Platform for
South & Southeast Asian inspired Arts

Maghenta is an international and contemporary platform for arts inspired by South and Southeast Asian traditions. The name is a play on words and a fusion of magenta—a vibrant color we associate with the intensity of South and Southeast Asia—and Ghent, the city where our organization is based, known for its creativity and openness.

The idea for Maghenta emerged a few years after the founding of the Indian dance collective Bollylicious in 2015. While presenting our choreographic work in a European context, we were struck by the noticeable lack of knowledge, understanding, and appreciation for non-Western art forms within the contemporary arts field—despite their power to move, enrich, and inspire.

Maghenta (co-)produces work by performing artists whose practices are rooted in or inspired by South and Southeast Asian traditions and themes. We foster artistic research and dialogue through exchange projects—both between artists themselves and across the cultural, academic, and business sectors.