Category Archives: News

Love Bristol Arts

#LoveBristolArts – Please Support

News

We are taking part in #LoveBristolArts, a new collaborative campaign launched by the Bristol Arts Marketing Network (19 – 23 October).

At this time of year, we would usually be taking part in the anticipated Culture Flash Sale.  However, due to the current world circumstances this is not possible.

As you may be aware, the pandemic has seriously effected the arts sector. The #LoveBristolArts campaign is an important campaign to support arts and culture. And you play a vital role.

So, please read on to see how you can support.

How you can support

Each organisation taking part has highlighted top three ways you can show support.

Three ways to support Asian Arts Agency:

1.Please support us by following on social media – Facebook Twitter Instagram YouTube

2. Please consider a donation to help us through these challenging times

3.Please support us by sharing our live music content created and performed in Bristol.

Check out the entire list of all organisations taking part.

Share your love for Bristol arts using #LoveBristolArts hashtag.

What do you love most about Bristol arts and culture?

Let us know!

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COVID-19 Support

News
Funding and support for artists and individuals

We hope you are coping amidst the challenging circumstances of COVID-19. As an arts organisation we do understand the pain you are experiencing. With many events cancelled and uncertainty around the future, the arts sector is going through difficult times and is worried about its survival.  In response Government and other funding bodies have announced various grant and support schemes specifically for the arts sector and artists to enable us to get through these times.  On this page we have collated information on funding being offered by Arts Council England and from other sources.

Arts Council England

Develop Your Creative Practice

The fund supports creative practitioners thinking of taking their practice to the next stage to research, have time to create new work, travel, training, develop ideas, network or find mentoring. The next round of DYCP opened on 11 January 2021 and closes on 12pm (midday), 18 February 2021.

Find out more here.

Bristol City Council

The Originators Fund 2021-22 is now open.

Applications can be for £500 to £5000 for events, arts and cultural activities taking place between June 2021 and May 2022. Deadline for applications: midnight on Monday 8 March 2021.

Find out more here.

Other funds / support available:

Help Musicians Coronavirus Financial Hardship Fund

PRS Foundation Funding

PRS Sustaining Creativity Fund

Musicians Union Fund

Government Schemes

If you have never applied for arts funding before and are feeling the impact of COVID-19, you may still be eligible for some of these schemes.  Please read the funding guidelines at the above mentioned links.

Another excellent resource is through Help Musicians who provide information on a range of topics including support on health issues and mental well being.

We are here to support artists with any questions regarding funding. Please contact us at info@asianartsagency.co.uk.

We wish you all the best with your applications and in getting through this period.

Jaswinder Singh

Director

Asian Arts Agency

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Donate to support us

News

 

Rizwan-Muazzam UK tour at St George's Bristol

Support Us Through These Challenging Times

Your support matters.

Asian Arts Agency is a non-profit making organisation. We rely on events, grants, donations and ticket sales to deliver our work. We have lost the majority of our events income for this year. We are requesting our supporters for their contributions to support our work so we can carry on developing new ideas and presenting the best of South Asian music when we are able to do so.

Make a Donation

If you would like to consider a donation please click here.

We would like to thank our audience and our friends for all the support shown through donations and engagement on our digital channels.

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Stay Tuned. More Events To Be Announced Soon

News

We are delighted that venues are now able to open their doors to safely welcome audiences in accordance with COVID-19 regulations. We are currently working on a number of projects. Stay tuned for further announcements.

Stay Connected Digitally

Subscribe to our YouTube channel. Watch our selected footage from our live music events. Our performance footage includes high calibre artists such as Ustad Amjad Ali Khan, Sain Zahoor, Debashish Bhattacharya, Harshdeep Kaur,  Malkit Singh, PunjabTronix and more. We will be releasing content from our upcoming projects soon.

Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram for updates and new content.

Donate to Support Us

Asian Arts Agency is a non-profit making organisation. We rely on events, grants, donations and ticket sales to deliver our work. We have lost the majority of our events income for this year. We are requesting our supporters for their contributions to support our work so we can carry on developing new ideas and presenting the best of South Asian music when we are able to do so.

If you would like to consider a donation please click here.

We would like to thank our audience and our friends for all the support shown through donations and engagement on our digital channels.

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COVID-19 Update | Message from our Director

News

First of all we are sending lots of good wishes for everyone. These are tough and unchartered times and it’s important more than ever that we all stick together and support each other to get through these difficult times.

We want the best for our staff, artists, our audiences and wider society which is at the core of our work. As per the Government’s advice our team is now working remotely.

With the majority of public venues now closed, we have cancelled all our events until the end of May.  We will keep monitoring the situation and provide an update on our events and tours from June 2020 onwards both in the UK and internationally from our website, newsletter and our social media channels.

The safety and well-being of everyone involved with our work is our utmost priority.

Wishing you all the best with getting through these challenging times.

Jaswinder Singh

Director, Asian Arts Agency

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Shreya Devnath & Praveen Sparsh

News

We presented two concerts with esteemed Carnatic musicians Shreya Devnath & Praveen Sparsh in March 2020 at the Assembly Rooms of Glastonbury and the Glass Studio, St George’s Bristol.

The artists presented their project AAVAM, a musical journey through Indian classical and folk cultures.

Carnatic artiste Shreya Devnath

THE ASSEMBLY ROOMS OF GLASTONBURY

The first concert took place at the Assembly Rooms of Glastonbury. The audience reaction was superb:

“This was deeply moving, inspiring an nourishing for the soul. I’m very grateful to have experienced this.” 

“Special music and great venue”.

