Festival to celebrate cultural diversity of Cork

The countdown is on for a brand new festival taking place this May bank holiday weekend. After making its mark in Belfast for the last 20 years, Cork is getting to experience its own Mela.

With Cork being a city of cultural diversity, it only makes sense that Cork Mela is finally happening. Organised by ArtsEkta, the charity behind Belfast Mela, this is a festival with a multicultural line-up that is not to be missed.

Mela is a word from Sanskrit meaning ‘gathering’ or ‘meeting’. When you look at the line-up for this one day festival, the title makes perfect sense. The cultural festival has everything from live performances, dance, workshops, and food stalls, showcasing the creativity and diversity of the community.

Nisha Tandon, founder and CEO of ArtsEkta, said the move to expand to Cork felt right for 2026, after their long-standing success in Belfast.

“Belfast Mela is known for its warm, welcoming, and joyful atmosphere,” said Nisha. “It’s a true shared space where people come to enjoy themselves, discover new cultures, and connect with others.

“There’s a real sense of openness, people are curious, engaged and eager to experience something new. That same spirit is what we hope to bring to Cork.”

Nisha added: “ArtsEkta has long had an ambition to expand our work into the Republic of Ireland. Through a number of successful Shared Island projects, we built strong connections across communities here, and with the support of Rethink Ireland, the timing felt right to take the next step.”

Bringing Mela to Cork is a natural progression, Nisha said. “While this is a smaller, first edition, it builds on nearly 20 years of experience delivering Belfast Mela, Ireland’s largest celebration of cultural diversity, and allows us to begin shaping something meaningful for Cork.”

In the lead up to the first Mela in Cork, the ethos behind ArtsEkta, is evident. Ekta translates to ‘unity’, something that Nisha and the team hope to bring with this festival.

“At its heart, ArtsEkta is about unity through culture. We believe festivals like Mela create shared spaces where people can come together, experience each other’s traditions, and find common ground”

Cork Mela brings together a wide range of local cultural groups, creating opportunities for connection, collaboration and celebration. “We hope it becomes a space where communities feel seen, valued and connected, building on the successful model of Belfast Mela,” said Nisha.

Among the anticipated highlights are vibrant performances from Mexican, Indian, Chinese and Irish artists, celebrating cultures from around the world. Family-friendly areas such as Baby Bollywood, the World of Wellbeing and Culture Land will offer engaging experiences for all ages, while the World Food Village promises a journey through global flavours.

Cork Mela is set to be a stand-out celebration of the city’s rich cultural diversity, featuring performances and showcases across two stages from groups including Anahvac Mexican Dance Ireland (AMDIE), Capoeira Cork, Cork Community Centre and The Kabin Crew.

Alongside the performances, the festival will host a variety of food stalls, wellbeing workshops, spoken word sessions and henna art. Many workshops will be interactive, giving attendees the chance to get involved and experience these traditions first-hand.

“Cork Mela is for everyone. It’s a free, family-friendly event designed to be accessible and welcoming to people of all ages, backgrounds and communities. Whether you’re coming for the music, the food, the performances or just to enjoy the atmosphere, there’s something for everyone to experience,” Nisha stated.

“Cork is a vibrant, diverse city, and it’s important that we create opportunities to celebrate that diversity collectively.

Rather than celebrating cultures in isolation, Cork Mela brings them together in one shared space, allowing people to experience, learn from and appreciate each other. It’s about building understanding, breaking down barriers, and celebrating what we all bring to the city.”

So far, the Cork community has shown great interest in the festival, creating a home for Cork Mela in Fitzgerald’s Park this weekend. The team has been working hard to create connections in the city and the plans are looking promising for the future of Cork Mela.

“The response has been very positive. There’s a real sense of excitement about bringing something new to Cork, and we’ve had great engagement from local communities, artists and partners who are keen to be involved. It’s clear there’s an appetite for this kind of event in the city,” Nisha said.

“This first year is about introducing Cork Mela and building relationships with communities and audiences. If it’s well received, we would love to see it grow and become a regular fixture in Cork’s cultural calendar.”

The festival promises to be a vibrant celebration of diversity and colour, bringing together global talent throughout the afternoon and offering something for all ages to enjoy. It not only highlights the rich cultural diversity of Cork, but also proudly celebrates the creativity and talent found within the local community.

Cork Mela will take place this Sunday, May 3 from 1-5pm in Fitzgerald’s Park.

For more, see https://artsekta.org.uk/cork-mela/ or on Instagram @corkmela and @artsekta