Abundant Art is a cross-arts platform celebrating intercultural creative practice among diverse communities.
At Abundant Art, we weave stories, nurture skills, and celebrate the rich tapestry of diverse artistic expressions. We are a multifaceted initiative that aims to create, collaborate and amplify works of artists from diverse communities.
Our primary focus is to provide opportunities for skill development, practice and enhanced creative experience and expression, in a supportive environment for the next generation of artists and art writers. By highlighting diverse narratives, we strive to make a difference by fostering an inclusive and accessible creative platform.
Abundant Art was founded in 2017 with a vision to create a strong art and culture base for communities and young people, creating multicultural awareness of artistic collaboration and cultural heritage. Through our Art-zine, we continue to bring a thriving multi-faceted cultural and entertainment scene to our audience.
We aim to rediscover and preserve artistic heritage, and reconnect people with lost and forgotten arts heritage. Our projects encourage understanding heritage in a contemporary context by identifying with living experiences. To achieve this, we have recently expanded into film and documentary making, as we believe storytelling through diverse creative forms truly makes a difference in people’s lives.
In today’s fast-paced world, people often have little time to pause, reflect, and connect meaningfully. We believe that art and culture are catalysts for changing attitudes and amplifying connections. They help us rediscover our roots, connect with local communities, and reignite the desire to achieve. Engaging with art or pursuing creative endeavours improves mental health and well-being. Art inspires people to realize the beauty within and all around us. At Abundant Art, we aim to tap into that positive energy generated through artistic expression.
We created Abundant Art to provide a transformative space for the communities, enrich lives, encourage art and culture-based creative careers, and drive social and community impact.
In 2018 Abundant Art branched out to fine arts and launched Abundant Art gallery – an online curated art gallery focusing on promoting contemporary art. We started by producing original artworks (paintings and sculptures) through art camps in India and promoting them through our online gallery as well as curated physical exhibitions to collectors and art lovers . We are currently working on expanding this initiative through collaborations with local artists.
Abundant Art Gallery supports Abundant Art in it’s educational projects, delivering work experience and internship programmes in the further education sector focussed on fine arts and digital arts. We nurture, inspire and support talent from diverse communities, backgrounds, and demographics through skill development and creating new opportunities.
Protima started Abundant Art following her creative passion to make a humble contribution to the arts community, particularly amongst young creatives and emerging artists.
Protima is the editor of Abundant Art's e-mag and leads the organisation's programmes. She conceptualises and directs multi-faceted arts projects and documentary films for Abundant Art. Protima says ‘I believe art brings meaningful purpose to life and creates positive thinking. Through Abundant Art, we aim to promote the arts, support artistic passion, nurture creative skills and create opportunities for young emerging artists. We are open to collaborations and appreciate that new ideas can be the potential starting points leading to life changing experiences.'
Protima is a trained dancer and dance teacher. She continues her work as a performer, choreographer, and teacher and is a guest lecturer at Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance since 2018. She has a degree in English literature and is a post-graduate in Mass Communications and Journalism.
Roger's association with Abundant Art began in 2018 as an oral history and video recording trainer as part of our Heritage Project supported by the National Heritage Lottery Fund. He was then invited to contribute as an editor of the film 'A Meeting of Cultures' produced by Abundant Art as a culmination of the same heritage project that ran for two years. Roger then went on to edit Abundant Art's second documentary film 'Moving Forward Looking Back #2020. Currently Roger supports Abundant Art in an advisory role as a non executive board member.
Roger is an accredited Oral History Society trainer and has taught many tailored introductory courses, as well as courses in filming oral histories and digital sound editing.
Roger began recording people’s memories in 1974, using the collected reminiscences as the source for local books. He co-founded Living Archive Milton Keynes (www.livingarchive.org.uk) and was its General Manager from 1992 to 2002 and is currently its Chairman. Living Archive’s basic premise is that everybody has a story to tell. Such stories and other primary source materials have inspired multifarious high-quality artistic, creative, and educational activities including large-scale musical documentary plays, books, exhibitions, and websites. Over the last few years, he has been producing video documentaries, as well as helping others do the same.
Amy is a Curator and Creative Producer whose practice is centred around socially-engaged arts projects. Her current research is focused on curatorial methods for exhibiting artworks outside of the gallery as a means of resisting the commerciality of the art world and instead, meaningfully engaging with communities. In particular, she is interested in the connection between art and nature and the powerful effects on well-being they both have. Previously she has worked with British Art Show 8, NHS England and Folkestone Triennial. Most recently, she co-curated Abundant Art's exhibition 'Together' - the culmination of an important project in collaboration with Westminster Kingsway College exploring young people's perspectives on current socio-political issues.
