We’re here to help you succeed by offering PAID PERFORMANCES ACCESS TO FUNDING CAREER CONSULTING
Who we are…
We are artists who mean business with years of experience wearing all sorts of hats on the business side of the arts including artist manager, agent, producer, tour coordinator, marketing copy writer and more.
What we do…
Our mission is to nurture the ecosystem for South Asian performing arts practitioners (YOU). We are here to help share your work with the world in a sustainable manner.
How we do it…
Based on your work, goals, and needs, we’ll connect you to paid performances, funding / residency opportunities, professional development services like workshops and consulting, and more.
Types of performances we book artists for:
- performing arts series
- festival
- school assembly
- residencies
- fundraising concert
- gala
- wedding
- private party
- corporate event
- corporate team building
- kid’s birthday party
- community event
Types of artists we work with:
Our portfolio includes Indian classical musicians (Hindustani and Carnatic), Indian classical dancers (Bharatanatyam, Kathak, and more), Bollywood dancers and musicians, folk dancers (bhangra, garba), folk musicians, Indo-western classical ensembles, folk rock bands, Indo-jazz groups, baraat bands, and more!
Where we’ve booked performances:
Funding / Residency / Other Opportunities:
Careers in the arts are supported in a variety of ways, including grant funding for new works and/or operational costs, residencies that provide space and time for the creative process, open calls for performance opportunities, fellowships that provide community, and more. As a member of MELA Arts Connect’s Artist Network, you’ll learn about opportunities that can support and/or advance your career.
If you are looking for a job in the arts as an arts professional (non-performance position), we’ve also launched a list-serve where you can find out about job opportunities, from entry-level positions to more senior roles. Listings include marketing positions, community engagement, development officers, and more. Join the MELA job list-serve here.
Business and Career Consulting for Artists:
The “business” of being a performing artist can be overwhelming and/or exhausting. At MELA, our team has experience with diverse responsibilities in the performing arts and entertainment industry – from dealing with contracts and visas to creating marketing materials, from booking flights and coordinating the logistics of a tour to running an Indian music school and teaching dance classes. Our formal titles have included booking agent, artist manager, strategist, school administrator, musician, dancer, educator, curator, producer, and more. We’ve learnt from the best and have learnt through experience and now want to share that with you to propel your career.
We want artists, especially practitioners of South Asian art forms, to thrive in building their careers and navigating the arts and entertainment industry. With our personalized consulting program with our founder Heena Patel, you have access to MELA’s knowledge, expertise, and networks to answer your questions, create strategies for growth and an action plan. We’ll share our mistakes, reasoning, and experience to you can realize your dreams in most effective ways.
What artist clients have to say:
Heena has a clear understanding about the music industry and its pitfalls. She has given me a lot of great insights and helped guide me in a better direction for my career.
Heena was open, honest, knowledgeable and easy to talk to. She’s extremely approachable, but at the same time, she’s brutally honest about the dos and donts in the performing arts.
Heena and MELA are well-versed in the realities of touring in the US for a band from India. We can now approach touring in the US with more clarity and realistic expectations.
Consulting Options:
- Single session (1 – 1.5 hours): This session can be on a specific topic or you ask about anything on your mind
- 3 month consulting / coaching package (1 hr/ week for 3 months): Work towards specific goals with the dedicated time and support of Heena. Ideal clients for this are open to recommendations, looking to learn new information, driven, hard working and willing to do whatever it takes to really make their dreams happen. There are no shortcuts, only handwork and action oriented steps!
Looking for something else? MELA can also customize consulting packages based on your needs.