Over the past few years, Art Asia has enjoyed a vibrant creative partnership with Arts University Bournemouth (AUB), collaborating with talented students to produce stunning textile flags and stage backdrops for the Southampton Mela Festival.
Each year, Art Asia’s Chief Executive, Dahlia Jamil, has visited AUB to brief textile students on the essence and cultural spirit of the Mela — a celebration of South Asian arts, music and community. Inspired by this, students then worked in teams to develop creative concepts and textile designs that capture the festival’s vibrancy and diversity.
Dahlia said “This collaboration has not only enhanced the visual identity of the festival but also offers students valuable real-world experience in creating large scale designs for cultural events. We thank the AUB students for their outstanding work.”
From the designs, a selection were chosen to be professionally printed and used to dress the Mela site, transforming stages and outdoor spaces into a rich tapestry of colour, pattern and cultural expression.
Together, Art Asia and Arts University Bournemouth demonstrate how art and education can come together to celebrate heritage, creativity and collaboration in our region.