Tunbridge Wells Mela is run by Cohesion Plus and is a great opportunity to engage with a small Mela festival, led by the community. OAUK is offering the chance to apply for subsidised places to attend this Mela in a professional capacity for a day of performance accompanied by development events.

Festival Focus at Tunbridge Wells Mela is particularly suitable for anyone looking to gain some understanding of Mela for the first time and may be useful for Local Authority culture teams or BIDs and CPPs. This trip may appeal to artists who would like to produce work suitable for Mela or for anyone looking at a community engagement programme; we would be very pleased to receive applications from a broad spectrum of backgrounds and identities.

For this event, we are also offering a range of different subsidies and a ‘pay it yourself’ option. This allows us to offer the opportunity to more people, so if you are already in the area and or can subsidise your own visit, you can apply to join the cohort.

What…
You’ll be in Tunbridge Wells for the day, alongside members of the OAUK team and we will give you the opportunity to meet festival organisers and artists, as well as individual development time. We’ll watch the performances and learn about how the event is put together and how it fits into the wider Cohesion Plus programme. We’ll finish with a group social to end the day and reflect on the experiences.

Who’s it for…
You might be a relative newcomer to the outdoor sector or new to OAUK or looking to expand your event knowledge and experience. Perhaps you’re already experienced in the outdoor sector but looking to work in a different area or reach out to new contacts. You might be part of an organisation or working as an individual. We will balance the levels of experience as best as possible.

What we will provide…
Successful subsidised candidates will receive either £100 or £150 towards travel and subsistence, or £200 if you require accommodation and we will be buying dinner.

Date…
Sun 24 Jul (arrive by 12noon, depart around 7.30pm)

Application Deadline…
We’ll keep it open until all places are filled.
We’ll be in touch shortly after receiving applications and if you have any queries, please contact David: david@outdoorartsuk.org