Paragon Law are proud to support MELA 100 – Celebrating 100 years of Indian cinema and poetry through music, dance, arts and entertainment events throughout Nottingham in September

Celebrating 100 years of Indian cinema and the poetry of Tagore, this year’s Nottingham Mela100 – co-produced by New Art Exchange and the Nottingham Asian Arts Council – is set to be one of the biggest yet.
Held across five Nottingham venues during the first two weekends in September, the festival will be a vibrant, colourful celebration of South Asian and World culture which brings together music, dance, visual arts, film, street entertainment, South Asian cuisine, crafts and markets to entertain and engage all ages and communities.
Mela100 opens on Friday 6 September at Primary artist studios with Nadeem Chaudry’s installation and film screening of Pakeezah, one of India’s finest Bollywood films. On the same night Rahat Fateh Ali Khan’s internationally renowned Qawwali group will be performing at the Royal Concert Hall.
Then on Saturday 7 September there will be a magical immersive visual space created with an evening of music curated and composed by MOBO and Mercury award winning jazz pianist Zoe Rahman. Rahman’s work will be inspired by the great Indian writer Rabindranath Tagore.
On Sunday 8 September there will then be a family day at New Art Exchange and a special screening of the film Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge on The Forest Recreational Ground in Chipperfield’s circus tent that evening. Finally Mela100 will culminate on Sunday 15 September in Nottingham Castle’s beautiful gardens as part of Heritage Open Day by creating a picnic in the park environment with market traders and stall.
Skinder Hundal, CEO of New Art Exchange and Creative Producer of Nottingham Mela said: “Nottingham Mela is special as it recognises that South Asian and cultures from across the world play an important part in our city and our lives, and that British Asian artists continue to pioneer practices capturing the traditions of the east and contemporary arts with a British perspective.”
Nottingham Mela is the oldest national Mela in the UK and aims to provide the public with an Asian event with the equivalent artistic content of the Edinburgh Festival, whilst having the carnival atmosphere of the Notting Hill Carnival.
Bhavesh Jani, Nottingham Asian Arts Officer said Mela100 presents fantastic free opportunities for all people to come together and enjoy events and entertainment.
“This year we are particularly thankful to Chipperfields for sponsoring the Cinema Marquee at the Forest Recreation Ground and to the City Council for making the Castle available for the Family Picnic,” he said.
Nottingham Mela100 has been made possible thanks to the support of Nottingham City Homes, Arts Council, England, Nottingham City Council and venue partners Primary, the Royal Concert Hall and Nottingham Castle as well as project partners Chipperfields Circus and TLC events.
For further information please contact: Emma O’Neill, Marketing and Communications Manager here or on: 0115 924 8630
Venues, dates and times of Mela100
Friday 6 September:
• Primary Arts Studios 7.00pm: Nadim Chaudry installation and film screening of Pakeezah
• Royal Centre, 7.30pm: Rahat Fateh Ali Khan in concert
Saturday 7 September
• New Art Exchange, 7.00pm: Zoe Rahman and friends in concert
Sunday 8 September
New Art Exchange 12 to 7pm: Family Day, launch of the Chaiya Chaiya Project and DJ Marathon
Forest Recreational Ground, Circus Tent 7.30pm: Film Screening of Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge
Sunday 15 September
• Nottingham Castle, 11 to 5pm: Picnic in the park with music and markets
About New Art Exchange –
New Art Exchange is a contemporary art gallery committed to stimulating new perspectives on the value of diversity within art and society. A stunning, RIBA award winning building, New Art Exchange is the largest space in the UK dedicated to culturally diverse contemporary visual arts, and is rooted in the community with a strong history of working with minority communities.
NAE presents major international exhibitions, launching the British Art Show in 2010, and every season presenting work from the highest quality, world-renowned artists. NAE partners locally, nationally and internationally, connecting audiences and artists from all over the world with new and innovative collaborations and opportunities.
About Nottingham Asian Arts Council –
Nottingham Asian Arts Council (NAAC) is a non-for-profit organisation which is dedicated to the promotion of South Asian Arts within the Nottinghamshire region. It is a voluntary organisation formed in October 1986 with the specific aim of promoting South Asian Arts in Nottinghamshire. NAAC began its work directly in Nottingham City with members of the resident Indian sub-continent communities, but later broadened out across the various boroughs of Nottingham. NAAC now works across the County, whilst also developing contacts nationally and internationally to support cultural activities and artists.
MELA – A Brief History –
The Mela scene started off in Nottingham and Bradford over two decades back, and has since enjoyed huge success all over the UK. Mela is a Sanskrit word meaning ‘gathering’, ‘to meet’ or a Fair.
The aim of the first ever outdoor Festival of Asian Arts & Music in 1988 was to provide the public with an event which would go a long way to satisfy the artistic and cultural needs of a diverse Asian community, whilst at the same time providing opportunity for the wider community to enjoy the rich cultural traditions of the Indian Subcontinent.
The festival aimed to increase the general awareness about Asian music within the UK and thus it was felt that Melton Medes could benefit. In the longer term, the aim of the festival has been to provide the public with an Asian event with the equivalent artistic content of the Edinburgh Festival, whilst having the carnival atmosphere of the Notting Hill Carnival.
The formative years’ festivals were two-day events which attracted national and international media attention. Links with activities and events on the European continent were also established, especially within the world music scene. For example, thanks to the first festival, Bhangra band “Pardesi” performed on the continent at huge events such as “Le Printemps de Bourges” (France) and in 1990 at the “Roma-Europa” concert (Italy); and had a video made about them by “Suisse Romand Coleur 3” national TV.
For the fourth annual festival a new environment was chosen to play host to the event – the Victoria Embankment. By this time the educational aspect of the festival was very strong, and growing. In addition to workshops in Sitar and Asian dance, traditional craftwork, mehndi, painting, sculpture and storytelling were some of the activities taking place.
APNA Arts continued to move forward in the 90s with more determination. The annual festival grew from strength to strength on various aspects, including a greater emphasis on visual arts, addressing environment issues and heritage. In later years the emphasis and focus of the festival has changed, looking closer at developing younger people, as well as nurturing the creative arts in an all-inclusive manner.
Britain’s premier Mela festival has consistently showcased live performances by national and international artists including the likes of Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, Nitin Sawhney, Anup Jalota, Najma Akhtar, Baluji Shrivastav, Aziz Mian Qawwaal, Alaap, DCS, Apna Sangeet, Golden Star and Apache Indian amongst others. The best in performances from the diverse artistic cultures of South Asia such as Bhangra, Ghazal, Qawwali, classical & folk dance and theatre.
