Sampad South Asian Arts and Heritage, one of the UK’s leading South Asian Arts and Culture organisations, is celebrating its 30th Anniversary with the launch of a year-long programme of specially commissioned events, performances and arts partnerships.
Sampad has helped to establish South Asian arts within mainstream culture in Birmingham, and across the UK, playing a major role in promoting art and artists of Indian, Pakistani, Sri Lankan and Bangladeshi heritage.
Anniversary highlights include a major, specially commissioned, international writing competition for women in Birmingham (UK), Pakistan and Bangladesh. My City My Home will reach out to emerging women writers from all three locations resulting in a publication of selected works together with live readings, book launches and celebration events. Funded by Culture Central (Transforming Narratives) & British Council.
Sampad is supporting 4 South Asian dancers who have been awarded commissioning funds by Dance Hub Birmingham to undertake a residency which will develop their choreographic practice. Anaya Bolar, Lakshmi Srinivasan, Sonia Chandaria Tillu and Vidya Patel will each work with an artist-mentor whom they have not worked with previously. This will create opportunities for them to showcase this new work.
Part of the 30th anniversary will feature Twelve, a film project which captures the lives and contribution of key figures and collectives who have helped to shape the West Midlands.
Award-winning singer-songwriter Navin Kundra, vocalist’s Priti Kaur and Rekha Sawhney and Bhangra vocalist Shin DCS are amongst the singers featured in The CBSO’s Bollywood Hits which returns to Symphony Hall this summer. In association with Sampad this spectacular gala concert conducted by Richard Davis will feature music from Rahman himself to Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan and many more. CBSO celebrates their 100th anniversary this year.
One of the main programme highlights will see Birmingham Royal Ballet also celebrate their 30th year in the city. With Sampad they will bring together Akram Khan Company Mavin Khoo and Birmingham Royal Ballet’s first soloist Kit Holder to share, practice and explore each other’s dance language. The creative week will see them work on new choreography ahead of a sharing event at the end of the choreo-lab residency.
Reflecting on 30 years in the city Founder Piali Ray OBE said, “Sampad has evolved as an Arts and Heritage organisation with a commitment to engage with artists and communities across all backgrounds and barriers. From multicultural to intercultural we have seen how our artistic voice has resonated across cities and countries often flagged as a model of good practice.
“At a time when the hurt of fractured society is challenging many of us, we must build on our friendships, trust and collective artistic voice developed over the past 30 years. None of this would be possible, or can be sustained, without the fantastic support we receive from people. I am immensely grateful to every individual who enabled Sampad and was a part of this journey. Looking ahead we will continue to deliver on our commitment to create exciting arts that promises to tell your stories to inspire our stories.”