Amy is a Curator and Creative Producer whose practice is centred around community-led arts projects. Her current research is focused on curatorial methods for exhibiting artworks outside. Amy has a keen interest in the arts and recently completed an MA in Curating and Collections at Chelsea College of Arts, UAL.
Devika is currently living and working in London, by profession, and trades as an artist and snake oil salesperson. Devika graduated in September 2022 with a research MFA at Ruskin School of Art, University of Oxford.
Eva Mateos Rodriguez is an eclectic artist specialising in acting, writing and songwriting, though she is also passionate about photography, dance and fine arts. She has been part of several Performances, Responses and Exhibitions - her work mainly focused on gender roles and society's impact in them, as well as the aim for a curated aesthetic. Concentrating on film, she bases her own life experiences and surroundings to create something the audience can relate to and draw upon in their daily life.
Born and raised in Spain, Eva moved to London to study BA Acting and Performance at the University of Arts London and is now a student of MA Creative Writing at Birkbeck University.
Teodora is a recent A-level graduate, having studied Art History, Drama, Philosophy and English Literature. Being both a performer and an avid writer, she enjoys attending a range of entertainment, including theatre performances and art exhibitions. Whilst currently on a gap year, this September, she intends on pursuing her interests in the artistic field, attending the University of Edinburgh to study History of Art and English Literature.
Indulging in various art forms, she has enjoyed understanding how these overlap: appreciating how art acts as a means to celebrate artists’ inspirations and influences and ultimately share individuals’ perspectives on the diverse world that surrounds us. Through her writing, she seeks to discover works that stretch and challenge her artistic scope, fostering a deeper connection with the creative community, expanding her empathy for the experiences of others.
Since studying History of Art at The University of Oxford Michela has continued to pursue her interests in art and culture. She particularly enjoys considering how contemporary and historical art forms are presented to the wider public through exhibitions and viewings at art institutions. Michela’s favourite mediums include photography, film, painting and drawing, and she is always excited to learn about new art.
Lucy’s passion for the arts began with drawing and painting at a young age, and developed later on into a love of landscape painting and a degree in Art History, with a focus on Modernism and gender. Lucy has grown to love literature and acting in particular, and her experiences acting at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival have been very formative, convincing her that performance can be an essential tool for communication and connection, as well as of course being a valuable source of entertainment.
Ridha is a volunteer writer for Abundant Art. She recently graduated with a BA in History and Politics from Queen Mary - University of London. Growing up in and around London, Ridha has always been intrigued by London’s brilliantly diverse art scene.
Studying History and Politics, Ridha has learnt how art and culture plays a vital role in society. Appreciating its beauty and importance, she is keen to experience and contribute to the art scene to her fullest. As a passionate writer who is eager to develop her skills, Ridha is determined to immerse herself in the wonderful world of art.
Julia Nelson was the Marketing and Operations Executive at Abundant Art and currently reviews arts events. Jules is a creative and innovative content, PR, and digital marketing professional with experience in online content creation, public relations, and digital marketing. She has a degree in Sociology from Goldsmiths College, University of London and is a postgraduate in Fashion and Lifestyle Journalism from the University of Arts London. She has proven success creating and accelerating brand growth and developing businesses in creative industries. She has managed creative industries correspondence for the government Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) and has contributed arts and lifestyle content in the Saturday and Sunday Express magazines, The Ecologist, ONIN London, and Ethics Girls. Jules is passionate about creativity and the arts and is dedicated to making meaningful changes to the creative and cultural community in the UK.
Cian Kinsella is a Classics teacher and part-time pub quizmaster living in London who is primarily interested in music but is also interested in theatre, literature, and visual arts.
He is particularly intrigued by the relationship between art, criticism, and the capital forces always at play. Who decides what we like? How do they construct widely held beliefs about what is good? These are two of the questions Cian looks to address.
Mia is currently finishing up her Art Direction degree at the University of the Arts London. Coming from an Italian-American background and living in both countries allowed her to explore her interests in traveling, cooking and the arts. Her passion for sustainability has led her to explore the intersectionality between the environment and creative industries.
