Theiyā Connect
Theiyā Connect is a support programme within Theiyā Arts for South Asian arts practitioners. It provides infrastructure, professional development, and creative opportunities for individuals working in South Asian-rooted art forms—supporting artists and educators to navigate, sustain, and grow their practice within the UK arts environment.
Theiyā Connect sits alongside our other programme strands, but is distinct in its focus on professional support and infrastructure for practitioners, rather than direct teaching or community classes.
Theiyā Connect is for South Asian-rooted practitioners working across dance and other art forms who are looking for:
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guidance on establishing or strengthening their practice in Scotland/UK
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support to develop or deliver classes and education work
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connections with peers, venues, programmers, and sector stakeholders
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producing and collaboration support (within limited annual capacity)
Knowledge sharing
We offer practical support in areas including:
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Fundraising
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Establishing classes
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South Asian arts pedagogy
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Integrating your artistic practice into the UK arts environment
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EDI, accessibility, safeguarding, and good practice
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Producing support
This is offered through one-to-one surgeries with members of the Theiyā Arts Core Team, upon request.
Some materials will be shared through the website on a regular basis. More specific resources and documents can be shared upon request, depending on need and capacity.
Connections in South Asian Arts (networking)
We create spaces for practitioners to meet, collaborate, and resource-share—strengthening professional networks across Scotland.
This includes:
Quarterly networking sessions for South Asian arts practitioners and Scottish dance stakeholders (venues, programmers, support organisations, etc.)
Introductions and relationship-building across the wider industry (including technical, sound, stage, costume, and other collaborators)
A developing directory of South Asian companies, artists, and resources—with contact information—hosted on our website, and connected with existing directories that support the South Asian community
Producing and
collaboration support
We create spaces for South Asian artists to develop new work, collaborations, and bring ideas into form—through in-kind producing support, guidance, and practical resources.
This support may include:
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planning and project shaping
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producing guidance and accountability
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documentation support
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partnership pathways and introductions
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audience/community engagement planning
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support towards sharings/showings where relevant
Example initiatives under Theiyā Connect
Co|Labs (Spring/Summer 2024)
Co|Labs offered professional development through collaboration. Artists were paired with an existing South Asian arts practice to co-create new work. Participants received funded space, creative support, and guidance to co-produce work, alongside community engagement sessions across three Edinburgh locations—using performance and workshop formats.
Know more - Co|Labs
New production support
Theiyā Arts Connect has the capacity to support one new production per year. This support is awarded through a selective process and is shaped around the needs of a single project at any given time.
We are unable to support multiple new productions concurrently. Due to capacity limitations, we are also unable to consider additional new production requests outside of this annual allocation.
Theiyā Connect is not a producing company for hire and does not offer external producing services on a commercial or contractual basis. Instead, we provide in-kind producing support to selected artists and projects—drawing on the organisation’s training, professional development, and practical experience within the Scottish arts sector.
Productions supported by Theiyā Connect
What Draupadi Said to Penelope (2023) — producing support for Dr Agomoni Ganguli Mitra’s feminist, multi-artform performance, which had a sell-out run at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe.
Read about the production
Administrative assistance
for educators
We provide practical infrastructure support for South Asian arts practitioners establishing themselves as educators. Where capacity allows, we support educators to deliver classes through our platform and partner relationships—helping with set-up, visibility, and administration so the teaching can remain the focus.
Support can include:
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creating an online home for classes (web listings and sign-up pathways)
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booking pathways and basic admin support (enquiries, registrations, and attendee communications)
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connecting educators with suitable venues and helping coordinate class logistics where possible
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amplification of class promotions through our channels