Kala Sangam - Bringing people together through South Asian and Interdisciplinary Arts

Introduction

Kala Sangam was founded in 1993 by Dr Shripati Upadhyaya, a consultant clincal Psychologist with special interest in the use of arts for people with disability. His dream was to establish a unique organisation which delivers high quality south Asian arts through innovative collaborations, make a change in the lives of people and is accessible by people of all ages and abilities.

Kala Sangam is a Sanskrit word where Kala is arts and Sangam, a meeting point. Sangam is a confluence of 3 rivers in the north of India where 2 rivers meet and the third is a mystical river. The idea was taken from this confluence and the people were the rivers who are united through arts.

Kala Sangam was founded in Leeds and then moved to Bradford but operates regionally, nationally and increasingly internationally. The organisation has gained valuable knowledge, practical experience and credible reputation in the field of south Asian and interdisciplinary arts provision and aims to become the major provider in this field in Bradford.

The four key areas of the company are Arts in Performances, Education, Health and Youth. The company delivers art and cultural activities which value diversity and bring communities together, promoting understanding and mutual respect, ensuring fair access, enabling people of all ages and abilities to enjoy and participate in arts leading to community cohesion. This ties in with and is guided by the cultural vision for Bradford which embraces and values its rich cultural heritage as a legacy for the future generations.

Mission

Our mission is to bring people together through South Asian and collaborative arts.

Vision

The vision of Kala Sangam is 'to establish a centre of excellence for arts, heritage and culture which will be a beacon of cultural harmony and diversity'.