Ali Pretty

Ali Pretty is a carnival designer, founding member and artistic director of Kinetika - a non-profit performing arts company.

Ali has designed and directed numerous productions for Kinetika including: Tiger Out East! 2006/2007, Roads To Freedom 2005, The Olympic Torch Relay Schools Project 2004, Din Shuru 2003, Yemanja 2002, People on The Move for Celebrate South Africa 2001.

Ali has worked internationally with many arts organisations including: WOMAD, Trinidad Carnival working with Peter Minshall to create winning costumes for The Callaloo Company, The Atlanta Olympics Opening Ceremonies (costumes commissioned by Peter Minshall), Parade of the Circle - The Cleveland Museum of Art, Ohio, The Carnival of Human Rights in Johannesburg, Kumasi Carnival, Ghana, The Solstice Parade in Seattle, Cortejo Afro, Salvador Carnival, Brazil.

At home she designed 3 winning bands for Notting Hill Carnival in 1998, 1999 and 2004, as well as designing costumes for The Millennium Dome Opening Ceremonies. She has produced commissioned work for Greenwich+Docklands International Festival, The Thames Festival and Salisbury Festival.

Ali's work has been exhibited in Acknowledged Sources and Midnight Robbers, The Artists of Notting Hill Carnival (London, UK 2007 & Columbia, US 2008).

She is currently working on a five-year project called "Imagination Our Nation" inspired by Derek Walcott's quote "The only nation I have now is my imagination". Kinetika is adopting a theme over the next five years that explores cities of the future with young people across the UK and beyond. It combines elements of carnival, street arts, music, circus, theatre and digital arts that builds each year and creates a legacy of talented new artists that are able to work across cultures and art forms.