15TH - 21ST JULY 2019

A MIX AND BLEND OF THE FINEST SOUTH ASIAN ARTS AND CULTURE Image: Ustad Wajahat Khan Image: RNS by Karolina Maciagowska WELCOME WELCOME TO GEMARTS AWARD WINNING MASALA FESTIVAL - A MIX AND BLEND OF THE FINEST SOUTH ASIAN ARTS AND CULTURE

GemArts is strutting into summer like a Bengal tiger as we bring you another magnificent Masala Festival!

Over 7 days, across North East venues, places and spaces we are thrilled to present an incredible line up of classical, traditional and contemporary artists from the UK and Indian sub-continent exploring themes of home, belonging, freedom, resistance, luck and hope.

On behalf of everyone at GemArts we would like to say a big THANK YOU to all the artists, producers, participants, volunteers, partners and sponsors.

We look forward to you joining us, for what promises to be a truly memorable week!

The GemArts Team Vikas, Alexandra and Annalisa MASALA FESTIVAL LAUNCH WAJAHAT KHAN WITH ROYAL NORTHERN SINFONIA GEMARTS IS SUPPORTED BY: SAROD AND STRINGS ENSEMBLE

Wajahat, with his distinctive style and Date: Monday 15th July virtuoso technique has made a revolutionary Time: 7.30pm contribution to the art of sarod playing, MASALA FESTIVAL PARTNERS: Venue: Sage , becoming one of the most accomplished St Mary’s Square, Indian classical musicians of his generation. Gateshead, NE8 2JR Tickets: £13.10 / Family tickets available Royal Northern Sinfonia, Orchestra of Box office: 0191 443 4661 Sage Gateshead, is the UK’s only full-time sagegateshead.com chamber orchestra. Founded in 1958, RNS has built a worldwide reputation for the GemArts Masala Festival launches with North East through the quality of its an incredible collaboration and a special music-making. evening of music composed and performed by the internationally renowned Sarod The first half of the concert will be a maestro Ustad Wajahat Khan with a String traditional Indian Classical performance Quintet from Royal Northern Sinfonia. with Shahbaz Hussain on tabla.

GemArts is part of Gateshead Visible Presented by GemArts and Sage Gateshead. Ethnic Minorities Support Group. Registered Charity No 1008188 Image: Mona Arshi by Svetlana Cernenko Image: Imtiaz Dharker by Ayesha Dharker

LUCK & HOPE AN EVENING OF POETRY WITH MONA ARSHI & IMTIAZ DHARKER

EATEN BY LIONS Date: Tuesday 16th July Time: 6.30pm Mona Arshi worked as a Human rights Date: Monday 15th July A heart-warming story of half-brothers Omar Venue: Culture Lab, Newcastle lawyer at Liberty before she started writing Time: 7.30pm (Antonio Aakeel) and Pete (Jack Carroll), University, NE1 7RE poetry. In 2015 she won the Forward Venue: Jam Jar Cinema, 18-24 Park Ave, who were raised by their Grandma after their Tickets: FREE to attend but ticketed, Prize for Best First Collection. At the centre Whitley Bay, NE26 1DG parents were tragically killed by lions in a please register in advance of her latest book, Dear Big Gods, is Tickets: £5 bizarre accident. When their beloved Gran Box office: 0191 440 4124 an overarching commitment to hope. Box office: jamjarcinema.com passes away, they embark on a life-changing gemarts.org journey to find Omar’s birth father. What Imtiaz Dharker grew up a Muslim Calvinist Starring: Johnny Vegas, Asim Chaudhry, follows is a funny and touching journey of In partnership with Newcastle Centre for in a Lahori household in Glasgow, was Jack Carroll. Director: Jason Wingard | 2019 | 95mins self-discovery via and a hilarious the Literary Arts, GemArts Masala Festival adopted by India and married into Wales. | cert. 12A. snapshot of life in modern Britain. is thrilled to present Mona Arshi and Imtiaz Imtiaz writes about exile, journeying, home Dharker, two of the best poets writing today and displacement. She was awarded the Presented by GemArts and Jam Jar Cinema. ‘The Feel Good Movie whose poetry explores the nuances of luck, Queen’s Gold Medal for Poetry 2014 and grief and hope within our often violent and her latest collection is Luck is the Hook of the Year’ unsettling contemporary world. (Bloodaxe Books, 2018).

