northern ireland’s largest intercultural arts festivalsunday 26th august 2012 botanic gardens, 12 - 6pm

festival programme#belfastmela

artsekta would like to thank all the funders and sponsors for their support of the belfast mela 2012

principal funders & sponsors

media partners supporters

charity partner

noissimmoC ytilauqEdnaleri nrehtron rof

Admission And Group BookinGs Admission to the festival is £3 for adults and £2 for children under 12 & senior citizens. No advance booking is necessary. You will receive a wristband which will permit you access into the Mela zones around the park. If you would like to make a group booking for more than 10 people, or enquire about our community packages please email info@artsekta.org.uk or telephone 028 9023 1381.

disABility Access The festival aims to be as accessible as possible to those attendees with a disability. We offer a 2 for the price of 1 admission in the case of a disabled attendee who requires a personal assistant to attend the event. You can view our full disability charter at www.belfastmela.org.uk

mAilinG list If you would like to add, update or remove your contact details from our mailing list please email us at info@artsekta.org.uk

pArkinG & trAnsport Please visit www.belfastmela.org.uk for the latest information on getting to the event and parking if you are travelling in your own vehicle.

stAff Director Nisha Tandon Events & Marketing Manager Krishan Tandon Events & Marketing Assistant Rebecca Young Outreach Project Manager Niamh Flanagan Administration & Finance Manager Sean Seamus O’Hara Volunteers Co-Ordinator Mairead QuinnProject Assistant Chiara Marcheschi

support services Production Smallworld Music Public Relations Alison Knox PR Branding & Graphic Design Sonia McCourt Motion Graphics Laura Coulter Web Design & Development Fresh Made Media

BoArd of directors Mukesh Sharma, Julie-Anne McCormick, Clare Doran, Dr. Satyavir Singhal, Eva Grosman, Pamela Ballentine.

A speciAl thAnks toBelfast City Council’s Park & Leisure and Environmental Health departments, including the staff at Botanic Gardens for their assistance with the safe production of the Belfast Mela; and the local residents’ associations for their continued co-operation with the delivery of the event.

event inforMation

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‘culture is the widening of the mind and of the spirit’

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nisha tandonDirector, ArtsEkta

It is with great pleasure that I once again present to the people of Northern Ireland, the multi-award winning Belfast Mela, one of the largest global arts festivals on the island of Ireland. Now attracting annual audiences of over 20,000 people the Mela has positioned itself as a firm cultural highlight in our festival calendar and we are proud of all it has achieved in raising the profile of our growing ethnic diversity and bringing together all communities in one shared, inclusive space. This year, we have assembled a programme that is focusing on bringing you the very best international performance, music and dance with new stages, new commissions and new ideas. An exciting addition to this year’s artistic programme is the introduction of the Maharaja Tent which will create a fourth performance area exploring professional Indian classical arts. Among the performances will be a new dance commission developed by the Foundation of Indian Performing Arts entitled Lakme. This production will incorporate Kathak dance styles and live musical accompaniment inspired by the French to explore the times of the Maharaja in India. Renowned British Asian musician and composer Kuljit Bhamra, who worked with Andrew Lloyd Webber on the hit musical ‘Bombay Dreams’ will also present an exclusive live musical session to an intimate audience.

Our Mela Street attraction this year is led by street theatre production, Chutney in the Street commissioned by UK street arts consortium Without Walls, aswell as a touring participatory outdoor stilts production Streams & Rings that will work with participants from the Belfast Circus School. This year will also see the return of the Jaipur Kawa Brass Band from India who will open the festival with our fantastic Parade of Cultures. Of course a Mela wouldn’t be complete without a bit of Bollywood and Bhangra, and we won’t disappoint with globally renowned British Bhangra band DCS headlining the World Stage mashed up with a healthy dose of African beats by Congolese singer/songwriter Niwel Tsumbu accompanied by his live band. Add in to the mix our World Food Market, Global Souk, Health & Sports Zone, and Culture Land, makes Mela an unforgettable cultural experience you will not want to miss. As always I would like to thank all our staff, volunteers, artists, partners, funders and sponsors, including principal supporters Belfast City Council and the Northern Ireland Tourist Board, and invite you to come, explore and meet (the literal translation of Mela) with wonder the people and vibrancy of our unique country.

