Kala The Arts’ Artistic Director Sushmita Pati spoke to That’s TV Hampshire in light of receiving the Arts and Culture Award for 2025 by the Mayor of Basingstoke and Deane, Cllr Dan Putty.
“Having this award means diverse arts and culture gets a recognition, and other people can follow course later on – it opens those doors. Through dance we overcome so many barriers and reach so many more people, so this award is in recognition of that.
Also, in Basingstoke, we have a massive festival that happens in the autumn, Diwali Light It Up! and this brings in a lot of diverse people, it’s a very inclusive festival, and everybody feels they are part of it. It’s on the of the largest in Hampshire, and so the award is also in reflection of that.”
