Services for Arts Professionals

Within this entry:

Shisha has an exemplary track record spanning over ten years of commissioning, generating high quality exhibitions and working within the South Asian visual arts sector. Shisha is the only not-for-profit agency working exclusively with contemporary South Asian visual arts in the UK. Over the years, Shisha has built an international reputation for its strategic work, platforming new and talented artists and boosting their careers. A couple of notable examples are artists Subodh Gupta and Shilpa Gupta whose work was shown at Manchester Art Gallery as part of the award-winning ArtSouthAsia programme in 2002.

Shisha has established an extensive network of artists and curators.  It has demonstrated its unique specialist knowledge in programming South Asian visual arts events and exhibitions. It provides learning opportunities and expertise for arts professionals who have limited understanding of and exposure to work of South Asian origin, through a number of consultancy services for public and commercial sectors.

Shisha can offer its expertise and assistance in:

  • Idea generation for projects
  • Sourcing and commissioning artists for exhibition, residencies and festivals
  • Curatorial support and research and development visits to South Asia
  • Developing seminars and promotion of South Asian artistic discourse
  • Engaging South Asian communities & marketing campaigns
  • Selecting artists to develop public and private collections

Shisha has delivered a range of consultancy work and has worked with key arts organisations and corporations including the Arts Council England in the East Midlands who contracted Shisha to deliver a Midland Band/North West group curatorial research visit to India in 2003. In addition, Shisha was commissioned to conduct research for the Contemporary Arts Society’s curatorial visit to Delhi and Mumbai in 2009.

Shisha is keen to promote its consultancy work with organisations to deliver and diversify their arts programmes and create packages to suit the needs of the people it works with.

Image credit: A Glimpse into the Sleeping World, Manasamitra, Tatton Park Biennial 2010

For further information

Telephone +44 (0)161 838 5250
Email info@shisha.net
A Glimpse into the Sleeping World, Manasamitra, Tatton Park Biennial 2010

Case studies

  • Fashion Designer of the Year, Asian Wedding and Lifestyle Event

    C21 Project & Sagill Associates

    In 2005, Shisha was commissioned to devise a textile residency programme on behalf of Blackburn Museum & Art Gallery as part of the...

    In 2005, Shisha was commissioned to devise a textile residency programme on behalf of Blackburn Museum & Art Gallery as part of the C21 project. The consultancy work coincided with the presentation of the first Fukouka Asian Art Triennial programme, from Japan to Blackburn.

    C21 was a year-long project that aspired to create links with the museum and the Asian fashion district in Blackburn. Drawing on its expertise of the local British Asian arts scene and networks, Shisha provided a conceptual framework and subsequently, advice on outreach activities before selecting undergraduate fashion designer Azher Ali to develop the project further. Ali engaged with Blackburn’s Asian community and college groups creating bespoke garments and accessories that culminated in a fashion show finale at St George’s Hall, Blackburn.

    In May 2006, Shisha collaborated with the Asian business sector, Sagill Associates and Imani Fashion House for a joint creative enterprise, initiating the “Fashion Designer of the Year Competition”. Shisha supported three shortlisted regional designers. The brief was to create a seasonal bridal outfit for the televised Asian Wedding and Lifestyle Event at GMEX, Manchester.

    The winner, Azher Ali was awarded a trophy, a year’s contract at Imani Fashion House, Manchester and a cash prize.  As a result, Ali was also offered a commission for a wedding dress and awarded a bursary on the NESTA programme.

    “The help Shisha has given me has been amazingly generous and has been a great springboard for developing my experience and career. This helped me increase my networking capability, business planning and gain greater knowledge in the fashion industry. Overall, Fareda along with Shisha have not only made me a better fashion designer and a  better person with greater and stronger values which I believe is the key to any success and long term vision.” Azher Ali

    Image credit: Fashion Designer of the Year, Asian Wedding and Lifestyle Event