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KULJIT BHAMRA
Kuljit Bhamra is a composer, producer and virtuoso tabla player who is this year’s Artist in Residence at the Salisbury International Arts Festival which takes place from 22th May until 6th June. As a self taught composer he has worked on successful film scores such as Bend it Like Beckham and Bhaji on the Beach. He is also appearing at Raga Mela at London's Southbank on 6th May.

GARY CONLEY
Gary Conley is an ex miner and central figure in the piece of public art recently unveiled in St Helens. The vast sculpture, 'Dream' by Spanish artist Jaume Plensa, is 20 metres high and is visible from Junction 7 of the M62. It is featured in The Big Art Project, a Channel 4 initiative supported by the Arts Council and the Arts Fund. The programmes following the project begin on 10th May at 7pm on Channel 4.

SISTER WENDY BECKETT
Sister Wendy Beckett became a nun at 16 and while she still lives in a Carmelite Monastery she is also an author and authority on art. Her latest book Encounters with God: In Quest of the Ancient Icons of Mary is published by Continuum.

ARABELLA DORMAN
Arabella Dorman is a portrait painter and only the second British woman war artist in history. She spent two weeks in Iraq, close to the battle lines, observing with an artists eye the way the Army lives, operates and works together on operations. An exhibition of her work – Frontlines: Images from Iraq takes place from 12th-30th May at Frost and Reed in St James’s, London SW1.