Kent Equality Cohesion Council in partnership with Cohesion Plus with the support of Gravesham Borough Council and KCC Arts Development Unit delivered the highly successful Fusion Festival which took place on Saturday June 28 at the Gravesend Promenade. The aim of the free festival was to showcase new and emerging culturally diverse artists from Kent and to celebrate music and dance from around the world.

The stage programme featured a number of Gravesham based acts including singers Ryan Bennett and Gemma Moore, as well as the ever popular Four by Four Bhangra who performed an exciting new set alongside leading African Arts Company Uzambezi which received a very positive response from the audience. Other performers included the Phase 5 Steel Band, the Cullen Academy of Irish Dance, Ying Tang Chinese Association and Piwnica pod Aniolami a popular Polish cabaret act. 

In addition to the stage performers there were also arts workshops being ran by Same Sky Arts which proved popular with young people, the launch of the Mela Festival Gate which is touring the County appearing at all the different events being organised by Cohesion Plus and Kent Equality Cohesion Council this summer as well the 168th Town Regatta and heats for England’s Most Powerful Man. 

There was also the soft launch of the Six Ways to Well Being Project which is being delivered in partnership by LV21, The Grand Project, KECC and Cohesion Plus and which has been commissioned by Kent County Council. Arts activities and workshops took place at the River Front to encourage people to learn more about the Six Ways to Well Being. 

Gurvinder Sandher the CEO of the Kent Equality Cohesion Council who organised the Fusion Festival commented “I am very pleased with how the Fusion Festival went and have received lots of positive feedback both on the day and on social media afterwards. It was so positive to see the communities come together and enjoy the different acts. I was especially pleased with the Afro-Bhangra Fusion Piece which we co-produced as this underlined what the Festival was about, using the arts to bring diverse communities together both in the audience and on the stage. With all the other activities taking place at the same time such as the Town Regatta and the Summer Queen it was a great day out for the local community.”