Paper short abstract:

Based on interviews in Bradford, Southall and Glasgow, this paper will focus on the existence, development and significance of Asian performance arts at community level, since the late 1940s.

Paper long abstract:

Drawing on interviews from the on-going AHRC-funded project into British Asian Theatre (University of Exeter, UK), this paper offers an insight into an alternative picture of migration of South Asians to the UK in the latter half of the twentieth century.

Sadly, this story of migration is frequently told in negative terms through reports, surveys and governmental statistics, citing a lack of accommodation, employment, money, English language, education, and integration. Despite, or perhaps, because of such negative circumstances, the new Asian communities that emerged in Britain's cities from the 1950s onwards gathered together in homes, and later religious buildings and community centres, to embrace the culture of their homeland. They sang devotional songs, recited verses of their beloved Urdu poets. Some played music, some danced, some cooked and, undoubtedly, all ate.

Although this expression of Asian arts accompanied religious festivals and celebrations within the ethnic community, such as weddings, its existence remained largely hidden to the wider city community, only surfacing for occasional city festivals, galas, and later melas. A sub-culture of Asian arts made by Asians, for Asians, with defined touring circuits and venues were a natural development and run counterpoint to professional Asian-led British theatre companies such as Tara Arts (1977), Tamasha Theatre Company (1989) and Kali Theatre Company (1990) who aim to include a wider, mainstream audience.

Based on interviews with those who have been involved with Asian arts since the late 1940s, this paper will focus on the existence, development and significance of Asian performance arts at community level. It will raise the following issues: identity of the artists and audience; changing modes of performance; location of Asian arts (public, private and community space); language; funding and support networks; individual and family ambition and expectations; access of Asians to mainstream arts and the provision of mainstream spaces to Asian Arts. Particular attention will be paid to the urban centres of Bradford, Southall, and Glasgow, European City of Culture 1990.