GemArts is celebrating the 10th anniversary of their magnificent Masala Festival this July with a week-long programme of the very finest South Asian arts and culture that’s set to bring the heat.

Now firmly established as one of the real cultural highlights of the north-east, the Masala Festival is lighting up the summer this year with a unique blend of music, dance, poetry, film, visual arts and more. The programme is a real chef’s kiss, but the first thing that caught my attention was BIJLEE. Masala Festival’s first ever multidisciplinary club night, this is where you need to be if you want to whisk yourself off to a glorious place where Bollywood meets Ghazal and Qawwali classics – all of which has been reimagined through contemporary club edits of oldskool hardcore, 90s jungle, footwork, garage, bassline, dubstep, baile funk and more. Taking place at Zerox, this one is going to be absolutely massive. Among the DJs and artists set to bring the fire will be Chande and Lotus Phaze from Daytimers, Girl Called Sim, PSK and Jameela, and live Bollywood x jungle remixer Haaji Ka Halva. So yes, that’s going to be a night to remember, but wherever you look, the festival this year is offering untold delights. Among these will be the launch event Bulleh Shah: Seeker of Light (Dance City). This stunning dance production by the internationally acclaimed Kathak artist Gaurav Bhatti, blends striking theatricality and deeply expressive storytelling. A compelling solo show, it draws on the life and poetry of the 18th century Sufi mystic Bulleh Shah – a defining voice of Punjabi Sufism. Naturally, the festival will also be filled with some of the hottest sounds around and this July that will include Free Flow Classical (pictured - Cluny 2). This extraordinary event will feature an electrifying line-up that will explore South Asian classical music through the medium of free improvisation. Yep! No boundaries! No limits! Also on the sonic front, you simply must clear your diary to check out The Mohan Brothers, Sanju Sahai and Jasdeep Singh. This wonderful night of Indian classical music is taking place at The Glasshouse and will be a celebration of heritage, innovation and a decade of unforgettable Masala Festival performances from some true maestros. Another of the highlights that really stands out for me is An Evening with Nikesh Shukla: Celebrating 10 Years of the Good Immigrant. This special night – at Northern Stage – will see the celebrated writer, educator, editor and activist discussing his groundbreaking work ‘The Good Immigrant’ while acknowledging his debt to everything from Spiderman comics to literary fiction. There are plenty of exhibitions to check out too including Playground / Rewind: South Asian Sound & Memory at The Gallery at Gateshead Central Library (runs from 4 July-10 October). This brings together a new body of work by the artist Jimmy Turrell, which has been developed through research into Bollywood vinyl, printed ephemera, and the lived histories of South Asian communities in Gateshead. More art? How about Through the Lens: Photographs by Anna Miller (4 July-10 October) also at Gateshead Central Library. Through the lens of photographer Anna Miller, this exhibition captures the colour, energy and creativity that have defined this festival over the past ten years. And then we have Care/Work at Vane in Gateshead (9 July-1 August). An exhibition from Nayeema Ahmed, who says: “As a woman, and a first-generation Briton whose parents immigrated from Bangladesh having their first child, I have long been fascinated by the relationship between gender, ethnicity and labour.” There will also be spoken word at Live Theatre (Freespill, spotlighting bold South Asian voices and stories of heritage, resistance, and joy) along with workshops, outdoor performances and, of course, the Mini Mela – a family-friendly celebration of creativity, culture and community. DP

Masala Festival, 13-19 July. Full programme and more info: gemarts.org