An Indian Summer Festival 2024

Inspirate presents...

FREE to attend

FILM • FOOD • PERFORMANCES WORKSHOPS • TALKS • WELLBEING Curve Theatre | LCB Depot | The Real Ale Classroom Chutney Ivy | Brick & Beam | Sixes | Phoenix | Jubilee Square

Our festival theme this year is

WE GATHER An Indian Summer Festival platforms South Asian creativity, and is open to all.

We invite you to Gather and proactively build a sense of Community.

As you journey through our festival weekend, immerse yourself in Collective Moments, Creation and Action.

KEY EVENTS AIS Outdoor Cinema: Rocki Aur Rani Prem Kahani (12A) Jubilee Square, Leicester • Friday 9th August, 6-10.30pm • Book your tickets via An Indian Summer websiter-outdoor-cinema-rocky-aur-rani-ki-prem-kahani website.

We’re bringing you the ultimate cinematic experience with a screening of Rocky Aur Rani Ki Prem Kahani. With street food, music and live entertainment from Nupur Arts.

Shakti Unleashed: An Evening of Drag & Cabaret Real Ale Classroom • Friday 9th August, 7.30 - 10.30pm • Tickets - £12.50 - Book your tickets via An Indian Summer website.

An Indian Summer brings you South Asian Queer talent from the vibrant worlds of drag and cabaret, hosted by Asifa Lahore, known as Britain’s First Out Muslim Drag Queen.

Festival Food Specials, available to purchase: Artisan Indian Pizza, provided by dough WHAT Real Ale Classroom will be serving AIS Festival Beer

AIS Curve Takeover Day Curve Theatre • Saturday 10th August, 11-7.30pm • Free, with some ticketed events.

This year, An Indian Summer festival takes over the inside of Curve Theatre, and spreads into the Cultural Quarter.

Our festival day programme includes live performances, exhibitions, talks and discussions, creative workshops, storytelling, a wellbeing zone, outdoor street cricket, delicious street food and a festival after party.

Orchestral Qawwali Project Curve, Main Stage • 7.30pm start • Book tickets via Curve website.

The genre-defying Orchestral Qawwali Project comes to Leicester as our festival headline act. Written and directed by composer Rushil, the Project features the soaring vocals of Abi Sampa effortlessly combining with rich orchestral arrangements.

Queen Of My Dreams Phoenix Cinema & Art Centre • Sunday 11th August 11am onwards - food & drink offer available.

3pm - film screening begins.

Book tickets via Phoenix website.

This screening is an exclusive preview of Fawzia Mirza’s new film, a month before its UK release!

Azra (Amrit Kaur) flies back to her ancestral home in Pakistan to be reunited with her grieving mother Mariam (Nimra Bucha). Struggling to fit the image of the perfect daughter, Azra finds herself transported, through Bollywoodinspired flashbacks, to 1960s Karachi, sparking a connection between her mother’s wild youth to her own life in 90s Canada.

AIS Festival Food & Drink Throughout the festival weekend, we have food & drink offers across the Cultural Quarter, working in collaboration with Real Ale Classroom, Chutney Ivy, Phoenix Cinema, Brick & Beam and Curve Theatre. Check our website for more information.

CURVE TAKEOVER SCHEDULE Saturday 10th August

Street Food & Cricket Zone Outside Chutney Ivy & Sixes • 11 - 6pm • Free • Drop In • Open to all.

Take part in outdoor street cricket activities, with delicious Bangladeshi street food available from Chutney Ivy, and a street bar provided by Sixes.

Pop Up Performances We Gather Procession Clock Tower, City Centre • 12pm start • Free • Drop in • Open to all.

Dance and music procession with Nupur Arts, beginning at the Clock Tower in Leicester City Centre and taking us into Curve Theatre!

Nupur Arts 6.45-7.15pm • Free - Drop in.

Nupur Arts present a series of classical, solo dance pieces inspired by our festival headline act Orchestral Qawwali Project.

We Gather Stage Curve, Foyer • 12 - 6.45pm • Free • Drop In • Open to all.

The ‘We Gather’ Stage features live performances throughout the day, hosted by Shruti Chauhan, accompanied by DJ Yumna Black. Stage design by Emma Fay, Enter Edem 12pm

DJ Yumna - DJ set

12.45pm

We Gather Procession - Nupur Arts dance procession

1.05pm

Nupur Arts Showcase - Classical Indian Dance

1.30pm

DJ Yumna- DJ set

2pm

Bridging Beats - interactive music and sound session with Akshay Sharma and Aaron Hira

3pm

Arun Ghosh & band – Indo Jazz – Live Music - Family Friendly Gig

4pm

DJ Yumna - Live Music and DJ collaborations with Hari Trivedi, Akshay Sharma & Arun Ghosh

6pm

Tara Lily - Live Music

Space For Stories Storytelling Curve, Mezzanine • Sessions starting at 11.30am, 12.30pm & 2pm • Free • Ticketed Family Friendly • Book in advance via Curve website.

