Glasgow Mela will return to the city’s Kelvingrove Park this summer

At Mela 2023, local, national and foreign artists will entertain thousands during an action-packed day of musical and artistic performances.

Glasgow Life, the charity providing culture and sport in Glasgow, has confirmed the free event will take place on Sunday 25 June from 12pm to 8pm.

Mela, which means ‘gathering’ in Sanskrit, is a South Asian celebration of Glasgow’s diverse communities that aims to promote local artists and their rich cultural heritage.

Acclaimed Scottish DJs Gtown Desi, Scottish-Indian crossover band Unison and Punjab folk legend Surinder Shinda are just some of the dance groups and musicians who will light up the Navras stage.

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Guests on the Hamara stage will include Superman on the Beat, Turas and Mishra. Lavannya Manohar, a young doctor and star of Michael McIntyre’s Big Show on BBC One, is also part of the Hamara Stage cast.

This year’s Mela also features food stalls, writing workshops, market vendors and hands-on sporting events like Kabaddi.

As the largest event of its kind in Scotland, Mela has become a much-anticipated fixture on Glasgow’s cultural calendar.

Glasgow’s first Mela was held in 1990 when the city was named European Capital of Culture. Originally an indoor celebration in the then newly opened tram, the event has now grown into a massive outdoor event, attracting tens of thousands of visitors and hundreds of performers and performers from around the world.

Bailie Annette Christie, Chair of Glasgow Life and Executive Secretary for Culture, Sport and International Relations at Glasgow City Council, said: “This year’s Mela will be spectacular in showing the cultural diversity and creativity flowing through Glasgow. The event’s colorful program of art, music performances and food ensures that there is something for everyone. Such lively and entertaining sets, performed in the stunning setting of Kelvingrove Park, have made the Mela a summer highlight and a central part of Glasgow’s cultural calendar.”

The Scottish-Asian Creative Artists Network, which manages the Glasgow Mela programme, said: “The Mela provides a platform to showcase diverse art forms while also addressing issues within the diaspora.” The festival’s arts-centric approach harnesses the power of creative expression to comment on societal challenges and encourage positive change. Through its diverse range of activities, Glasgow Mela encourages people with unique cultural heritages to come together and appreciate the vibrancy of South Asian culture.”