Kala Sangam launches its new season, featuring an eclectic selection of intercultural performances, exhibitions, films and classes
From the ultimate hip hop event, to a series of classical and contemporary South Asian music performances by some of the best musicians in the UK, a new C.U.L.T Film Night and a British Bollywood Spectacular to end the season – there is something for everyone this Autumn at Kala Sangam – Bradford’s Intercultural Arts Centre.
The season launches with Geometry as Earth Measure (12 September – 31 October) by Bradford artist Mahmud Manning, an exhibition that showcases responses to land, sky and the cosmos. To mark the 550th anniversary of Guru Nanak’s birth, Treasures of Nanak (06 November – 23 January) features rare Sikh artefacts, arms, armour, manuscripts, paintings and contemporary art, presented by The Bradford Police Museum.
The season features some of the very best in world music. Acclaimed musicians John Ball, Vijay Venkat and Sarah Yaseen performed in Summer 2019 as Ruhaani. This Autumn, they are back as Rafiki Jazz (28 September),with six other native and migrant musicians, who remix roots music and tell modern day stories. Experience the six seasons of India with internationally celebrated blind Indian Sitarist and Composer – Baluji Shrivastav OBE (16 November), who has performed with famous acts such as; Massive Attack, Coldplay and Stevie Wonder. Bradford Singer Samia Malik (28 November) will launch her new album, highlighting contemporary issues such as identity, race and gender.
Some of Yorkshire’s brightest up and coming theatre makers also feature this season. Bradford Theatre Company Bloomin’ Buds present a special, one-off performance of Brenda’s Got A Baby (16 October), following a run of performances in New York. Freedom Studios present BD Stories (23-26 October),consisting of two new short plays celebrating the stories and cultures of Bradford.
Kala Sangam’s popular Poetry Open Mic Night comes back twice this season, with the first, hosted once again by Sharena Lee Satti (19 September) and the second, in partnership with the Bronte Parsonage Museum under the theme of Journeys (5 December).To celebrate National Poetry Day, Books Up North presents a trilogy of poetic movement, which explores the relationship between poetry and dance, at Dancing With Words (3 October).
Tech Styles 6 (1-2 November) by Tranquil Productions returns even bigger and better than last year. This year sees the Bgirls taking centre stage; to show their amazing breakin skills, along with workshops, performances and battles, live street art and DJ sets. After Keira Martin’s incredible performance at WOW Festival in 2018, she comes back to Kala Sangam with Good Blood (21 November),a funny, heart-warming dance-theatre production that sheds light on family ties, the bands that hold us together and the people that make us who we are.
For audiences who enjoy South Asian dance, Swati Dance Company perform Half of Me (7 November), which explores the often unheard stories of young people born through Assisted Reproductive Technologies, such as IVF. To end the season with a bang, Zoobin Surty Karma Dance Company present the British Bollywood Spectacular (14 December), full of the colours, sounds and flamboyancy of Bollywood!
The brand new C.U.L.T Film Night in partnership with Reel Solutions takes place on the last Tuesday of every month, featuring films from around the world; starting with a special preview of Permission (24 September), Photograph (29 October) and Home (26 November).
Alongside an exciting programme of events, participants can try breakdancing and Bollywood for themselves, at two new classes starting from September – Breakin Classes with Tranquil Productions (Mondays, 6-8pm), whether you like the Hip Hop culture, are curious to find out more, or want to improve your strength, stamina and flexibility – these classes will get you up on your hands and feet to the beat. Bollywood Dance with Zoobin Surty Karma Dance Company (Tuesdays, 7-8pm), inspired by the sights and sounds of the world’s biggest film industry, this class is a great way to keep fit whilst learning spectacular routines ahead of performing in our Christmas British Bollywood Spectacular!
Kala Sangam – Bradford’s intercultural Arts Centre – is the perfect setting for audiences new to dance, music, poetry, film, theatre and visual art. Earlier this year, Kala Sangam introduced a new ‘Pay What You Decide’ pricing structure for most events. Under the new system, tickets can be booked in advance as usual but audiences don’t pay until they have seen the show. This allows people to not only pay what they can afford, but also decide on a price based on their experiences of a show.
Tickets for Kala Sangam’s Autumn Winter Season are now on sale, to book a ticket, or to find out more about the new classes, visit http://www.kalasangam.org or call 01274 303340.
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