COMMUNITY PROGRAMMES

South Asian Programme

Bollywood storytelling event, 2002

The South Asian programme at the Victoria and Albert Museum includes demonstrations of Indian crafts and performances of music and dance to celebrate festivals such as Diwali.

Courses and workshops on subjects such as jewellery-making and textile techniques, inspired by the South Asian collections, are run for pre-booked youth and community groups and take place at the V&A and at community centres.

The exhibition, The Arts of the Sikh Kingdoms, held in 1999, celebrated the wealth of cultural and artistic achievements of the Indian sub-continent.

Bhangra dance by Jugnu Bhangra Group for ‘The Arts of the Sikh Kingdoms’ exhibition, 1999

The exhibition was enriched by the involvement and support of the Sikh community. This community participation was sustained through other initiatives, including the Sikh Arts and Heritage lecture series.

The V&A also has a South Asian handling collection, which includes objects such as textiles, puppets and miniature paintings. The museum runs sessions by prior arrangement that introduce groups to this collection and help them to find out more about materials and techniques.