In 2013 Oriental Arts completed a project, funded by the Heritage Lottery Fund, which captured the history and traditions of South Asian art in Bradford. Our project, entitled Cultural Connections has used the medium of oral history to capture firsthand accounts of migration to Bradford from South Asia.
Our fascinating recordings give intimate insight into motivations for coming to Bradford from the sub-continent. We are also privileged to hear the interviewee’s thoughts on how the UK’s cultural scene has been influenced by South Asian culture. Not only does the project capture firsthand accounts from South Asian communities, but also those who have figured prominently in bringing different communities together through the arts over the past 40 years. Thanks to West Yorkshire Archive Service, these recordings will be stored for the next 500 years and will be a valuable and accessible resource for future generations. Oriental Arts also commissioned Tim Smith to produce a film exploring the role that Oriental Arts have played in the development of the South Asian cultural scene locally and nationally.
Through Cultural Connections, Oriental Arts have also been able to pass on knowledge and skills of Bhangra dancing, dhol drumming, oral history recording and archiving to over 100 school pupils. We ran interactive workshops that have allowed children to learn new skills. To see the photos from these, visit our Facebook page.