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lord mayor of BelfastAlderman Gavin Robinson

minister for culture, Arts & leisure, carál ní chuilín

A messAGe from the lord mAyor of BelfAst, AldermAn GAvin roBinson Now in its sixth year, the Belfast Mela is Northern Ireland’s largest intercultural arts festival and has firmly established itself as one of the most anticipated summer cultural events, attracting annual audiences of 20,000 visitors to come together and celebrate the people and culture of our unique city. Nothing compares to the energy, vibrancy and colour of the Mela, with spectacular costumes and inspiring music and dance just some of the sights on display. This year’s programme is astonishing marrying high quality professional arts with community arts in an integrated event that has something for everyone. ArtsEkta is to be congratulated on reaching out to so many different communities through an extensive outreach programme bringing everyone together in an inclusive, shared space at our beautiful Botanic Gardens. With the arrival of so many new cultures and individuals in recent years, Belfast has become a more vibrant place with new flavours, new points of view and new hopes. The Mela has become an important milestone in celebrating this increasing diversity, and with 2012 being our time to shine with new, iconic visitor attractions, unprecedented events and historic anniversaries, this festival sends out a positive, welcoming message about our city showcasing it as a dynamic, cosmopolitan place to live, visit and work.

A messAGe from the minister for culture, Arts & leisure, cArál ní chuilínI am delighted to support this year’s Belfast Mela which is just one of our great local festivals. Now in its 6th year, this intercultural arts festival continues to grow from strength to strength. It is definitely a date for your diary and will have something for everyone from fashion to food to music and dance from across the globe. Belfast Mela 2012 is not to be missed and is an important event in the annual arts calendar. There is no doubting the positive role the arts have to play in our communities. They are an important vehicle for encouraging engagement, involvement and inclusivity which is a key tenet of the recently published Intercultural Arts Strategy developed by the Arts Council and is central to the ethos of Belfast Mela. Best wishes to all for a fantastic event which will demonstrate unique talent and diversity.

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Belfast: a city full of festivals

Belfast is truly a city of festivals, playing host to over fifty festivals a year - the equivalent of one every week.

Festivals provide space for many of the city’s communities to showcase and celebrate their own unique culture, supporting our vision of a peaceful, stable and inclusive society, where individuality is respected and diversity celebrated. Festivals also provide a platform for local and international talent, and help brand Belfast as a welcoming and vibrant city. They attract tourists to our city and make a significant contribution to the local economy.

Belfast City Council is committed to addressing the continuing development of our festivals. The Festivals Forum is a proactive collective of festival organisers and agencies that are working together to build on the

existing strengths of our festivals. It is developing a coordinated approach to the planning, programming, promotion and managing of festival activity across Belfast by sharing and presenting ideas, helping to develop event programming, marketing and skills training and coordinating a festival events calendar

The Belfast Mela plays an important role within this context and within this city. As the largest multicultural festival in Northern Ireland, it brings together audiences and participants from across Belfast and from over forty different nations. Through dance, carnival, music, art, craft and food, it celebrates all that makes Belfast unique and helps our citizenry positively embrace that difference. Belfast City Council is delighted and very proud to be associated with this vibrant, inspiring festival as it now enters its sixth year.

6www.belfastcity.gov.uk/culture/festivals

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Images: 1&2. Festival of Fools; 3. Belfast Mela; 4. Land of Giants; 5. Diwali & Samhain

Check in& listen up!Love music?Be part of Northern Ireland 2012.With short breaks from just £79 per room*, 2012 really is the year to be here.

