Movement + Music + Storytelling + Art

Mandala Makers Festival is an annual platform that supports multidisciplinary South Asian performing artists. The festival holds space for artists to progress and challenge traditions of the South Asian diaspora.

This festival is free to the public. Events take place throughout the Devon Avenue neighborhood in “Little South Asia”, Chicago. Experience art at community spaces such as parks, street corners and social service centers. The festival culminates in a three-day Artist Showcase at Indian Boundary Park, June 24-26. 

Seating is limited for some events. Please register to reserve your seat!

This festival is made possible with your support. Donations go towards the performing artists, Mandala Arts, and the festival for years to come.

SATURDAY EVENTS ARE BEING RELOCATED INDOORS.

ALL EVENTS WILL TAKE PLACE AT THE CULTURAL CENTER LOCATED AT 2500 W LUNT AVENUE, CHICAGO, IL.

Artist Line Up 2022

Youth Artists

Sunday, June 26th | 12:00pm

Mandala Makers Festival is proud to present Chicago’s rising artists in our YOUTH ARTIST SHOWCASE. Join us

hema karunakaram dance chicago

Hema Karunakaram

Sunday, June 26th | 3:30pm

Hema Karunakaram is an award winning dancer, speaker, and community builder based in Chicago. Hema began

colin mascarenhas dance odissi chicago

Colin Mascarenhas

Sunday, June 26th | 3:30pm

Colin Mascarenhas is an Odissi Dance artist and LGBTQI+ activist in the city of Chicago. He

anjal chande soham dance space chicago

Anjal Chande (Soham Dance Space)

Friday, June 24th | 7:40pm

Anjal Chande is a choreographer, composer, writer, teacher, and performer. Described by The New York Times

Shalaka Kulkarni

Friday, June 24th | 7:15pm

“The prime focus of every work is to create a space for the audience to feel

Bollywood Drag Divas

Saturday, June 25th | 9:10pm

Abhijeet’s Bollywood Drag Divas represent the vibrant queer Desi performance scene in Chicago. Abhijeet is a

ochin pakhi bengali music chicago

Ochin Pakhi

Friday, June 24th | 8:15pm

Ochin Pakhi, a Bengali music band from Chicago, is a group of spiritually motivated, fun-loving musicians

Ishti Collective

Friday, June 24th | 6:45pm

Ishti Collective celebrates expressions, shares joy through collaborative practices, and fosters meaningful dialogue through radical acts

radia ali dance chicago mandala

Radia Ali

Saturday, June 25th | 7:30pm

Radia Ali, also known as Noori, is a multi-disciplinary performing artist, poet and fire dancer. She

shamim aqil brothers bengali music chicago

Aqil Brothers

Sunday, June 26th | 2:30pm

Chicago-based artists Shamim and Mithun represent the heart of Bangla Qawali and Lokogeethi folk music. From

shamik bilgi dj music

Shamik

Saturday, June 25th | 8:25pm

Shamik is a South Asian producer and beatboxer. He has performed in 15 countries, and toured

aao mil baithen

Aao Mil Baithen

Saturday, June 18th | 3:00pm

Aao Mil Baithen: Devon Avenue Arts Activation is a community-based initiative, focused on Devon Avenue, that

Souryadeep Bhattacharya sarod chicago

Souryadeep Bhattacharyya

Sunday, June 26th | 3:00pm

Souryadeep Bhattacharyya is a well known name among the new generation of Indian classical musicians. He

Roosha Mandal dance chicago

Roosha Mandal

Sunday, June 26th | 3:30pm

Roosha Mandal is a multidisciplinary dance artist. She began her training 16 years ago in in

Ahalya Satkunaratman

Friday, June 17th | 7:30pm

Ahalya Satkunaratnam is a scholar, dancer, and Associate Professor of Humanities at Oakton Community College in

Laksha Dantran

Saturday, June 25th | 6:15pm

Laksha Dantran is an artist with a powerful vision and over 30 years of experience in

Max ZT

Sunday, June 26th | 1:30pm

“I think we’re in the midst of a mass awakening,” says Max ZT, “a kind of

masood haque comedy chicago

Masood Haque

Friday, June 24th | 6:00pm

Masood Haque (he/him/his) is a comedian, actor, and writer based in Chicago. With The Second City,

palini ramnarayan vocalist chicago

Palini Ramnarayan

Sunday, June 26th | 2:00pm

Palini Ramnarayan is a Hindustani classical vocalist with a Music minor from Cornell University. Palini started

vik pandya comedy chicago

Vik Pandya

Friday, June 24th | 6:20pm

Vik Pandya is a nationally touring stand up comic based in Chicago. Known for his sharp

Priya Darshini

Friday, June 24th | 9:00pm

“Between the columns, a window opens to another world, to the unimaginable, and that wonderful voice

Anvita Hariharan

Sunday, June 26th | 4:15pm

At the age of 11, Anvita began her Carnatic saxophone training from Dr. Sumanth Swaminathan. After

krissy bergmark tabla chicago

Krissy Bergmark

Saturday, June 25th | 6:50pm

Krissy Bergmark is a tabla player, percussionist, composer, and educator. Bergmark centers her creative work on

Abhijeet & Ashwaty

Friday, June 17th | 7:30pm

Abhijeet is a multimedia artists and drag queen from Mumbai in Chicago. By combining live performance

Lil Idli

Saturday, June 25th | 8:45pm

Lil Idli is the experimental pop duo of vocalist Ranjani Prabhakar and producer/percussionist Deepak Gopinath. Their

p.m. tummala chicago music

P.M. Tummala

Saturday, June 25th | 7:10pm

P.M. Tummala is a multi-instrumentalist and producer who explores identity and false memories on his most

mandala makers festival chicago

THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS

Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events – City of Chicago 
Illinois Arts Council Agency, Richard H. Driehaus Foundation
Gaylord & Dorothy Donnelley Foundation

Kader Sakkaria
Apna Ghar
Ross/Tandon Realty