Fringe is where the modern and classical worlds meet
WORLD, urban, and classical Indian music and culture will combine for a new festival coming to Hyson Green, Nottingham, at the weekend.
Taking over New Art Exchange from Friday until Sunday, the Darbar Fringe Festival is set to bring together creatives from across the worlds of classical, contemporary and urban Indian music - including musicians, artists and writers - for a series of concerts, discussions and pop-up performances.
Skinder Hundal, CEO of New Art Exchange, said: “In this moment of uncertain socio-political times art and culture provides and reaches new depths and meanings about who we are as communities especially to one another.
“This is why we are really pleased to be designing the Fringe Festival with Darbar. The confluence of urban living, the classical forms with contemporary constructs reimagines a new Utopian world.”
Darbar Festival artistic director Sandeep Virdee OBE added that the festival will offer a “safe incubation space” for artistic development and cultural celebration.
“It is high time we celebrate culture and openly debate the issues facing minorities in Britain today,” he said.
“The Fringe connects artists from vastly different genres to come together in a safe incubation space to create new pieces of work which will be showcased through a special concert titled Afterglow. Music, debates and great food – perfect festival stuff to enjoy.”
The Hyson Green festival has been curated by New Art Exchange in partnership with London’s Darbar Festival, which has grown to become the largest festival celebrating Indian music and dance outside of India.
Also on hand during the three-day festival will be brunches and pop-up performances at the Café Bar. Saturday will bring attendees a Brazilian-inspired brunch with an Indian-inspired meal on Sunday, June 17.
The event offers a mixture of free and paid-for events, which are open to all. While the discussion are free to attend, the concerts on offer are ticketed and cost £10.
Friday’s opening day will feature a free discussion entitled Being Brown, as well as a performance from the band Kefaya. On Saturday there will be a free discussion titled Big Picture, followed by an evening Afterglow concert from Kristen Hammerseth, Jasdeep Degun, Jason Singh and Rehmat Rayatt.
The final day of the event will include a morning performance from sitar player Roopa Panesar followed by an evening concert by kora player Sura Susso in addition to a discussion on world power.
Musicians and special guests confirmed to attend in addition to Kefaya, Roopa Panesar and Sura Susso include Nihal Arthanayake, Aziz Ibrahim, Kayza Rose, Mahtab Hussain, Anila Dhami, Amit Dhand and Rishi Dastidar.
The Darbar Fringe Festival will be at New Art Exchange, Hyson Green, from June 15 until June 17. More details, including ticket purchase information, can be found at nae. org.uk.