Thousands of Tunbridge Wells residents and visitors to the town attended the Mela in Calverley Grounds on Sunday 18 July. The event was organised by Tunbridge Wells Borough Council and Cohesion Plus, and was supported by the Kent and Sussex Courier and BBC Radio Kent, with the help of the Mela Steering Group. The Mela was designed to bring together the communities of Tunbridge Wells through the mediums of music, food and dance.

During the first part of the day, visitors were treated to...

The formal launch of the Maidstone Mela took place on July 14 with some 350 children joined by teachers and parents parading through the town centre led by Dhol Players, African Drummers and the Bloco Fogo Samba Group. The launch was made possible due to funding secured from Arts Council England.

The schools worked with our partners the renowned arts company Samesky on visual displays which the schools showcased during the parade. The schools involved were St Michael’s CE Junior, Archbishop...

On Wednesday 7 July, over 500 children from 9 local primary schools took part in the Tunbridge Wells Schools Mela Schools Parade to officially launch the Mela celebrations. Carrying art pieces that represent diversity and a range of cultures, the children were led by Bloco Fogo the popular Samba Group, Uzambezi African Drummers and Dhol Drummers from Cultural Beats all of whom are Kent based artists.

The art pieces that were carried in the parade had been created by the children during...

Over 700 young people from 19 schools in Gravesham took  part in a schools parade through Gravesend town centre on April 23 to celebrate Saint Georges Day.  The event was been organised by Kent Equality Cohesion Council in partnership with Cohesion Plus supported by Gravesham Borough Council and Kent County Council.

Work had been taking place in local schools over the last 6 weeks to prepare special visual arts and craft displays which were used during the parade which was be led by the...

The launch of the Tunbridge Wells Mela will take place on July 1 between 10.30am and 11.30am. This will be our first ever launch event and will be involving 225 pupils from 4 local schools as well as Bloco Fogo Samba and Four by Four Dhol Group. This has been made possible due to the funding we managed to from Arts Council England.

The schools which are taking part are Rusthall St Pauls, St Mathews, Claremont Primary and St Augustine’s. They have all been working with the Arts Company...