Kala Sangam is an intercultural arts hub which aims to reflect the diversity of contemporary Britain through the work we present, the artists we support and the communities we engage. Specialising in South Asian arts and culture, most of our work takes place in our Arts Centre in the heart of Bradford (in between Bradford Cathedral and The Broadway Shopping Centre) with our outreach activities extending nationally and internationally. In Sanskrit, ‘Kala’ means arts and ‘Sangam’ means a meeting point. Kala Sangam aims to bring people and communities together to create and experience high-quality diverse art, to increase understanding and awareness of different cultures, and to provide talent development pathways for young people and emerging artists into a career in the arts. Founded in 1993 by Dr Shripati Upadhyaya and Dr Geetha Upadhyaya, Kala Sangam became a registered charity and limited company in 1996. In 2017/18 Kala Sangam launched three new public facing strands of activity. Focusing primarily on music and dance, all artistic, education and outreach activity delivered by Kala Sangam now aligns with at least one of these strands be that work presented in the Ganges Theatre, the artists we support (and the work they create), our schools offer, or any of the other ways in which we deliver our work.
Education & Outreach: Our community projects and schools delivery promotes greater understanding and appreciation of different cultures through fun, one-off sessions or longer term projects. Our activity aims to increase awareness of racial and social issues, whilst at the same time offering a chance to be creative and learn new skills. Our bespoke PSHE schools offer investigates the curriculum and key ‘British Values’ in an accessible, informative and inspiring way.
Academy Classes: We offer a range of weekly classes. Our Academy has offered the very best quality accredited I STD training in the classical Indian dance style of Bharatanatyam for 25 years. Taught by acclaimed teacher Santosh Menon, it’s the ideal place to start learning this beautiful dance style. Alongside our Academy we also offer Hatha Yoga, dance sessions for people with Parkinson’s, Punjabi music and dance classes, Phoenix Dance Theatre’s NO BOUNDS (free dance classes for boys) and Movement! (our dance group for people with a disability or autism).
Artist Support: We work with artists to offer them a programme of support tailored to their needs. Our offer includes access to free rehearsal space, organisational development support, help writing fundraising applications, performance opportunities, technical support, meeting room space and more. Support is gender neutral with a focus on Bradford based musicians and dancers and support for BAME artists based elsewhere.
Performances: We present two seasons of performances each year featuring high-quality local, national and international artists from a variety of cultural heritages. We are the home of music and dance in Bradford, bringing the best choreographers and composers to the city. Our Ganges Theatre (seats 126) also presents performances by local amateur groups and dance schools throughout the year. Aligning with our Programming Strands, we aim to ensure there is something for all of Bradford’s diverse communities in each season. Each session features a minimum of two visual arts.