These interactive and fun storytelling sessions with Chandni Mistry are a part of the CQ Earlies programme at Curve.

Gather and Create Curve, Mezzanine • 11.30-5pm • Free • Drop in • Family Friendly.

Drop in throughout the day to explore ways we can build Community through Collective Creating, Making and Working Together.

We Dream Banner Making Join visual artist Shamila Chady to create a series of mixed media banners, using collage and textiles to form large words and symbols in vibrant colours and textures.

Flock of Birds Work with Ismail Khokon to make a bird using recycled materials, each bird created will join a flock of birds that will grow throughout the day.

Diwali 40 : Make Your Mark!

Join artist Shiraaz Ali to add your creative voice to our Diwali 40 heritage project, contributing to a street mural that will be painted on Belgrave Road later this year!

Curve Takeover Day schedule continued on next page...

InJoy: Wellbeing Zone Stillness Within Flow: Yoga & Live Music Curve, Rehearsal Room 5 • 11am-12.30pm • Ticketed • Suitable for 16 years plus Book your tickets in advance via the Curve website • £7.50.

Integrating gentle yoga with Indian classical music, this experience will be brought to you by Sukhina Garcia, Harkiran Sahota and Akash Parekar.

Japa Meditation Curve, Rehearsal Rm 5 • 2-3pm • Free • Ticketed • Suitable for 16 years plus Book your free place in advance via Curve website.

Join Sukhina for a Japa meditation session, using mantra as a natural antidote to stress.

Speaking Our Truth: Throat Chakra Workshop Curve, Rehearsal Rm 5 • 3.30-4.45pm • Free - Ticketed - Suitable for 16 years plus.

Book your free place in advance via Curve website.

Learn more about the throat chakra and how to keep it balanced, exploring how you can express yourself with truth, authenticity and compassion.

Shakti Speaks: Talks and Discussions My Adornment Is My Power Curve, Rehearsal Room 2 • 1-2pm • Free • Ticketed • Suitable for 16 years plus Book tickets in advance via Curve website.

My Adornment Is My Power is an exhibition about the decolonisation and reclamation of jewellery artefacts rooted in Empire, Curated by Anisha Parmar, featuring dance artist Kesha Raithatha. Join us for a screening of Shakti and panel discussion with Anisha and Kesha, hosted by Geeta Pendse.

Creative Brown Women: Panel Discussion Curve, Rehearsal Room 2 • 3.30 - 5.30pm • Free • Ticketed • Open to all • Suitable for 16 years plus • Book tickets in advance via Curve website.

An inspiring discussion featuring South Asian female creatives, hosted by Seetal Kaur from Forward Culture CIC, exploring what it means to pursue a creative career as a brown woman.

Exhibitions & Installations My Adornment Is My Power Curve, Mezzanine • 11-6pm • Free • Drop In • Open to all.

My Adornment Is My Power explores the decolonisation and reclamation of jewellery artefacts rooted in Empire, curated by Anisha Parmar, featuring dancer and choreographer Kesha Raithatha.

Flow State Rehearsal Rm 3 • 12 - 6.30pm • Free • Drop In • Open to all.

Immerse yourself in Vishal Joshi’s explorations of the ‘Flow State’, a cross art form installation featuring Vishal’s artworks, accompanied by original soundscapes from Hari Trivedi.

Bridging Beats Curve, Mezzanine • 11-6pm • Free • Drop in • Open to all.

The Bridging Beats Summer School has brought young people, artists and musicians together to collaboratively create a unique sound installation.

Orchestral Qawwali Project Main Stage • 7.30pm • Book tickets via Curve website.

Our awe inspiring headline act features the mesmerising vocal of Abi Sampa fused with orchestral arrangements, composed by Rushil.

Festival After Party Brick & Beam • 10pm-12am • Free • Drop in • Suitable for 18 years plus Join us after an epic festival day to relax, chat, dance, sip An Indian Summer cocktail or mocktail, with Aaron Hira providing the sounds and rhythms throughout the night!

Find out more about the festival theme, full programme, and the artists we are collaborating with via www.indiansummer.org.uk

See no stranger Choose to say ‘You are a part of me that I do not know yet’.

When people come together, we begin to build the solidarity needed for collective transformation, building a world rooted in love and humanity.

Words inspired by and quoted from Valarie Kaur

www.indiansummer.org.uk @aisfestival