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World stagehighlights

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A powerhouse of production, creAtivity, innovAtion And tAlent, dcs Are A force to Be reckoned with in BhAnGrA music. DCS are a Bhangra band that was formed in 1983, and have been shaking the Bhangra industry and the world’s Asian population ever since. They have a remarkable,

dcs

innovative, ability to adapt to changing trends. They also play a major part in creating trends and being a role model for up and coming bands.

They were the first band to utilise the modern creative sounds of synthesizers in the production of late 80s Bhangra. This influenced all the Bhangra bands in the competitive market to change their style of music. The entrepreneurial strategies of DCS have become the main trend to follow. In the 80s, DCS followed the demands of the public and began adding traditional Bhangra patterns, those commonly found in the music of renowned artists such as Kuldip Manak, Gurdas Mann, K Deep and Jagmohan Kaur. Modern music with the influence of the traditional Dhol and Tumbi embraced a real rich aroma of Punjab leading their success further to achieve platinum and gold albums.

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niWel tsuMBu

Worldstage

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wAywArd incAntAtions And surGicAlly precise GuitAr lines hAve Audiences eAtinG out of the pAlm of his hAnds. Niwel Tsumbu moved to Cork in Southwest Ireland in 2004 and quickly became involved with the Irish music scene. His elegant and fluent guitar playing draws from African Rhythms, Rumba, Jazz, Classical, Flamenco and more. Playing electric & acoustic guitars, and singing mostly in his native ‘Lingala’, Niwel plays a range of music that stretches from contemporary versions of Congolese traditional music from the 1930s & 40s to modern jazz.

Niwel’s first album ‘UH! E ZA NZELA MOLAYI’ was released in 2006. ‘SONG OF THE NATIONS’ followed in March 2009 with the band of the same name boasting international musicians including Eamonn Cagney on percussion (Ireland), Peter Erdei on bass (Hungary), Frailan Moran Mendive on percussion (Cuba) and Katherine Dohner on violin (Germany). Niwel’s third album S’ALL VIBRATION was released in October 2011 with an Irish national tour. Over the last 50 years Central Africa has built itself an incredible reputation for giving birth to many of the world’s greatest guitarists, and Congolese Niwel Tsumbu is a fitting ambassador to carry that torch forward into the 21st century.

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Jaipur KaWa Brass Band

with elABorAte rhythms And virtuoso improvisAtions this spectAculAr Group of Authentic rAjAsthAni Gypsies present A rousinG musicAl extrAvAGAnzA. Hailing from a long family lineage of musicians and sharing his life between Jaipur and Paris, Hameed Khan Kawa, a tabla maestro and artistic director of Musafir, has known the sound of the brass band since his birth. In its native place, Rajasthan, the brass band is a feature of life itself. Exposed to different musical styles – jazz, Western traditional music, Indian music – Hameed developed the idea of creating a brass band of his own to present the fantastic sound of the Indian Brass Band.

A rousing musical extravaganza, the soul of the contemporary Indian’s feast, – on recognisably Western instruments such as the clarinet, trumpet, trombone, sousaphone, saxophone and tuba and an array of percussion. They come with a beautifully costumed Gypsy Sapera Kalbelya dancer, whose choreography represents the contortions of the cobra- the guardian of spiritual truth- and a genuine fakir, whose sabre swallowing, extreme juggling and stupendous balancing skills have to be seen to be believed.

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african dance & theatre association uK

A sensAtionAl presentAtion of AfricAn roots, culture And trAditions. ADANTA was founded in 1997 to explore and express an idea through dance, which reflects its African roots, society and way of life. Its philosophy is to create innovative work by using sources rooted in traditional African culture and to communicate the diversity of dance vocabulary within the continent to its wide range of audiences.

ADANTA creates work aimed specifically at enabling the audience to experience the beauty and energy

that African dance can generate. Constantly evolving, ADANTA have created works that have been performed in theatres and festivals across the globe; including performances in Atlanta GA, Dubai, UAE Stavanger, Norway, Guernsey, Channel Island and major cities in the UK. The group have developed and performed four theatre productions to date, The Land of a Thousand Dances 2001, ‘Alankwa’ in 2003 ‘Egumba’ in 2004 and ‘IJUWA’ in 2007. The group’s opening performance as part of the All Africa Stars 08 gala celebration at Theatre Royal, Stratford East in London was followed by the performance tours in Stavanga, Norway, Guernsey.

