Julz Davis has been appointed as the new managing director of the St Paul’s Carnival Community Interest Company (CIC) as the much-loved carnival prepares to return this summer for its 50th anniversary.
The Ujima Radio station manager and former Bristol City Council arts officer, pictured, is known in the city for his previous contributions to St Paul’s Carnival and to Bristol’s wider cultural and creative communities. 
Julz said: “I’m honoured to be taking on this role in what is a hugely important year for St Paul’s Carnival. There is an enormous level of passion in the community to see its return to the streets of Bristol and we have a great board of directors established to steer the event into a new era.
“Along with the other CIC members, I’ll be working hard between now and July to ensure we deliver an event that not only marks 50 years of St Paul’s Carnival but creates a sustainable future for the event in years to come.”
CIC chair Marti Burgess added: “We are a new organisation and a very small team and are appealing to the public to get involved and give their time as volunteers across the coming months to make the event the very best it can be.
“Julz is deeply embedded into carnival culture across the UK but most importantly in Bristol and is the perfect person to oversee the last phase of work to get St Paul’s Carnival back on the streets for 2018.”
Julz will be working with Malcolm Haynes, who has experience of producing the Silver Hayes stage at Glastonbury Festival, alongside a dedicated team of volunteers.
Plans for the special anniversary event are beginning to come together, with a longer-than-usual parade route mapped out plus 17 performance areas. There will also be new family-friendly and quiet areas, making the event the most inclusive yet.
More volunteers are still being sought to help create costumes, steward the event on the day and take part in the musical, dance and circus performances on the day.
To get involved in the 50th anniversary carnival, visit www.stpaulscarnival.net
