26.81°C A new programme of talks, workshops, and live events celebrating South Asian arts and culture is launching at Colchester Arts Centre, with organisers hoping it becomes a lasting part of the venue rather than a one-off cultural project.
The Chai Mixers Colchester programme, created in partnership with Indian dancer and multidisciplinary artist Jaymini Bedia and Colchester Arts Centre’s Associate Director, Vijay Patel, will deliver 12 events between now and March 2027.
Across the year, audiences can expect daytime talks, hands-on family workshops, cabaret-style evenings, dance, comedy, conversation and, naturally, plenty of chai.
The programme is supported by Essex County Council’s Arts and Cultural Fund, but both Vijay and Jaymini say the ambition stretches well beyond a short-term funded project.
“This is very much a pilot to test something out with a view to, hopefully, making a new, regular offering to our local community.”
The idea for Chai Mixers developed from earlier conversations around creating more regular South Asian-led programming in Colchester, building on previous events including Chai Lates at the Mercury Theatre and Diwali celebrations at the Arts Centre.
Jaymini explained that one of the key aims was to create something welcoming, varied and genuinely rooted in community.
“We built from there,” Jaymini said.
“Chai Mixers became the umbrella for these three carefully curated strands.”
Those strands include Chai Talks, which explore identity, careers and lived experiences; Chai Makes, which focus on creative family activities and workshops; and Chai Lates, which give a platform to performers through music, dance, comedy and cabaret-style evenings.
Rather than condensing everything into a short season, the events have intentionally been spread across a full year.
For both organisers, that regularity matters.
“This shouldn’t be something that is a one-off,” said Jaymini.
“We want the community to feel like this is part of the normal offering.”
The first Chai Talks event, on Friday 5th June, titled I’m Indian but…, continues a previous project exploring identity, migration, language, racism, family history and the experience of growing up with Indian and Desi heritage in Essex.
Jaymini said the conversations often open up naturally once people feel comfortable in the room.
“I think people have so much to share,”
“When you have that sort of background or heritage, and you are connected and disconnected from it at the same time, you don’t ever tire from talking about it.”
But while the programme centres on South Asian culture and creativity, both stressed repeatedly that the events are designed for everyone.
“It is open to anyone,” said Jaymini.
“People are interested, and people want to learn and experience new things – that’s what brings people together.”
That openness sits at the heart of the project’s identity, with the name Chai Mixers itself chosen to reflect conversation, connection and bringing people together.
“Chai is the unifying bond between communities,” Vijay said.
Throughout the interview, both returned to the importance of creating a space where people feel comfortable, represented and able to connect – not just with performances on stage, but with each other.
For Vijay, the project also reflects wider conversations around representation within arts programming and who feels cultural spaces are truly for them.
“Since I joined five years ago, I’ve been trying to make sure we are looking at how inclusive our programme is,” he said.
“What are we missing? Who are we not engaging? What can we do differently?”
Vijay added, “I’m here for meaningful engagement.
“I’m here for people – not to be tracked as numbers – but as human beings who aren’t getting an experience, who we can open our doors to and say: come in.”
That feeling of welcome is something both hope audiences experience immediately – whether attending a daytime talk over chai, bringing children to a creative workshop, or discovering live South Asian performance at an evening event for the first time.
“There’s a place for this in our programme,” said Vijay.
“And there should be a place for it.”
By the end of the first year, both say attendance numbers will not simply measure success, but rather whether audiences begin to feel genuine ownership of the programme.
“For me, I want someone to turn around and say: when is the next one?” said Jaymini.
“That’s when I’ll know we’ve made the impact we wanted”
People interested in attending Chai Mixers are encouraged to share the programme with friends, family, neighbours and anyone who may enjoy discovering new cultures, conversations, music, dance and creative experiences in a welcoming environment.
Full event details and tickets can be found via the Colchester Arts Centre website.