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let’s dance! Worldstage

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south AsiAn dAnce AcAdemy Ireland’s first professional South Asian dance troupe debut their brand new showcase.

Ankhile put punjAB de An award winning Bhangra dance team committed to keeping traditional Punjabi folk dancing alive.

virtue dholis Rousing musical beats from a sensational dhol drumming collective.

desi BrAve heArtsMela favourites return with a spectacular line-up of dance performances including a new Indo-Scottish fusion.

Fusing the very best in South Asian dance with performances from Bhangra to Bollywood, prepare for a dazzling dance experience you will never forget!

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shoWcase stage

Located at the bandstand in Botanic Gardens, the showcase stage is the focal point of the Mela’s community area which also includes a global café, street arts, and interactive workshops. The showcase stage promotes local arts and artists in the community and this year we have assembled a fantastic line-up of home grown talent influenced by music and dance from across the globe!

mAGwere Fronted by Zimbabwean born singer & percussionist Wilson Magwere, the band formed in Belfast, Northern Ireland several years ago. Their music is primarily influenced by Zimbabwean rebel music, where hypnotic beats and basslines revolve around a single choral centre.

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virtuoso ivAnov This musical duo is fronted by Nikolai and Velselka Ivanov, who are musicians from Bulgaria that came to live in Northern Ireland in 2010. They perform a selection of folk songs from their native country. Nikolai is an accomplished conductor, musician and musical director. He was a member of the Vidin State Philharmonic Orchestra for seven years and a viola and percussion player with the Balkan International Philharmonic Orchestra.

BAlkAn Alien sound Balkan Alien Sound bring melodic chaos in the style of Gypsy, Klezmer and Balkan songs and dances with energetic rhythms and fast paced melodies that can often leave crowds riotous with dance. Formed in 2007 due to interest gained by travel and research of Balkan and Gypsy music and culture, the band offer their own fresh take on the dances of Bulgaria, Turkey and Romania as well as the subtle folk songs of Serbia and Macedonia.

BriGht liGhts Bright Lights have established themselves as an award winning dance group, providing weekly classes in Highland, Irish, Tap and Ballet dancing as well as providing Highland dance teacher training in Belfast. Bright Lights dancers have performed at the Highland Games, Orangefest and at various Ulster Scots functions throughout Northern Ireland.

iBuki tAiko Ibuki Taiko was founded by Derry woman, Fiona Umetsu, in 2010. Fiona studied Taiko drumming in Tokyo from 1996-2000 and has been trying ever since to find a way to introduce this wonderful drumming to people here in Northern Ireland. Ibuki means ‘breath’ in Japanese. It holds connotations of revigoration, of breathing new life into something - exactly what Ibuki Taiko dreams of doing for the art of Taiko in Northern Ireland.

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tir nA n-oG irish dAncers The Tir Na n-Og Irish Dancing Group was established in 1998 and consists of children and young people from all sections of the community in North Belfast and beyond. They work hard to perfect the art of Festival Dancing and are extremely proud of the high standards attained by its dancers both competitively and in performance work. Teachers work tirelessly towards unlocking the full potential of every individual dancer.

For the full programme of artists featuring on the Mela’s showcase stage visit www.belfastmela.org.uk

CHECK DOORS • CHECK STAIRS • CHECK KEYS • CHECK SMOKE ALARM

CULTURE LANDA Journey Around the World

Culture Land is an area of the Mela that has been specially designed with the view of engaging children in a cultural education experience. Children will be invited on a journey through Culture Land where, in huts from around the world, they will make discoveries and learn new things.

Encapsulated is an area of enchantment, craft, sounds, dance, stories and art giving your young ones a true cultural experience that they will never forget. Developed in partnership with a range of local professional and community artists, public sector agencies and charities, this interactive arts experience completes a visit to the Mela weekend for any family with young children.