Curated by Dr John Challis (NCLA) with GemArts. Image: Michelle Wood

ZOE RAHMAN & LAURA MACDONALD

th Date: Tuesday 16 July Zoe Rahman has firmly established herself Time: 8.30pm on the contemporary scene. A vibrant Venue: The Literary and Philosophical and highly individual pianist and composer, Society, 23 Westgate Road, her style is deeply rooted in jazz yet reflects , NE1 1SE her classical background, British Bengali CHAI & CHAT Tickets: £12 (£10 concession)* heritage and her very broad musical taste. Box office: Available from Reflex CD Date: Wednesday 17th July Each recipe is individual, involving a unique 0191 260 3246 For Masala Festival, Zoe returns in the - Sat 26th October combination of spices like fennel, cinnamon, seetickets.com company of renowned Scottish saxophonist Time: During Library opening hours ginger, cardamom, cloves amongst others. *Booking Fee may apply Laura Macdonald, a pairing that first came Venue: Gateshead Central Library see website for details together at the 2015 Glasgow Jazz Festival, (upstairs Gallery), NE8 4LN This exhibition presents textile artwork where it was widely acclaimed as one of the Tickets: FREE – Just drop in! inspired by each family’s unique chai highlights. Laura, who studied at America’s recipe. Each piece includes a collection prestigious Berklee School of Music, became Making and drinking tea is still at the heart of handmade elements where stitching, the first ever winner of the Scottish Young of many family gatherings across the world. crochet and fabric staining sits alongside Jazz Musician of the Year award, and went family photographs, handwritten recipes on to an extended stint as lead alto player GemArts have worked with GVEMSG and fragments of maps of South East Asia. with the Scottish National Jazz Orchestra. Women’s Feel Good Group and artist Michelle Wood on a visual arts project, Central to the creation of this artwork are the Join us for what promises to be an evening exploring family histories and the tradition conversations, the sharing of ideas, recipes of powerful and exuberant music! of making ‘Chai’ Indian tea, often from and memories. recipes handed down through generations. Presented by GemArts and Jazz North East. Presented by GemArts and Gateshead Culture Team. Image: Tenzin Dolker as Docker in Ritu Sarin & Tenzing Sonam’s The Sweet Requiem Image: Tahmina Begum Image: Prerana Kumar

Image: Wajid Hussain

STRICTLY SPOKEN AT MASALA FESTIVAL

Date: Thursday 18th July Tahmina Begum is a British Bangladeshi Time: 7pm spoken word poet from South Shields. THE SWEET REQUIEM Venue: Arch Sixteen Café, Influenced by politics and social events she Wellington Street, presents her own poetry radio show on Fast Date: Wednesday 17th July At age eight, Dolkar and her father fled their Gateshead NE8 2AJ FM, and is founder of the brilliant Strictly Time: 6.30pm home, escaping Chinese armed forces in an Tickets: FREE to attend but ticketed, Spoken poetry nights. Venue: Tyneside Cinema, Newcastle, arduous journey across the Himalayas. please register in advance NE1 6QG Box office: 0191 440 4124 Prerana Kumar is an Indian spoken word Tickets: £10.75 full price, concessions Now 26, she lives in a Tibetan refugee gemarts.org artist living in Durham. Winner of Say Owt £7.25 - £8.25, under 15 - 24 year colony in Delhi, India, where an unexpected Slam 2018 and named Verve Poet of the olds £4.50 (with a free Young encounter with a man from her past reveals Masala Festival is teaming up with Strictly Slam at Unislam 2019, her poetry revolves Tyneside membership)* long-suppressed memories, propelling Spoken to present a stellar line up of around love, loss and occasionally, a healthy Box office: 0191 227 5500 Dolkar on an obsessive search for the truth. North East spoken word poets exploring dose of nyctophilia. tynesidecinema.co.uk themes of identity, South Asian heritage *Booking Fee may apply and inspiration. Wajid Hussain is a British Pakistani poet from see website for details With stunning cinematography and skilfully Newcastle who draws creative inspiration subdued tension The Sweet Requiem is an from the realism and romanticism of Wilfred Director: Tenzing Sonam/Ritu Sarin | unforgettable reflection on an ongoing but Owen and Alama Iqbal. His work has a English subtitles | India 2018 too often forgotten refugee crisis. strong visual narrative, including word 91 mins | cert. 15 streams and wordsical illustrations. Presented by GemArts, Aperture: Asia & Pacific Film Festival 2019 Curated by Tahmina Begum with GemArts, and Tyneside Cinema. and presented with ARCH 16. Image: War-ia

