GemArts and The Glasshouse celebrate 20 years of partnership with a landmark spring season of South Asian arts in the North East

An internationally significant artistic partnership between GemArts and The Glasshouse International Centre for Music will be in the spotlight this March, bringing world-class South Asian music and a major cultural celebration to the region.

On Friday 13 March, The Glasshouse welcomes two global icons of Indian classical music with a landmark Riverside Ragas performance featuring sitar maestro Ustad Shahid Parvez and celebrated Carnatic flautist Shashank Subramanyam, a rare meeting of Hindustani and Carnatic traditions on one stage.

The following day on the quayside, Saturday 14 March, GemArts Holi Festival of Colours takes place at BALTIC Centre for Contemporary Art. Produced and programmed by GemArts in partnership with BALTIC, the festival invites communities from across the North East to enjoy creative workshops, henna stations, live South Asian performances and delicious Indian street food throughout the day. This year’s edition also debuts the new Holi on the Tyne stage on BALTIC Square, featuring an exciting line‑up including Spice FM’s Sand & Gaurav, DJ Shai Guy, Rhythmix Dholies, Dhol Buzz & Lezim Rhythm, Mi Marathi Dhol Tasha, bollywood and kathak dance performances by Breeze George and Madhura Godbole, Bombay Baja Brass Band, and global bhangra superstar Juggy D, culminating in the festival’s signature mass colour throw to joyfully welcome the arrival of spring.

Together, the events highlight a collaboration spanning more than two decades, one that began before The Glasshouse opened and has since grown into one of the UK’s most important regional partnerships for South Asian music and culture. Through programmes such as Riverside Ragas, the partnership has built audiences, supported UK-based artists, and connected global traditions with local communities. Artists including Roopa Panesar, Jasdeep Singh Degun, and Eeshar Singh have all performed as part of the platform, using it to grow towards orchestral, cross-genre and international work.

Over the years, GemArts and The Glasshouse have presented some of the most celebrated names in South Asian music in the region, including Remember Shakti, Zakir Hussain, Shivkumar Sharma, Hariprasad Chaurasia, and Anoushka Shankar, alongside large-scale projects such as Orchestra Qawwali and collaborations with Royal Northern Sinfonia. The partnership has also championed cross-genre work, including performances with British Asian jazz artists such as Yazz Ahmed and Arun Ghosh, including a late-night concert at the BBC Proms at The Glasshouse in 2023.

Beyond major venues, GemArts’ work is deeply rooted in communities across Gateshead and Newcastle, with performances, workshops, and festivals taking place in neighbourhood spaces as well as concert halls. This year also marks the 10th anniversary of the Masala Festival in 2026, another milestone in the long-running collaboration between the organisations, which continues to combine international artists, regional talent, and community participation.

At the centre of this work is GemArts Director Vikas Kumar, MBE DL, who grew up in Bensham, Gateshead, and founded the organisation in response to the lack of visible South Asian cultural representation in major venues at the time. With a background in business, he helped build GemArts from a volunteer-led initiative into a nationally recognised organisation. He emphasises that the organisation’s success is collective:

“For more than twenty years, GemArts and The Glasshouse have shown what long-term partnership can achieve, not only in presenting world-class music and artistic vision, but in building representation, nurturing talent, and working hand-in-hand with our communities. Everything we’ve achieved over the last two decades has been a team effort, from our staff, trustees and volunteers to the artists, audiences, partners and communities who shape what we do.”

The March events also launch the Riverside Ragas 2026 season, which continues in April with cross-genre collaboration Confluence, A rich cross-genre meeting of violin, guitar and tabla and in May with An Evening of Ghazals featuring Tauseef Akhtar.

Together, the March concert and Holi festival offer a rare opportunity to experience internationally renowned artists and vibrant community celebration in the North East, reflecting a partnership that continues to shape the region’s cultural identity.