Watch the encore below:

THE GLASS STUDIO, ST GEORGE’S BRISTOL

The concert in the new Glass Studio at St George’s Bristol was part of a new series curated by Asian Arts Agency, inviting the audience to explore and learn more about Indian music in an intimate setting.

The inspiring performance was followed by an inquisitive questions and answers session with the musicians. The session encouraged the audience to get to know Carnatic music and the instruments, particularly the traditional mrdangam.

Watch an overview of the two concerts below:

 

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Hashmat Sultana | Debut UK Tour 2020

News

We produced a successful 6 date UK Tour with Hashmat Sultana in Feb – March 2020.

Hashmat Sultana are the most exciting contemporary Sufi and punjabi artists to emerge from India in the last two years. The debut UK tour followed their acclaimed WOMAD appearance in 2018. Presented with a live band consisting of 5 top UK musicians, the tour provided an excellent opportunity for collaboration between UK and Indian artists.

Hashmat Sultana Arnolfini

INCREDIBLE AUDIENCE FEEDBACK

The audience feedback during the tour has been incredible. Here is a selection:

“Absolutely brilliant, they had me crying tears of joy.”

“Wasn’t expecting to dance tonight thank you to the brilliant Hashmat Sultana and the great people we met afterwards.”

“Brilliant evening had by all – Thank you to Asian arts for hosting such a fabulous evening- great energy and diversity! More please!”

“Really good evening. Great voices and energy. Loved the band. Hope they return to Bristol.”

“Absolutely fantastic and an excellent evening with Hashmat Sultana and Asian Arts.The voice of two sisters kept the hall warm all the way to the end.Just loved the way sang and deliver the vibes.Hope to see live and more like these shows from Asian arts agency.”

NEW VENUES

Venues included Norden Farm Centre for the Arts in Maidenhead, Folkestone Quarterhouse, Bridport Arts Centre, Arnolfini in Bristol, AT7 Centre in Coventry and Sage Gateshead.

We were delighted to take our work to venues in parts of Britain we had not been to before including Norden Farm, Folkestone Quarterhouse and Bridport Arts Centre. The response was highly encouraging. Bridport Arts Centre stated on Twitter:

Such an honour to have Hashmat Sultana with us on Friday night. They had everyone out of their seats and dancing with their joyful music. A huge THANK YOU to them for coming so far to blow the roof off our venue. Thanks Asian Arts Agency for making it possible!

Watch the Encore at Bridport Arts below:

In our home city ,Bristol, the concert took place at the Arnolfini and was sold out.

MUSIC OF THE SUFIS

Presenting a refreshing and contemporary twist on traditional Punjabi folk and Sufi music from India, the performances featured Sufi poetry and songs from the great Punjabi Sufi poets, such as Baba Bulleh Shah and Shah Hussain.

With powerful Punjabi vocal performances and incredible versatility, the sisters gave electrifying performances.

Watch a short clip of Hashmat Sultana performing the Sufi classic Mast Qalandar at the Arnolfini:

 

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Kuljit Bhamra & Davide Giovannini

News

We presented award-winning composer, record producer and tabla player Kuljit Bhamra with drummer Davide Giovannini and the acclaimed Villiers Quartet at St George’s Bristol in February 2020.

Kuljit Bhamra image

Bhamra’s unique multi-tabla set combined with strings to create percussion-led grooves and poly-rhythms .

Presented in association with St George’s Bristol.

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#ThanksToYou campaign - Kuljit Bhamra image

#ThanksToYou Special Offer

News

This year is the 25th Birthday of The National Lottery.

We’re excited to be a part of the celebrations by joining in the #ThanksToYou campaign.

This celebrates the contribution of National Lottery players in supporting good causes over the past 25 years!

Since The National Lottery’s first draw took place on 19 November 1994, more than £40 billion has been raised for good causes in the areas of arts, sport, heritage and community. That’s £30 million a week making a difference to lives of people and communities throughout the whole of the UK.

OUR #THANKSTOYOU OFFER

To thank National Lottery players for their support, we will running a special 2-for-1 ticket offer. Purchase tickets to see Kuljit Bhamra in collaboration with Davide Giovannini at St George’s Bristol on Saturday 22nd February.

The special 2-for-1 ticket offer will be available for National Lottery ticket holders to purchase tickets from Saturday 23rd November to Sunday 1st December.

Please check our full terms and conditions below.

As a recipient of National Lottery funding, Asian Arts Agency has been able to promote and develop South Asian music in the UK, support artists and continue to produce extraordinary live experiences for audiences and venues, whilst championing the creative case for diversity.

We are one of the hundreds of participating National Lottery-funded projects across the UK who are taking part in the #ThanksToYou campaign in this special Birthday year.

Terms and conditions:

1) One National Lottery Ticket enables the holder to make one booking at the 2-for-1 offer rate, i.e. purchasing 2 tickets for the price of 1.

2) All National Lottery games qualify for the offer, including tickets from any National Lottery draw based game or National Lottery Scratchcard. Proof of purchase of a National Lottery game can be either hard copy ticket or digital.

3) If booking online or via phone, bookers must show proof of National Lottery ticket when collecting their tickets from the box office.

3) The offer is valid from Saturday 23rd November to Sunday 1st December – the duration of the #ThanksToYou campaign.

4) The concert takes place on Saturday 22nd February 2020. Refer to the St George’s Bristol website for further details about the concert.

5) We reserve the right to cap the amount of tickets available as part of this offer. The offer is available on a first come first served basis.

BOOK TICKETS NOW

Follow this link – 241 offer only available from 23 Nov – 1 Dec.

 

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