AN INDIAN ABROAD

th Date: Saturday 20 July “A shrewd and bitingly Time: 7.45pm Venue: Northern Stage, funny send-up of the Newcastle, NE1 7RH Tickets: From £10 ‘spiritual journey” Box office: 0191 230 5151 northernstage.co.uk ★★★★ Pub Theatres Magazine WOMAN Suitable for Ages 12+

th Date: Friday 19 July Contemporary South Asian film shorts Stifled by life in middle-class India, Krishnan Time: 7pm about freedom, desire and resistance. is desperate to see more of the world, so Venue: BALTIC Centre for Contemporary he visits the exotic island of Great Britain Art, Gateshead, NE8 3BA Films include the critical documentary to learn about life and who he is. What does Tickets: £5 (includes welcome drink) Qandeel about Pakistani model, actress Krishnan’s journey teach him about the Box office: 0191 440 4124 and social media celebrity Qandeel Baloch; world? What might he learn about himself? gemarts.org We Are Fire about Champa Pal’s resistance And what happens when he falls in love Suitable for Ages 14+ with one of the natives? to an entrenched cultural system in Uttar Pradesh by Oscar-winning director Orlando Pariah Khan is a writer, performer and When I see her small face von Einsiedel; and the indomitable spirit professional wrestling manager. He was Her bright eyes look up at me of woman in War-ia. voted one of Bristol’s 24 most influential young people for his work in theatre and How can I bring myself to… Post-screening discussion with industry comedy and was chosen by BBC Three From East to West contributors. as one of the UK’s top 50 creative young Village to city people in the UK. Running time: 120 - 140 minutes Fires continue to rage Written & Performed by Pariah Khan You stand there Curated by Bobby Tiwana with GemArts, Directed by Eduardo Gama Rock in hand and presented with BALTIC . Presented by GemArts and Northern Stage. Image: GemArts Masala Festival Mini Mela by Anna Miller Image: Dabbawal Street Food Kitchen

MASALA FESTIVAL: MINI MELA

Date: Sunday 21st July An enthralling blend of South Asian flavours MASALA FESTIVAL Venue: Live Garden, Live Theatre, for all the family in this outdoor finale to AT DABBAWAL Broad Chare, Newcastle GemArts’ Masala Festival. NE1 3DQ Date: Monday 15th - 21st July Masala Festival is thrilled to be back at Time: 11am - 3pm Take part in colourful and vibrant arts, Venue: Dabbawal 69-75 High Bridge, Dabbawal Street Food Kitchen. Over seven Tickets: FREE – Just drop in! crafts, dhol drumming, Bollywood dance, NE1 6BX and 1 Brentwood Mews, days, sample a specially crafted menu performances by beautiful Indian Marionette Jesmond, NE2 3DG created by Dabbawal’s talented chefs. Bookings: For restaurant opening times puppets, and try delicious Indian street food Capturing the tastes and the sights of the from Dabbawal. and bookings visit dabbawal.com Masala Festival, you will be taken on an incredible culinary journey, soak up the If you love theatre, caravans and an Indian Elvis, then look no further as this year’s finale surroundings and enjoy the amazing brings you…..Elvis’s Bingo Balls - Enter a artwork created by GemArts artist seafront arcade, pulsing with neon and filled Kate Hunter Parker. with sounds of the slots and the bingo. Your caller, clad in his Elvis outfit, tells stories of If that’s not enough, Dabbawal will be moving to this town “so every day can be serving up its fresh classic street food a holiday”, whilst his assistant dreams of at GemArts Masala Festival Mini Mela on singing, of dazzling audiences with her act. 21st July, with something for all to enjoy!