For the full Culture Land programme and timings please visit www.belfastmela.org.uk

Highlights of Culture Land 2012 • InteractiveDiscoveryMap•GlobalArtsandCrafts•BollywoodBoogie• ChineseDragonDancing•DrummingCircle• Storytelling

CHECK DOORS • CHECK STAIRS • CHECK KEYS • CHECK SMOKE ALARM

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This year the Mela will introduce a brand new arts experience housed in the magnificent Norwegian kata tents. Taking inspiration from Indian royalty, palaces and places, this area will

give audiences the opportunity to retreat and enjoy Indian classical arts, whilst experiencing the times of the Maharaja through interactive and sensory exhibition and artistic installations.

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Kuljit Bhamra & Shahid Khan present the Best GhAzAls Kuljit Bhamra is an influential British Asian musician, having won many musical awards and recorded over two thousand songs to date. A self taught composer, producer and tabla player, he is credited with spearheading the Bhangra movement in the UK. Kuljit has worked on film scores for over fifteen years, including Bhaji on the Beach, Bend it like Beckham, Alexander the Great, The Guru, A Little Princess, Wings of a Dove, The Four Feathers, Alexander the Great and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.

Shahid Khan, born and bred in London, comes from a family of renowned tabla players and classical singers from the ‘Patiala Gharana’ based in Pakistan. Since winning the 2002 UK Asian Starsearch competition, Shahid has worked with Kuljit Bhamra on various collaborative projects.

Kalasangam presentclAssicAl dAnce of odissi Kalasangam is one of the UK’s leading South Asian arts organisations. Debuting at the Belfast Mela, they will present one of the eight classical forms of Indian dance – Odissi. The dance was traditionally practiced as a sacred ritual to ignite transformation in the dancer and audience. It exquisitely portrays the beauty of the sacred feminine, and reflects the ancient spiritual motifs of India’s great tantric temples.

Foundation of Indian Performing Arts present clAssicAl dAnce of kAthAk FIPA was set up in October 2006 as a not for profit organisation to promote the performing arts of the Indian Subcontinent through contemporary productions, heritage, workshops and multimedia projects. This dance form traces its origins to the nomadic bards of ancient northern India, known as Kathaks, or storytellers. Its form today contains traces of temple and ritual dances, and the influence of the bhakti movement.

perforMance highlights

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For the full Maharaja Tent programme and timings please visit www.belfastmela.org.uk

chutney in the street! Chutney in the Street! is a specially-formed troupe of professional musicians, singers and dancers performing an original piece with new songs inspired by the popular musical style of the Indo-Carribbean communities of Trinidad, Guyana and Suriname. The group presents a charming love story of a stranger who (with some audience assistance!) lifts the demon’s curse over a lost village and eventually wins the love of the Princess. This production was developed through a commission by UK streets arts consortium Without Walls.

pArAde of culturesThe Mela Parade of Cultures officially opens the event with an amazing procession through Botanic Gardens to the World Stage. This year’s procession will be bigger than ever with commissioned carnival creations, lively dhol drumming, Bollywood dancers, a 16ft chinese dragon, a spectacular participatory street arts performance and a traditional brass band from Jaipur!

streAms & rinGs Streams & Rings is London-based Foundation of Indian Performing Art’s stunning 2012 outdoor production that celebrates the London Olympics and the journey of the Olympic Flame. Working with participants from Belfast Community Circus they will present a visual symphony of interchanging and interlocking geometric shapes, inspired by a range of sports and elements of classical Indian dance. Costumed in white, they will create cascades in the shapes of rings, tracks and trails that depict the five continents.

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For the full Street Mela programme and timings please visit www.belfastmela.org.uk

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Relax & RejuvenatePhew! If it all gets a bit too much and you need to take a breather, what better place than the Health & Sports Zone? An area of calm amidst all the bustle, the Health & Sports Zone offers people a chance to try out alternative therapies such as Thai Massage, Indian Head Massage, Reflexology, Aromatherapy and Reiki, plus take part in workshops such as Tai Chi, Pilates and Yoga. A wealth of information towards living a more natural and healthier life.

