Mela Arts Zone Free Participatory workshops for all the family 

 

  

                 

The Mela Arts Zone is a place for everyone to enjoy. It's your chance to watch and have a go at a diverse range of arts and activities, including story time for the little ones, contemporary block printing and mehndi design for the slightly older and a range of traditional arts for the grownups.  Leicester Mela brings traditional and contemporary forms of art to all through workshops, performance platforms and exhibitions. It will include live musicians, dancers, puppetry, poetry and much more!

Digital Arts
This year the Mela will introduce digital arts to the public of Leicester by utilising the Big Screen in Leicester City Centre and creating an exhibition out of your photos - to get involved simply take pictures of your day at the Mela on Sunday 18th July and send your favorite ones to mela.arts@yahoo.co.uk
Puppets on a String
Everyone loves a puppet show, so here is a puppet show with a South Asian twist. Black Cat Theatre will perform 3 times throughout the day. These will be professional performances with South Asian traditions incorporated to make an enchanting puppet show which will demonstrate the traditions of Kathputli, Indian Marionettes. Come along and watch the show and then 'meet the puppets' and discover how each marionette comes to life through movement.
Free Participatory Workshops and Activities for all to enjoy…
Ever wanted to try your hand at fine art painting, writing a poem or making a professional print? These are just some of the things that you will be able to do at the Mela this year. There will be an array of free participatory workshops and activities including Leicester Print Workshop, where you can have a go at making your own print, decorative art making, traditional South Asian Crafts - some of these with a contemporary twist, a puppet-tree and story time tent with Leicester Libraries and you can even jump on a rickshaw and enjoy a magical journey through the streets of Leicester.
There is also a poetry tent where you can create and hang your very own poem on our poetry washing line with the help of a professional poet who will also be doing some sporadic performances throughout the day and it wouldn't be a celebration or a Mela without the art of mehndi - watch three artists use different techniques to make three contemporary mehndi mannequins and put your ideas on the 'inspire the artist' board to have your input into their art.

                

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