South Asia’s cultural future lies in collaboration: Art leaders at SXSW London’s first Bangla House

Leading cultural figures from South Asia and the United Kingdom have observed that the concept of a single cultural capital is becoming increasingly outdated as creativity, cultural exchange and artistic innovation increasingly flourish across networks of cities, communities, and cultures.

Speaking at a panel discussion titled “Building the Next Art Capitals” hosted at the Kobi Nazrul Centre in London on 4 June, 2026, curators, art fair directors, and cultural entrepreneurs highlighted how collaboration and regional connectivity are reshaping the cultural landscape across South Asia and beyond.

The discussion brought together Fahd Sattar, founder and CEO of Aloki and co-founder of Art Dhaka; Jaya Asokan, fair director of India Art Fair; Meneesha Kellay, senior curator at V&A East; and Nour Aslam, founder and executive director of the Art South Asia Project.

Nahar Khan, who works across media, culture, and is the founder of Solis, a multi-platform initiative spanning strategic insights and intelligence, convening and culture, curated and moderated the panel discussion.

Opening the session, the panel questioned whether the idea of fixed cultural capitals still holds relevance in a rapidly interconnected world, noting that cultural influence is increasingly emerging from distributed networks of cities, communities, and creatives.

Panelists noted that South Asian artists and cultural voices are playing an increasingly visible role in global conversations, reflecting the growing interconnectedness of cultures through migration, diaspora networks, and cross-border collaboration, making the contemporary cultural landscape more diverse and interconnected than ever before.

The panel emphasised that cultural influence is no longer anchored in a single geographic centre, but shaped through interconnected creative networks.

They highlighted how South Asia exemplifies this shift, with artists and creatives contributing to global conversations while remaining grounded in local cultural contexts.

The panel stressed the importance of sustained cultural ecosystems that extend beyond events.

Jaya Asokan shared how India Art Fair has evolved beyond a commercial platform into a year-round ecosystem that includes residencies, educational programmes, public initiatives, and regional collaborations.

Similarly, Fahd Sattar described transforming a former garment factory in Dhaka into Aloki, a multidisciplinary cultural space with a permanent gallery. He said the initiative was designed to connect the creative economy by bringing artists, makers, and patrons into a shared space, while also fostering a sense of community. When asked about the flexibility of emerging cultural ecosystems, he added that there is much more autonomy in being able to design infrastructures that are closely aligned with their own cultural contexts.

Building on this approach, he noted that he and his collaborators are now launching Art Dhaka, a hybrid art fair aimed at strengthening Bangladesh’s growing contemporary art ecosystem, to take place 5-10 November, 2026.

Responding to Khan’s question on cultural continuity, Nour Aslam called for stronger South Asian collaboration, highlighting deep-rooted connections across the region’s art, architecture and craft traditions.

She stressed that research, exhibitions and archiving are essential tools for preserving cultural memory and strengthening regional linkages. She also underscored the need to bridge non-commercial and commercial fields within initiatives such as the Art South Asia Project, stating that such synergy is vital to building a more cohesive and interconnected cultural ecosystem.

Jaya Asokan noted that art fairs have the ability to reshape perceptions of cities and regions by activating entire urban ecosystems rather than isolated venues.

She emphasized that such platforms generate strong public engagement and attract global audiences, creating cultural exchange that extends far beyond the fair itself. She also observed that perhaps perceptions of South Asia have historically been limited, and stressed that art fairs play a critical role in broadening these narratives by showcasing the region’s depth of talent and cultural richness, while positioning South Asian voices as globally relevant contributors to contemporary art discourse.

Meneesha Kellay reflected on her work as a curator of the British Pavilion’s Dancing Before the Moon at the 2023 Venice Architecture Biennale, which received a Special Mention for its exploration of how the rituals and cultural practices of diasporic communities shape space, belonging, and the built environment. Kellay discussed the importance of recognising the ways diasporic communities influence public space and contribute to the cultural identity of cities. Drawing on examples such as Brick Lane, she highlighted how everyday acts of gathering, celebration and community-making can reshape understandings of architecture and place.

Sustaining this work, she said, requires individuals and organisations willing to support new ideas, challenge established frameworks, and create opportunities for a wider range of cultural perspectives to be represented.

The speakers collectively agreed that uncertainty and transformation should be viewed as opportunities rather than obstacles.

As cultural institutions and audiences continue to evolve, they emphasized that the future will depend on experimentation, inclusivity and cross-border collaboration. Rather than being defined by a single city or institution, they concluded, the next generation of cultural ecosystems will emerge through partnerships, shared knowledge and a collective commitment to expanding participation in the arts.