The Sutton Subrang Dance Ensemble, Photo: Rolf Killius

The Museum of Croydon and the London Sitar Ensemble hosted a major exhibition in the Croydon NOW gallery of the Museum of Croydon, and other public display areas at Croydon Clocktower, from April to July 2009. The exhibition showcased the outputs of the ‘String and Dance Festival’ Project which was run by London Sitar Ensemble. The core exhibition comprised of oral history interviews (video), musical instruments and associated objects from the Community Groups involved and other donors (potentially the Horniman Museum), photographs and videos showing musical performances and dances from the Indian Sub-Continent as performed in the UK, costumes and associated musical instruments of all eight classical Indian dances and three folk dance genres from western India. Within the musical instruments display the emphasis was on string instruments like the sitar, sarangi, violin, veena, sarod, santoor and the supporting instruments like drums and cymbals.

Two photo exhibitions complemented the exhibition and were displayed in other public areas of the Clocktower: one showing Croydon-based dancers and musicians; and the other about a music instruments collection project in India. The exhibition was embedded in a string of events like workshops, rehearsals, oral tradition interviews and concerts. Taking and using a wealth of digital video, still photography and audio recordings constituted a major part of the activities and display.

Indian music and dance is one of the finest traditions in the world. Tracing its roots back to times immemorial, these art forms have an interesting pattern of evolutionary changes. Many changes, transformation and evolution have taken place, enriched by the contribution of the musicians and dancers, great and small, famous and unknown. The India – Britain story is a 400 year long tale of travel, migration and cultural exchange. This journey has made a significant influence on the cultural scene of British Arts. The ‘Indian Strings and Dances’ project, undertaken by London Sitar Ensemble and Croydon Museum and supported by the Heritage Lottery Fund, aims to explore the evolution and contribution made by the musicians and dancers in Britain.

The exhibition was curated by Lata Desai and Rolf Killius in close collaboration with Rob Shakespeare, Acting Museum Service Manager.

Exhibition dates: 4th February – 13th February 2009 (excluding weekend)

Opening times: 10am-6pm

Admission: Free

An exhibition of paintings by nine artists from Cornwall will be held at the offices of the European Commission in London, Jean Monnet House, Westminster. Artists whose work will be exhibited include:

Clive Carter
Anthony Frost
Francis Hewlett
Ashley Hold
Robert Jones
Andrew Lanyon
Margot Maeckelburghe
Mary Martin
Louise McClary

Viewing will be on Wednesday 4th to Friday 6th February and Monday 9th to Friday 13th, between 10am to 6pm.

Jean Monnet House is at 8 Storey’s Gate, adjacent to Central Hall Westminster. 
Nearest underground: St. James’ Park

This exhibition is being hosted by the European Commission in association with the Cornish Gorsedh and the Centre for European research within Cornwall, CERES.

For more information please contact ceres@freeuk.com or 01209 715642

CERES is a not-for-profit organisation which provides cultural heritage links between Cornwall and the wider Europe. Cornwall possesses a vibrant cultural heritage stemming from Celtic origins; a heritage which has contributed significantly to the European mosaic. From the outset the policy of CERES was to establish links at working levels in the European Commission and Parliament, and similarly in the Council of Europe and with organisations such as the European Cultural Foundation. This policy has been maintained with success and the Secretariat’s pioneering approaches laid foundations that led to a greater European awareness of Cornwall and to Cornish participation in a variety of heritage programmes and projects.

A new five-part television series following the investigative work of the Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Wales. The Commission and the FBI are both 100 this year – watch the ‘Welsh bureau of investigation’ uncovering clues to our past.

4 November – Building Pontcysyllte Aqueduct. Rediscovering a lost church in the Conwy Valley. The oldest gate in Europe?

11 November – Uncovering an Industrial Revolution copperworks in Swansea. Deciphering a ninth-century inscription. Revealing an Iron Age hillfort.

18 November – The Roman army at Trawsfynydd. Exploring social history with Huw Edwards at a great Llanelli chapel. Tracing Tudor master-carpenters.

25 November – Lumps and bumps in the uplands. A Victorian millionaire’s farm. Rediscovering wall paintings in the Wye Valley.

2 December – A disappearing mansion at Llandeilo. How would Wales have fought a Nazi invasion? Searching for a castle of the Welsh princes at Portmeirion.

Available on iPlayer at www.bbc.co.uk/wales/history/

www.tinyurl.com/hiddenhistories