University of Brighton Partners with BARCO to Champion Race Equity and Celebrate Black Culture in the City
The University of Brighton has announced a new partnership with Brighton-based BARCO to support Black communities and expand cultural events across the city. Photo: University of Brighton
The University of Brighton has announced a new partnership with Brighton-based Black Anti-Racism Community Organisation BARCO to support Black communities and expand cultural events across the city and wider region
BARCO is a Black-led community organisation working to tackle racism while celebrating and strengthening Black culture. Through community advocacy, cultural organising, education and collective care, the organisation supports Black people living, working, studying and visiting Brighton and Hove and the surrounding area.
The new agreement will see the University of Brighton collaborate with BARCO on a programme of activity designed to deepen community connections and create more inclusive opportunities for students, staff and local residents. While the agreement is initially for one year, both organisations share an ambition to develop a sustained, multi-year partnership that delivers long-term impact.
The BASH Carnival and what the partnership will involve
A central part of the partnership will be the University's involvement in BARCO's flagship BASH Carnival, a major annual celebration of Black culture in Brighton that attracts thousands of people from across the south coast. The University will have a visible presence at the event, supporting its aim to bring communities together through music, food, performance and cultural celebration.
Beyond the carnival, the partnership will include collaboration on Black History Month activities, community support sessions, and listening and reflection spaces to strengthen dialogue between the University and Black communities across Brighton and Hove. There will also be wider opportunities for students and staff to engage with BARCO-led initiatives throughout the year.
The partnership supports the University of Brighton's ambition to be the first-choice university for enterprise and equity, and its ongoing work to address differential outcomes for students. By working with a trusted, Brighton-based organisation rooted in lived experience, the University aims to strengthen its role as a civic anchor institution, building meaningful relationships with local communities and supporting inclusive growth across the city.
What both organisations said
Professor Kene Igweonu, Deputy Vice-Chancellor at the University of Brighton, said the partnership with BARCO is an important step in strengthening how the university works with the city to advance equity, inclusion and community belonging. He said the university is committed to addressing differential outcomes and ensuring all students have the opportunity to thrive, and that working with a trusted, Brighton-based, Black-led organisation like BARCO helps build deeper relationships, listen more carefully, and develop more effective and lasting solutions.
Professor Igweonu said the university is especially proud to support the BASH Carnival, which creates opportunities for students and staff to engage with, contribute to and help shape one of the city's most important celebrations of Black culture. He added that the partnership reflects the university's civic commitment to work alongside communities, celebrate cultural diversity, challenge inequities, and help create a more inclusive Brighton for everyone.
Bud Johnston, Co-Founder of BARCO, said the partnership reflects a shared goal: to help create a city where everyone feels represented, connected and able to thrive. He said it is an exciting opportunity to build stronger links between the University of Brighton and the wider community, while celebrating Black culture, supporting local voices and creating lasting positive change.
For more Brighton and Hove community news read our coverage of Carers Week in Brighton and Hove 2026 and the Refugee Week Brighton and Hove 2026. For daily local news follow ImJustBrighton.
