A non-profit community group has received a £30,000 funding boost to support their annual multi-cultural event.
The BAME Project, based on The Rock, has been awarded funding from Arts Council National Lottery Project Grants to host Bury Mela 2024.
They will be hosting the family-friendly festival to celebrate South Asian Heritage Month in collaboration with The Met, Peshkar Productions and Sama Council.
Taking place on Saturday, August 24 at Burrs Country Park, the free festival will feature a variety of South Asian music acts with modern and classic displays of music and dance.
Ummrana Farooq, founder and chairperson of the BAME Project and who is also a borough councillor, said: “It’s great news for our town to have free events like this, bringing art and culture to their doorstep and giving local artists new platform opportunities to perform.
“Most of all, it brings our diverse community together to enjoy a fantastic day out."
There will also be a range of stalls selling authentic street food and drinks, along with Asian attire, henna painting and gifts at the annual event.
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The Arts Council grant will help to cover costs such as artists fees, stages, sound and lighting, security staff and volunteer expenses.
The pilot Bury Mela event, which was launched in 2022, attracted more than 3,000 visitors to the town.
The BAME project provides services to integrate the diverse Bury community while raising awareness of health and wellbeing for women, with a particular focus on those who may be considered vulnerable.
National Lottery Project Grants is the Arts Council’s open access programme for arts, museums and libraries projects. The fund supports thousands of individual artists, community and cultural organisations thanks to National Lottery investment.
Cllr Farooq added: "Thank you to the National Lottery and the players."
Those looking to host a stall or sponsor the festival can contact the group directly via their website.
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