The Director of Surtal Asian Arts, Gopa Nath explained: “The Festival is designed to showcase the delights of South Asian culture for everyone in Derby and we have organised something for everyone to make this a great family day out. Derby is a wonderfully multi-cultural city and the unique thing about this festival compared with similar events around the UK is that we recognise the influences that the music and dance have on each other cultures and have brought these together in an exciting entertainment line-up.”

Some highlights of the South Asian Arts Festival will include:

The premiere of a unique fusion dance production called BollyWorld, bringing together dancers and dance styles from different parts of the world where movement flows from Indian classical to western contemporary to Bhangra to African to street to Hip Hop entwined with Bollywood moves, bringing the world of Bollywood alive on stage.

MI21 by Kala Phool, is a dynamic live audio/ visual experience, which re-scores and re-visualizes one of Indian cinema’s most powerful films, Mother India, which was also nominated for an Oscar for best Foreign Film in 1957. DJ Tigerstyle, one of the world’s leading turntablists will be remixing the music for what is going to be a feature not to be missed.

International headline acts will include:

Singer Jaz Dhami, who looks set to redefine the UK Punjabi music rulebook;

Internationally acclaimed Sarod player, Rajeeb Chakraborty;

Derby’s own Jatinder Kumar, who now performs throughout the world.

Dance and music from local schools and community groups.

Gopa Nath continues: “We have so many talented artists who have started with Surtal Asian Arts and have now moved onto international recognition that it is wonderful that they are coming back to contribute to the Festival.”

South Asian Arts Festival will also offer loads of opportunities for the audience to get involved including a challenge which aims to get everyone to learn at least five steps from ‘Jai Ho’, which was made famous by the Oscar winning film Slum Dog Millionaire, that will then turn the whole Market Place into a dance floor.

South Asia Arts Festival is going to be one of this years most exciting FREE festivals in the East Midlands, which welcomes all communities from across the region and beyond.

Location: Market Place, Derby, DE1 3AH For more information please visit: www.surtalarts.co.uk