PROJECTS & COMMUNITY INITIATIVES
At S.H.A.C.E., we are committed to empowering underrepresented and disadvantaged creatives by opening doors to mainstream and commercial opportunities. Through our tailored training programs, one-on-one mentorship, and direct industry connections, we equip participants with the practical skills and professional confidence they need to pitch, produce, and profit from their work. From community workshops that build foundational expertise to commissioned projects with commercial partners, we create pathways for emerging talents to move seamlessly from the studio into the wider fashion, costume, and creative markets.
GREENER FUTURE FUND PROJECTS 2026
Through the Greener Futures Fund, S.H.A.C.E has delivered a series of creative programmes across Luton, exploring how recycled materials can be transformed into meaningful design through hands-on learning. Working in collaboration with the UK Centre for Carnival Arts (UKCCA), these initiatives place sustainability at the heart of creative practice.
The programme has engaged participants across three key groups, primary school children, college students, and adults, each responding to sustainability through storytelling, fashion, and textile experimentation. From imaginative costume-making to industry-led fashion design and material exploration, each project offers a unique entry point into creative, environmentally conscious thinking.
Together, these programmes demonstrate how creativity can be used to inspire change, build skills, and reimagine waste as a valuable resource.
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From UK workshops to Band of the Year at Trinidad Carnival!
Through the Beyond Fabric: Crafting Textures for Carnival & Couture workshops, participants developed advanced skills in textile manipulation, surface design, and sustainable costume-making using upcycled materials. Supported by Arts Council England, the programme created a space for creativity, innovation, and cultural exchange within the UK carnival community.
Under the creative direction of Melissa Simon-Hartman, this work contributed to the creation of two large-scale carnival costumes that led The Lost Tribe onto the stage at Trinidad Carnival, where the band was awarded Band of the Year.
Building on this success, S.H.A.C.E is developing future opportunities for artists to engage with international carnival practice, including potential residential experiences in Trinidad.
TRINIDAD CARNIVAL 2026
THE NATURAL HISTORY MUSEUM
We partnered with the Natural History Museum to deliver a series of “Redefining Fashion: Future Threads” workshops designed especially for young people in the local community.
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In collaboration with NHM scientist Krisztina Lohonya,
Melissa Simon-Hartman led hands-on sessions that taught inventive upcycling and textile-manipulation techniques using recycled Levi’s jeans rescued from landfill.
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Drawing inspiration from natural NHM specimens such as moss, shells, and butterflies, participants learned to translate these organic forms into fabric textures and embellishments. Their creations contributed to a culminating fashion editorial piece celebrating sustainable design and scientific discovery.
We were thrilled to embark on a partnership with an established carnival band in preparation for Miami Carnival 2025, giving S.H.A.C.E. students the opportunity to develop prototype costume designs for an international stage.
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Under Melissa Simon-Hartman’s creative direction, a select group of emerging costume makers explored the full process of professional costume prototyping, from concept development and material selection to decorative execution and presentation.
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Through this experience, participants gained industry-relevant skills, built confidence in managing timelines, and refined techniques for high-impact design production. The initiative strengthened S.H.A.C.E.’s mission to nurture global creative excellence and prepare artists for international opportunities.
MIAMI CARNIVAL 2025
WOMEN'S SEWING PROGRAMME
In partnership with a UK-based organisation supporting Somali women and young people affected by displacement, trauma, and gender-based violence, S.H.A.C.E. delivered bespoke sewing workshops.
Sponsored by the UK Centre for Carnival Arts, which generously donated deadstock fabric for the project, the sessions were led by mentor Remeaise Irish-Downes, focusing on beginner sewing skills, alongside guest sessions by Melissa Simon-Hartman introducing intermediate techniques.
Together, participants upcycled and transformed a donated dress, later worn by a flag bearer at the Commonwealth anniversary ceremony in London in March 2025. Through this collaboration, participants developed practical garment-making skills and built confidence in their creative abilities.