EMSAAN was set up by APNA arts to facilitate a much needed networking organisation for artists / practitioners / administrators of South Asian origin in the East Midlands region. EMSAAN’s aims were to create a link between artists, practitioners and art organisations in the East Midlands region by initially organising meetings in Nottingham, Leicester, Derby and Northampton. The meetings were structured around talks by invited guests and discussions amongst the members with an aim to strengthen a bond and clarify a direction for the members, whilst understanding the problems of a broad membership of visual artists, craft workers, musicians, dancers, performers, writers and arts organisations.