Presented by GemArts and Live Theatre. WORKSHOPS AT MASALA FESTIVAL 2019 YOGA AT MASALA FESTIVAL 2019

Image: GemArts Masala Festival by Anna Miller Image: JD Mason on Unsplash BOLLYWOOD DANCE WORKSHOP SPIRITLEVEL YOGA SESSIONS WITH ROBYN Date: Saturday 20th July Time: 11am - 12pm Date: Various, for full details Venue: Caedmon Hall, see: spiritlevelyoga.co.uk Gateshead Central Library, Venue: SpiritLevel Boutique Studio, NE8 4LN Simonside Terrace, Heaton Cost: £5 Adult / £4 Child NE6 5JY Contact: 0191 4404124 Cost: £10 drop in / £3* for first class gemarts.org on presentation of Masala Festival brochure Join GemArts dancer Breeze and try one of Contact: Robyn: 07946 413497 the most famous, fun modern dance styles spiritlevelyoga.co.uk ARTS DIAMONDS AT MASALA FESTIVAL: from Indian Bollywood Film, fusing Indian CHAI AND CHAT, PAPER TEA CUP classical dance, folk dance, Bhangra, A creative and playful approach to yoga, WORKSHOP Hip Hop, Salsa, Jazz and Belly Dancing! developing an understanding of the INTRODUCTORY MEDITATION philosophy, exploring the relationship Suitable for all ages. Spaces are limited so th Date: Tuesday 16 July please book early. between tension and effort; using the breath Time: 10.30am - 12.30pm Date: Monday 15th July and a little mischievous wiggling(!!) to ease Venue: Gateshead Central Library, Image: GemArts Masala Festival Mini Mela by Anna Miller Time: 5.30pm - 6.30pm the mind. NE8 4LN Venue: Newcastle Buddhist Centre, *offer valid until 31st August 2019 Tickets: FREE to attend but ticketed – 187 Westgate road, please register in advance Newcastle, NE4 6AA FAMILY FRIENDLY BEACH YOGA Box Office: 0191 433 8420 Cost: FREE donations welcome AND PICNIC WITH THE YOGA TRIBE www.gateshead.gov.uk No need to book, just drop in Contact: [email protected] Date: Sunday 21stJuly Tea cups are a reminder of community places Time: 9.30am where people meet up and socialise, of home A practical introduction to either the Venue: Cullercoats Bay and a warm welcome across the world. Mindfulness of Breathing or Metta Bhavana Cost: Adults £6 / Children £2 meditation practices to help you become Contact: 07446704159 Join artist Michelle Wood for this special more aware of your body and mind, and [email protected] Masala Festival Workshop. Create unique find peace and relaxation. All welcome. paper tea cups using maps of South Asia, Looser clothing suggested for comfort. Join the Yoga Tribe for family friendly beach decorated with print and collage techniques, yoga at Cullercoats Bay. Bring along a picnic try a cup of chai (Indian tea) and enjoy the Stay for Buddhism for Today class covering and we can enjoy breakfast on the beach Chai and Chat exhibition at the gallery. the life of the Buddha and his key teachings afterwards. at 6.45pm - 7.30pm following a tea break. For people of retirement age For info on other classes Presented by GemArts and visit: TheYogaTribeNE.co.uk Gateshead Council Culture Team. All information correct at time of print, we reserve the right to make changes if circumstances necessitate. FOR MORE INFORMATION VISIT OUR WEBSITE GEMARTS.ORG

CONTACT US ON 0191 440 4124 OR EMAIL [email protected]