About Oslo MELA

The word Mela means "to meet" in Sanskrit. Melafestivalen is an urban, cross-genre meeting place for the celebration of artistic and cultural expressions that have come to Norway through immigration, especially from countries in the South. Melafestivalen was first organized in Oslo in 2001 and has since developed into one of the largest of its kind in Europe.

Melafestivalen conveys art and cultural expressions from around the world. Own productions where Norwegian and foreign artists collaborate are a mainstay of the festival. In addition, Mela focuses especially on local artists.

The festival works to increase awareness of cultural diversity, increase immigrants' participation in Norwegian cultural life and encourages cultural institutions to be more inclusive.

Mela is held at Rådhusplassen in Oslo and is free of charge. Mela's artistic director is Khalid Salimi.