Exclusive Ticket Competition: Win 2 x Tickets to the London International Arts Festival

The London International Arts Festival is a delightfully diverse affair taking place in London' rich East End. The programme curated by Jyotsna Sriknath features live performances and workshops by the best of those from the worlds of classical, folk and contmeporary music.

This year a total of 14 acts from around the world will take to the stage in six concerts at Redbridge Town Hall, East London. The brand new festival organised by Dhruv Arts provides a platform to artists normally underepresented outside of their own ethnic communities.  

Here our are top tips for what to see over the weekend:

Anja McCloskey 

7-8.15pm, Friday 10 August

Anja Mcloskey is a half-German, half-American folk songstress and accordion master. Moving to the UK at the age of 20 Anja played in various bands at university before forming her own in 2012 and releasing the EP, ‘Turn-Turn-Turn’ on Sotones Records.

Her music produces a strange whirlwind of sound, and has been dubbed ‘surreal indie-folk’. Their is certainly a kind of fairytale-psychedelic feel to her style. Expect osciallating accordion lines accompanied by gentle piano, double bass, violin and guitar. On top Anja’s distinctive vocal keens and wails hauntingly. 

Jyotsna Srikanth Project

7-8.15pm, Saturday 11 August

Jyotsna is Europe's leading violinist from the south Indian Carnatic classical tradition. Her music is grounded in fusion, and live performances feature a smattering of jazz, Irish folk, Blues, Celtic folk, flamenco, rock and Indian classical music all mixed together. 

Jyotsna has featured on the soundtrack to over 200 Bollywood movies and regularly performs with the superstars of Indian music. 

Her dynamic band the Jyotsna Srikanth Project (JSP) includes a jazz violinist, a beat-boxer, a double bassist, drummer and percussionist in the line-up. 

La Internacional Sonora Balkanera

8.45-10pm, Sunday 12 August

La Internacional Sonora Balkanera are an unstoppable Mexican combo twisted through with bouncing Balkan beats. The band formed in 2008 in Mexico City's Del V neighbourhood and have been growing upwards ever since. Popular at home they have also begun to spread their brand worldwide, performing a showstopping gig at the UK's Glastonbury Festival 2011. 

Workshops: Indian Drumming, Bollywood Hungama, Traditional Music of Vojvodina & Mexican Music 

As if the great schedule of concerts wasn't enough, the London International Arts Festival also includes an interesting programme of musical workshops for all those budding Bollywood stars or quick-fingered drummers out there. 

Here is the programme of workshops taking place on Saturday 11 August and cost £5.00 each. Click on each workshop to find out more: 

10-10.45am - Indian Drumming & Percussion by Bangalore RN Prakash

11-11.45am - Bollywood Hungama - Singing/Playing with Shadrach Solomon

12-12.45pm - Traditional Music of Vojvodina with Chris Haigh and Viktor Obsust

1-1.45 - Mexican Traditional Music with Bruno Bartra of La Internacional Sonora Balkanera

Tickets for London International Arts Festival available here!

Check out LIAF's facebook page here