Meera Krishnan

Meera Krishnan entered public life through the arts. As a young participant in community cultural programmes, she became increasingly interested in the people who wanted to take part but did not feel that existing spaces were meant for them. Her work gradually moved from performance and event participation towards community organising.

She began helping local groups create small arts programmes for young people, including workshops and informal public events. The experience taught her that cultural participation depends on practical details: who feels welcome, who can afford to attend, whether the timing works for students and workers, and whether people are given a role beyond being an audience.

One turning point came after a programme attracted a diverse group of young participants but the group quickly became fragmented. Meera chose to speak with them rather than simply plan another event. Some wanted performance opportunities, others wanted to learn production skills, and some were looking for a social space where they could meet people outside their usual circles. The experience led her to think of cultural programmes as community infrastructure rather than one-off events.

Her work now brings together young artists, volunteers and neighbourhood organisations around arts, culture and community engagement. She is particularly interested in giving young people responsibility for organising, documenting and presenting activities, not only appearing on stage.

Away from organised programmes, Meera enjoys photography, contemporary music and exploring local cultural spaces. She sees these interests as part of the same curiosity that drew her into community work.

At 34, her public contribution is rooted in a simple idea: art can give people a reason to meet, but good community spaces can help them remain connected afterwards. Her ambition is to build more such spaces where younger people feel both welcome and capable of shaping what happens around them.