Kolkata | 18–20 December 2025: Weavers Studio Resource Centre, in collaboration with Soumik Datta Arts (UK), presents Fabric of Music, a three-day interdisciplinary initiative bringing together music, textile heritage, storytelling, and artistic practice. Hosted at Daga Nikunj, Ballygunge, with Alka Jalan Foundation as Venue Partner and Sangeet Ashram as Institutional Supporter, the programme includes a two-day creative workshop, a public showcase of new compositions, a documentary film screening, and a solo performance by internationally acclaimed sarod virtuoso Soumik Datta.
About the Concept
Fabric of Music explores the deep, intuitive relationship between sound and cloth—rhythm and weave, memory and material. Rooted in Bengal’s rich textile traditions, the project invites young musicians to engage with music not only as performance but also as a medium for social reflection, collaboration, and storytelling. Through direct interaction with master artisans—kantha embroiderers, block printers, and dyeing practitioners who are an integral part of Weavers Studio—participants translate textures, motifs, and processes of craft into original soundscapes. The result is a rare creative exchange where music is shaped by touch, labour, and inherited knowledge.
The Workshop | 18–19 December 2025 The two-day workshop brings together 15–20 emerging musicians (aged 18–35) from West Bengal, selected through an open call. Led and mentored by Soumik Datta, the workshop includes immersive sessions on textile heritage, sound-mapping exercises, collaborative improvisation, and guided composition. The programme culminates in a public showcase on the evening of 19 December, where participants present original works developed during the workshop in collaboration with artisans, offering audiences an intimate glimpse into evolving artistic journeys shaped by craft, collaboration, and place.
Documentary Film Screening & Music Performance | 20 December 2025 The programme concludes with the screening of a powerful documentary film titled Textiles of the Bengal Delta: Epaar Opaar, tracing the legacy of Bengal’s textile heritage across rivers, borders, and time. The film examines Bengal’s historical dominance in the world textile trade, its disruption due to colonisation and partition, and its continued resilience and rebirth by fusing personal narratives, archival material, and reenacted scenes.
Additionally, Soumik Datt will perform on the evening with Debjit Patitundi on tabla. His vast musical vocabulary combines spoken word, ambient textures, field recordings, Indian classical ragas, and modern sound design. His artwork resonates strongly with the stories examined in the workshop and film, reflecting themes of migration, memory, borders, and interconnectedness.
Regarding Soumik Datta, Soumik Datta is a sarod virtuoso, composer, bandleader, BBC presenter, and recipient of the Aga Khan Music Award. Vogue has called him “one of the biggest new music talents in Britain”. Soumik, a student of the renowned Pandit Buddhadev Das Gupta, is renowned for expanding the expressive potential of Indian classical music via intercultural and socially conscious partnerships. He has collaborated with artists like Beyoncé, Jay-Z, Nitin Sawhney, Joss Stone, and Anoushka Shankar, and he has performed at prestigious international venues like the BBC Proms, Glastonbury Festival, WOMAD, and St Paul’s Cathedral. The Philharmonia Orchestra currently has him as an artist in residence.
Concerning the Collaborating Organisations
Resource Centre for Weavers’ Studios (WSRC) WSRC, a trailblazing organisation with its headquarters in Kolkata, is committed to the documentation, preservation, and modern relevance of India’s textile traditions. WSRC works closely with artisan communities throughout India and the subcontinent, promoting communication between craft, academics, design, and the arts through exhibitions, research, publications, films, and craft-led partnerships.
Arts by Soumik Datta (UK) Soumik Datta Arts is the brainchild of visionary sarod virtuoso Soumik Datta, a musician, composer, and TV host who is well-known for fusing Indian classical music with modern forms to address pressing global issues like mental health, migration, and climate change; supporting up-and-coming talent and promoting diversity through collaborative projects in music, film, and digital media; and creating immersive experiences that connect audiences worldwide. The Alka Jalan Foundation The Alka Jalan Foundation was started by Mrs. Alka Jalan and is a sincere endeavour based on the idea that community, creativity, and mindful living are the first steps towards healing. The Alka Jalan Foundation was started by Mrs. Alka Jalan and is a sincere endeavour based on the idea that community, creativity, and mindful living are the first steps towards healing.
The Alka Jalan Foundation was started by Mrs. Alka Jalan and is a sincere endeavour based on the idea that community, creativity, and mindful living are the first steps towards healing. The Alka Jalan Foundation was started by Mrs. Alka Jalan and is a sincere endeavour based on the idea that community, creativity, and mindful living are the first steps towards healing. It serves as a forum for both seasoned and up-and-coming musicians, emphasising a methodical approach to music appreciation and education.
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