collective of QTBIPOC thinkers, activists, artists, and community leaders to address the lack of queer representation in Carnival spaces. Our aim was to create a platform centring the lived experiences of LGBTQ+ people of African and Caribbean heritage, and in 2018 we did just that, debuting the UK’s first openly Queer stage at Hackney Carnival.

That first stage drew 2,000 people and proved the hunger for such a space. By 2019, it had become one of the Carnival’s biggest stages, with over 4,000 people filling Bohemia Place for a radical homecoming where QTBIPOC Pride, Carnival, and sound system culture collided.

Since then, Faggamuffin has continued to champion our community by hosting digital programs during lockdown, and appearing on stages at Southbank Centre, Somerset House, Village Underground, and even Notting Hill Carnival. At heart, we remain true to Carnival’s legacy while bringing our own flair of queer culture.

This Black History Season we want to celebrate the legacy of Faggamuffin Bloc Party by launching a short educational program that teaches and shares the traditions of Carnival culture, while exploring the history, practice, and play that shape UK Carnivals and Soundsystems. 

The program highlights the role Queer people can play in sustaining and shaping their own Carnival legacy. We would like to invite our community to get involved, connect with Carnival custodians, meet like-minded people, and feel empowered to build our own futures and cultural lineages. 

Who are these workshops for:

These workshops are aimed for LGBTQ+ individuals who are of African and Caribbean heritage who have an interest in learning about Carnival practices. If you are an ally and wish to attend, please contact us ahead of booking as we will have limited spaces for allies. 

These spaces are about learning together, communing and practicing mutual respect.

We have zero tolerance to sexual harassment, cultural appropriation, unwanted touching, stalking and all forms of abuse or discrimination based on race, gender, disability, sexuality, religion or age. Don’t come here with that energy, or you will be removed and barred.

Please note these workshops are Funded as part of Hackney Council's Black History Season. For more information visit lovehackney.uk/black-history!