Kala The Arts

Kala The Arts is really proud to support Basingstoke and Deane Cultural Compact's bid for UK Town of Culture. For over 32 years, Kala has played a vital role in shaping the town’s cultural identity through South Asian arts, particularly the classical Indian dance form of Odissi, using lived experience to inspire storytelling, dialogue, and community connection.

Basingstoke is home to a rich and collaborative cultural ecosystem, with established partners across theatre, music, dance, puppetry, visual arts, storytelling, heritage, and education. Kala’s work complements and strengthens this network, bringing diverse communities together and helping to ensure that culture is inclusive, accessible, and representative of the town’s vibrant population.

Through its extensive programme of workshops, performances, and festivals in schools and community settings, Kala actively delivers on the principle of “culture for everyone,” engaging residents of all ages and backgrounds while fostering pride and shared ownership. Flagship events such as the annual Diwali “Light It Up” celebration—now one of the town’s largest and most anticipated cultural festivals—demonstrate the scale, ambition, and impact of this work, attracting audiences and collaborators from across the region and beyond.

With significant ongoing investment in culture and a strong track record of high-quality delivery, Basingstoke has both the infrastructure and the ambition to realise the transformative vision of the Town of Culture programme. Kala The Arts very proudly stands firmly behind this bid.