Our History
OUR HISTORY
Bengali Performing Arts was established in March 1992 with the concept of promoting all aspects of Bengali culture and social cohesion by organising year-round quality programmes with celebrity artistes and to maintain links, support and partnership with other voluntary and local community organisations. We also organise events with local amateur groups to provide opportunity to develop their skills to perform. Bengali Performing Arts has been recognised by the Inland Revenue as a Scottish charity with effect from 23rd May 2004 and is governed by its constitution. The registered charity number is SC035584.
Since 1992, Bengali Performing Arts has enriched the social and cultural life of the people of our community by presenting a number of year-round shows/workshops with a number of top calibre celebrity artistes of ethnic minority background. Most of these artistes have been brought from Bangladesh and India, and they have successfully presented some of the best performance in vocal songs, dances, music, poetry and drama. We hosted a Multi Cultural Drama Festival 25/06/05 with performances by the local artists and the artists from India, Bangladesh and England. The main attraction of the drama festival held on 25/06/05 was Soumitra Chatterjee, a living legend of Bengali films and drama. Joining him were the popular performers Shahiduzzaman Selim and Rosey Siddique from Bangladesh. Our work also offers opportunities specifically to young unemployed people a means of gaining experience and skills through being involved in voluntary action with us.
In the light of growing number of elderly, retired and unemployed people within our two scattered Bengali speaking (Indian and Bangladeshi) communities we have agreed at the AGM held on 19 May 2002 to organise year-round social and recreational programmes to tackle our members’ isolation/loneliness.
We firmly believe that through our year-round programmes, we help to enhance our social cohesion and tackle individual isolation by bringing people together and also facilitate the creation of a true multi-cultural society in our world-class multi-racial Scotland. We are a not-for-profit charitable organisation and on behalf of Bengali Performing Arts all committee members work on a voluntary basis to tackle our community problems. Bengali Performing Arts is a member of “Voluntary Action”, an umbrella group based in 2 Bumfield Road, Giffhock, G46 7QP. All our events are public, barrier free and open to all. The committee of Bengali Performing Arts is totally committed to and operates on the principle of Equal Opportunities for all irrespective of colour, race, sex, ethnic or national origin, age, marital status, religion and disability. This means that in our activities no individual receives less favourable treatment, or is disadvantaged by conditions or requirements.
Our year round cultural shows are usually held twice a year, although workshops and rehearsals continue through most of the year. Increasingly we are focussing on young local performers and providing them with opportunities in various performing arts so that they develop as rounded individuals with positive impact on the society.