M Balamuralikrishna to perform at London Arts festival

London: Carnatic music legend M Balamuralikrishna is among several Indian artistes who are scheduled to perform at the first London International Arts Festival (LIAF) next month.

Organised by London-based organisation Dhruv Arts, the festival will be held August 10-12. The festival at the Redbridge Town Hall celebrating the diverse cultures of East London and beyond is being curated by composer and violin artiste Jyotsna Srikanth, co-founder of Dhruv Arts, a release by the organisers said. "I feel very passionately about LIAF. What started as a desire to showcase the very best of South Indian Carnatic music has expanded into far richer tapestry of music and arts originating from different continents," Srikanth said. Performers at the festival include Shyamala and Hariharan, Prakash Sontakke, Carnatica Brothers, Dhruv Ensemble, Suma Sudhindra and `Rabindranjali` Dance Ballet. The festival sponsors and supporters include the ICCR, the Nehru Centre and the London Borough of Redbridge. "We are delighted to be associated with the London International Arts Festival and its organisers, Dhruv Arts have made seminal contributions to the cultural scene in London since their inception eight years ago," said Sangeeta Bahadur, Nehru Centre director. Dhruv Arts was formed in London in 2004 to promote traditional arts of south Asian music, dance, storytelling and visuals. PTI