Mela Matters – A national Conference on Melas

The very successful Mela Matters conference was held in November 1998.

The conference attracted over one hundred delegates from Mela’s, community and arts organisations, local authorities, RAB’s and other key players from around the country. A working group was established made up of key delegates, held in Bradford to produce detailed conference document and set up the “Association of Mela Organisers” (AMO). The Arts Council of England was very keen to support the formation of AMO. Pax Nindi (then combined arts officer) and Naseem Khan (then Policy Officer) supported APNA Arts to lead AMO and we were well on the way to establishing ourselves as not only the pioneers of the Mela but the National Development Agency for the Mela Industry

However, with APNA Arts limited capacity we were unable to sustain the good work established from 1996 to 1998 with both EMSAAN and AMO.