International Arts Project Launched

An international project which will link visual and dance artists in Derby and India’s fastest growing city Vadodara has been launched thanks to Arts Council England (ACE) support.

Normanton-based visual arts charity Artcore and Derby-based regional dance house Déda applied for development funding from ACE to launch the project ‘Derby to Vadodara and Back’.

Having secured £30,000, representatives from Derby will be visiting Vadodara in October where they will meet leaders from arts organisations and the region’s university to finalise the project.

Further funding will then be applied for in order to support a range of exhibitions, residencies and performances in both cities throughout 2016.

The project will culminate in the new work created through the international collaboration taking centre stage at Derby Festé in September 2017, followed by the Navratri Festival in Vadodara in October 2017 which will mark 70 years of Indian independence.

Artcore’s building in Charnwood Street, University of Derby premises in the city and Déda’s expanded studio and exhibition space in Chapel Street will be the main hubs for the Derby-based exhibitions and performances. The partners will be working with other organisations in the city to share and expand the scope of the work created.

Artcore is a visual arts charity with a group of professional artists, including graduates from the renowned M.S. University of Vadodara, working with communities locally, nationally and internationally.

 

Zahir Shaikh, Artistic Director at Artcore explained: “It has been a great honour for Artcore and its project partners to be shortlisted as a part of the project celebrating India's 70th year of Independence (2016-17). This is a double whammy for Artcore because this is also the year Artcore will celebrate its 20th anniversary.

“Artcore was established in 1995 in Vadodara, a middle-sized city – very much like Derby – in western India, with an extremely prominent art school that has produced many contemporary Indian artists.

“Our vision at Artcore is to provide a platform for young and talented artists, and to interest diverse communities in expressing themselves through art activities. This vision will be truly accomplished by this project.

“As an organisation that was born in India and grew up in Derby, Artcore has, since 2010, implemented several projects that have created platforms for young artists from India to exhibit their works in the UK, and artists from the UK to travel to residencies in India.

“We have always worked to raise the profile of both Vadodara and Derby, and the partnership project will help us to achieve this further through the implementation of several exciting performances and exhibitions.”

Déda Director Stephen Munn added: “The confirmation of development funding from Arts Council England heralds the start of an exciting partnership between arts organisations in Derby and Vadodara.

“This will bring together dance and visual artists, producers and curators to collaborate on a number of exhibitions and performances in both cities.

“Artists will come together to create work which speaks about a sense of place looking at shared experiences and the commonality of the two cities – particularly in the creative industries, engineering and technology.

 “We are particularly excited about the opportunities to involve young people in the work, particularly the BA Dance degree students from the University of Derby who are based here at Déda.

“This project puts Déda firmly on the international arena. Our aim is to forge partnerships that will develop long after this particular project and bring together creative communities for a wide range of collaborative work for many years to come.”

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