For the full health and sports zone programme and timings visit www.belfastmela.org.uk

Kabaddi Back by popular demand, try your hand at the traditional South Asian sport of Kabaddi. Kabaddi (meaning ‘holding of hand’) is the national game of Bangladesh where two teams occupy opposite halves of a field and take turns sending a “raider” into the other half, in order to win points by tagging or wrestling members of the opposing team; the raider then tries to return to his own half, holding his breath and chanting “kabaddi, kabaddi, kabaddi” during the whole raid.

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CRAFT VILLAGE The popular Mela craft village returns with an even larger selection of intricate and hand-made crafts from local, national and international acclaimed artists. The craft village will also feature exhibits from the Mela outreach programme which has visited schools and community groups across Northern Ireland.

STUNNING SALWARS TO SILK SARIS Immerse yourself in a shopper’s paradise and take home your own memory of the Mela. Don’t forget to check out ArtsEkta’s ethnic bazaar featuring cutting edge Asian fashion trends. Why not pick up a gift for someone special, or simply treat yourself!

HENNA TATTOOS & CHINESE CALLIGRAPHY Be sure to visit one of the many henna, calligraphy and face painting stations located around the park. A real treat for kids and adults alike!

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A weekend of family fun at the Autumn Fair in Botanic Gardens. Live music, face painting, street theatre and dancing for all ages each day. Award winning blooms, fruit, vegetables and cacti.

Autumn Fair

Botanic Gardens12.30pm- 6pm

Admission free

Saturday

15September

Sunday

16September

An afternoon of fangtastic family fun and entertainment culminating with a spooktacular teatime fireworks display.

Metro Monster Mash

Odyssey Carpark2pm- 6pm

Sunday

28October

Join the Lord Mayor of Belfast Alderman Gavin Robinson and special guests as the city marks the official start of the festive season.

Christmas Lights Switch On

City Hall

Saturday

17November

For information visit our website or contact Belfast Welcome Centre on 028 9024 6609

www.belfastcity.gov.uk/events

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A weekend of family fun at the Autumn Fair in Botanic Gardens. Live music, face painting, street theatre and dancing for all ages each day. Award winning blooms, fruit, vegetables and cacti.

Autumn Fair

Botanic Gardens12.30pm- 6pm

Admission free

Saturday

15September

Sunday

16September

An afternoon of fangtastic family fun and entertainment culminating with a spooktacular teatime fireworks display.

Metro Monster Mash

Odyssey Carpark2pm- 6pm

Sunday

28October

Join the Lord Mayor of Belfast Alderman Gavin Robinson and special guests as the city marks the official start of the festive season.

Christmas Lights Switch On

City Hall

Saturday

17November

For information visit our website or contact Belfast Welcome Centre on 028 9024 6609

www.belfastcity.gov.uk/events

169-3 Advert_Mela.pdf 1 20/07/2011 12:09

in the run up to the melA, ArtsektA hAs Been Busy deliverinG An extensive outreAch proGrAmme Across the reGion helpinG to rAise culturAl AwAreness And explorinG our rich diversity throuGh the Arts.

Principally funded through Belfast City Council’s City of Festivals Peace III programme, with support from Community Relations Council & Community Foundation NI, we have explored different cultures through music, dance, visual arts and drama, in a relaxed, shared and inclusive environment. This has enabled us to effectively highlight, promote and introduce people to the culturally diverse nature of our country which generates understanding and respect, and in doing so promotes reconciliation, good relations, community and social cohesion.