Her current project is an artisanal dairy-free cheese and biodynamic wine pairing platform called Legless. Legless concentrates on educating the consumer on the environment and where our food comes from. Mia is passionate about low intervention agriculture and how our food choices impact nature. Living in East London she's excited to experience the local food, art and music scene.
Lian is a MA Global Media and Communications student at SOAS and a volunteer writer for Abundant Art. Lian has written for a number of different publications, mostly about music, culture and film and she is enthusiastic about expressing her passion for creating art and media. Growing up in London, she has been constantly inspired by the bustling city. Shs began writing for publications in her early teenage years, starting out writing about music as well as short poems, Studying Politics and Media at UEA for her undergraduate degree, she learnt the importance of how these disciplines are interlinked, how they impact and affect each other in ways that greatly affect society. Ultimately, this degree has enabled her to become a more insightful writer.
Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance
Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance invited Abundant Art in 2018 and 2022 to take collaborate in their BA2 Historical Project-Dance Legends programme, Protima Chatterjee, along with Tanusree Shankar delivered an intensive programme on Uday Shankar, where the students learned the Shankar Technique and the repertories ‘Sacred Myths’ 2018 and "Unfettered Mind’-2022 that were staged at the end of the course at the Laban Theatre.
In the Dance Legends project, Year 2 students on the BA (Hons) Contemporary Dance programme are immersed in an intensive period of dance training and study which focuses on work created by a choreographer who has made an important contribution to the development of dance in the 20th and 21st centuries. As well as being involved in the restaging of the choreography, students learn about the historical, social, artistic and cultural contexts in which the work was originally created. In addition, students participate in technique classes and theory classes which are designed to equip them with the technical skills and artistic understanding necessary to meet the demands of the piece. The result is a learning experience which integrates theory and practice, and which exposes students both physically and intellectually to dance works of historical and cultural significance.
Westminster Kingsway College Internship Placement Programme:
Westminster Kingsway College partnered with Abundant Art in September 2020. The partnership was formed to allow students from Westminster Kingsway College (WKC) to gain invaluable employability skills and prepare them for the world of work through two-week placements. The partnership formed during the height of a pandemic, adding extra hallenges as all placements had to be adapted to take place in a virtual setting, which was a new way of working for both Abundant Art and the college. In this programme, Abundant Art has hosted 80+ young people from WKC and have played a fundamental part in preparing students for their futures. The students are across different curriculum areas including, Art and Design, Business and Creative Media.
The works created until March 2022 as part of this programme have been exhibited at a physical exhibition hosted and curated by Abundant Art at the October Gallery on 17 & 18 March 2022. It also displayed merchandise with design prototypes created by the students – this event has reflected how the partnership between Abundant Art and Westminster Kingsway College has evolved and has been an amazing opportunity to promote the Creative Industry and bridge the gap between art and enterprise, while recognising the hard work and dedication from the students. The partnership between Westminster Kingsway College and Abundant Art continues to flourish as we
plan for the new academic year. In the year 2022/ 2023 we will carry on supporting young people while opening doors for many students and young adults in the further education sector.
City University of London, Queen Mary University of London & Goldsmiths University:
We are pleased to collaborate with the Universities on their exciting Micro-Placements/Internship Programmes which provide us with the opportunity to engage with talented and proactive students and offer opportunities to gain professional experience through short-term career- exploration placements. We are pleased to be on board to support students into developing their employability skills through tangible projects or deliverables of value to our organisation. We feel privileged to create opportunities for students at the early stages of their career and establishing long-lasting links for future employment.
We thank The National Lottery Heritage Fund and Arts Council England for their generous support.
Piali Ray is Director of 'SAMPAD', a leading national agency for the development of South Asian arts, based in Birmingham. Originating from Bengal, India she has been a performer, teacher, and choreographer in the UK since 1982, excelling in these fields and touring extensively in India, the UK, and internationally.
Piali has had many notable achievements. She was awarded an OBE in 2002, an Honorary Doctorate from the University of Central England in 2006, Outstanding Business Person of the Year by Birmingham Chamber of Commerce in 2009.
In 2018 Piali became a part of Abundant Art’s Heritage Project on the dance partnership of Uday Shankar and Anna Pavlova as a mentor. She has played a key role through the delivery of the project over two years to its completion in the final product, the film ‘A Meeting of Cultures’. Piali brought in her valuable experience of working in the multicultural scene in the UK guiding the project through its various milestones and events.