Kalasetu – Building Cultural Bridges

March 24, 2024

Organised by Subrang Arts as part of 'This is Croydon' London Borough of Culture. Reviewed by Parvati Nair.
Photos: Vipul Sangoi

Kalasetu brought together eight artists, four each working in musical and dance traditions from India and Spain respectively. Using rhythm, vocals, instrumental music and dance, the artists came together to explore synergies and ways of cross-cultural dialogue through performance. Most striking was the interplay of sitar and guitar, as well as that between kathak and flamenco dance. With the exception of the flamenco singer, all the artists are based in the United Kingdom and many were emerging artists, whose careers show much promise.

Subrang Arts helps Gujaratis in UK stay rooted to their culture

December 03, 2022

MEMORY, belonging, culture, faith and identity are issues all individuals grapple with in life as they navigate through its various vicissitudes.MEMORY, belonging, culture, faith and identity are issues all individuals grapple with in life as they navigate through its various vicissitudes.

These issues are not fixed but changeable and, depending on the context in which we live, we develop new affinities, new sensibilities, and new ways of relating to others. At times, this process can be problematic and when identities clash, people are often left confused, perplexed and at times bewildered.

Cross-cultural festive vibes at British Museum’s month-long Diwali

November 12, 2022

A visually captivating musical event celebrating Indian classical music and folk dance marked special Diwali celebrations at British Museum in London, organised recently by Subrang Arts.

British Museum’s Learning team is at the forefront of increasing cross-cultural exchange and engagement with the culture and heritage of the Indian diasporic communities. This was one such event that they supported and brought many communities together in the Great Hall and the South Asia Gallery of the Museum.

સામ્રાજ્યની સફર અને વિભિન્ન દેશોમાં વસતા મૂળ વતનીઓ

9 August 2022

સ્કૂલ ઑફ ઓરિએન્ટલ ઍન્ડ આફ્રિકન સ્ટડીઝ – લંડન (SOAS) દ્વારા, સાઉથ એશિયન હેરિટેજ મન્થના નેજા હેઠળ, ગઈ તારીખ 15 અને 16 જુલાઈના, ગ્રીષ્મોત્સવનું આયોજન કરવામાં આવ્યું. ખાદી લંડનનાં સક્રિય સભ્ય તરીકે તેમાં ભાગીદાર થવાનું સદ્દભાગ્ય સાંપડ્યું.

આ કાર્યક્રમના આયોજનના કેન્દ્રમાં બ્રિટિશ સામ્રાજ્યના દક્ષિણ એશિયાના વતનીઓ, કે જેઓ પોતાના મૂળ વતનથી વિખુટા પડીને દુનિયાના અન્ય વિસ્તારોમાં જઈને સ્થાયી થયા, તેમની અસ્મિતા ઉપર થયેલી અસરો અને સામે પક્ષે તેઓએ જે તે દેશોને શું શું પ્રદાન કર્યું છે તેની કહાણી ગૂંથવાનો પ્રયાસ રહ્યો છે. આ વર્ષે ભારતની આઝાદીનાં 75 વર્ષ થયાં તેમ જ અખંડ ભારતના ભાગલાની સાથે પૂર્વ અને પશ્ચિમ પાકિસ્તાન અસ્તિત્વમાં આવ્યાને પણ 75 વર્ષ થયાં; અને યુગાન્ડાના એશિયનોની ઇદી અમીને કરેલી હકાલપટ્ટીને 50 વર્ષ થયાં તે બે મહત્ત્વની દૂરગામી અસરો છોડી જનાર ઘટનાઓનું પણ આ ઉત્સવમાં પ્રતિબિંબ ઝીલાયું હતું.

‘Peace and Harmony’

February 01, 2022

Subrang Arts and London Mozart Players

With live shows cancelled and numerous postponements, 2020 was a lost year for so many artists. But with vaccine rollouts and determination to ride over the natural disaster, there was light at the end of the pandemic-shaped tunnel. The advantage of lockdown was that it enabled all the artists to reflect upon what had happened before awaiting what more there was to come. Here the expression ‘with baited breath’ could realistically apply. The long awaited ‘Peace and Harmony’ concert finally took place at Ashcroft Theatre, Fairfield Halls on 3rd October in front of a very large appreciative audience.

MIGRATION MUSEUM

January 22, 2018

Gujarati Yatra – “We came with empty hands; we left with empty hearts”

If you find yourself anywhere near Croydon between now and April 2018, go and visit the Gujarati Yatra exhibition, which is nestled away in the Museum of Croydon and occupies the stairwell, corridor and café of the Clocktower building in which it is housed.

A lovely review written by Andrew Steeds from Migration Museum, London UK