Participants in the programme have been invited to take part in the Mela through participation in the Parade of Cultures, performance on the Showcase Stage, and artistic exhibitions in Culture Land and The Maharaja Tent.

connectingcoMMunities

participating Groups Ardoyne Youth Group Ballymena Inter-Ethnic Forum Belfast Pride Brownlow Community Centre Charter Northern Ireland Horndrive Women’s GroupRoma Community with Bryson Intercultural Shortstrand Community Centre Women’s United

To find out more about ArtsEkta’s award winning outreach programmes visit www.artsekta.org.uk

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ArtsEkta & Moving on Music present

An evening of Sufi devotional music from South Asia

ArtsEkta, Northern Ireland’s leading ethnic arts organisation, and Moving on Music, the foremost promoter of diverse music in Northern Ireland proudly bring you an exciting Qawwali evening performed by Salim Sabri of the Sabri Brothers and his group. Qawwali is a form of Sufi devotional music popular on the Indian subcontinent, and a musical tradition that dates back over 700 years. To book tickets visit themaclive.com or telephone +44(0)28 9023 5053. This event is part of ArtsEkta’s Diwali & Samhain festival which runs from the 5-18th November 2012. For the full festival programme visit www.artsekta.org.uk

18th November 2012, 8.00pm The MAC, Belfast

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Exploring India’s Heritage

The first project of its kind on the island of Ireland, Sanskriti (meaning ‘cultivating’ in the Hindi language) will explore the traditional arts of the Indian subcontinent by journeying through the diverse practices of textile and pottery creation, and the performing arts of Indian myths and Legends. The project will look at themes such as migration and diversity, and explore in ways in which they have shaped the cultural heritage of India throughout time and space.

Generously funded by the Heritage Lottery Fund, the development phase of Sanskriti began on the 1st June 2012 and is due to run over a period of six months. During

ArtsEkta are pleased to announce the introduction of their exciting new heritage project.

this time the project team will work closely with a number of stakeholders from the heritage, museum, education and arts sector to develop the content and structure of the project, aswell as the wider public through our participant forums.

If you would like to get involved in the project in any way please email the Project Manager at mairead@artsekta.org.uk, or ring 028 9023 1381. Please see ArtsEkta’s facebook page on details of how to join the online participant forum.

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festival code

• Admission to the event is £3 for adults or £2 concession in exchange for a wristband which will permit you access to the Mela zones within the park. • Strictly no alcohol will be permitted on site. If you are found with alcohol you will be removed from the festival site. • If disabled patrons require a person for assistance, that person will go free. • No glassware, tins, open barbeques or naked flames. • Food facilities are provided across the festival site. • No dogs except assistance dogs. • Children under 16 must be accompanied by an adult. • Event will happen come rain or shine, please dress appropriately. • The event will open to the public at 12.00pm and finish at 6.00pm. Cues are expected so arrive early to avoid disappointment. • Access terms and conditions will be displayed at entrance to festival site. • ArtsEkta Ltd reserves the right to refuse admission. • Flags, emblems, paraphernalia of a partisan nature will not be permitted onsite. • No outdoor sports are allowed on site, for example football or frisbees, unless it is specifically part of the event programme. • ArtsEkta Ltd will not be responsible for any property losses sustained at this event. • Keep an eye out for your friends, family and children at the festival, and arrange a meeting point. • We encourage you to travel the green way and reduce traffic congestion. • Deposit your rubbish in the general waste and recycling bins provided. • It is illegal to trade, busk throughout the site without a permit. • No flyposting is permitted. • Be mindful of local residents when attending the festival and be quiet when leaving the area.

the BelfAst melA is A fAmily friendly festivAl thAt crosses culturAl, ethnic, reliGious And sociAl BridGes. As you enjoy the festivAl over the weekend we Ask you to emBrAce its ethos And respect the diversity of cultures Around you. By pAyinG Admission to the festivAl you AGree to the followinG conditions of entry:

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www.belfastmela.org.uk

Philip House127 - 137 York StreetBelfast, BT15 1AB

Tel: +44 (0)28 9023 1381info@artsekta.org.ukwww.artsekta.org.uk

ArtsEkta is a registered charity (XR96726) and company limited by guarantee (NI060389)

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