York Health & Arts Mela
York Health & Arts Mela is an award-winning, free community event in the heart of York that celebrates diversity, inclusion, and wellbeing. Open to all ages and backgrounds, it offers a vibrant mix of live music and dance performances, cultural arts and crafts, traditional food stalls, and informative stands showcasing NHS and voluntary sector services.
Latest updates
We’re looking for 2027 sponsors!
York Health and Arts Mela will always be free to attend-but we can only make it happen with your support. Every donation, large or small, helps us create a safe, inclusive, and unforgettable event for everyone.
More updates on the Mela socials
More information and updates can be found on the Mela Instagram and Facebook pages
York Health & Arts Mela
Designed as a welcoming, family-friendly experience, the Mela brings people together to connect, learn, and enjoy a rich variety of cultures in a relaxed atmosphere, earning recognition with a Community Pride Award in 2024 and commendation in the BBC Make a Difference Awards in 2025.
Our Award Winning York Health & Arts Mela is a free event open to anyone who wants to learn more about NHS services, Voluntary sector services, the Arts and Performing sector, meet new people, enjoy diverse music, arts, crafts and food from a range of different cultures and backgrounds in the heart of York.
Next event: dates to be announced
The programme includes traditional displays of music/dance performances, with a range of stalls selling traditional food and other stands offering information and advice on services. York Health & Arts Mela is a family event appealing to all ages and ethnicities, with everyone welcome to come and enjoy the event in a relaxed atmosphere.
We are delighted that our event won a Community Pride Award in 2024 and it was commended by BBC Make a Difference award in 2025 so embrace York Health & Arts Mela! Join a vibrant celebration of diversity, inclusion infused with health and well being!
York Health & Arts Mela
Museum Gardens, Museum Street York. YO1 7FR
Our next event is on Sunday 17 May 2026 – Save the date!!
Visiting us on event day at York Museum Gardens
We aim to build an inclusive space, open to all:
- York Museum sites are all breast-friendly, please ask at reception for more details
- Quiet area is located in Artists Garden and York Library lawn
- Prayer Room – Fairfax Room, Yorkshire Museum
- Accessible area is located in Front of the Yorkshire Museum on the hard-standing surface
Which provides everything you need to have a great time:
- Toilets including accessible free of charge to people attending the Mela inside the Yorkshire Museum and York Art Gallery.
Please ask at reception for directions. - Cycle park is available at Museum Street entrance gate and St. Leonards Hospital
- Please bring along your folding chairs or picnic rugs to sit in the grass and enjoy the entertainment
- First Aid station near Yorkshire Museum Entrance
- Please ensure that you remove all rubbish off site when you leave
- Children must be supervised at all times
Parking and Public Transport
The nearest car park is on Marygate, which is five minutes walk and has 350 spaces. Marygate is off Bootham, the A19, YO30 7DT, which is the main road into York from the North.
The gallery is approximately a 15 to 20-minute walk from York Railway Station. There are several bus stops on Exhibition square.
These buses include: 1,2,5,5a,6,19,29,30,30x,31,31x 40 and the City Sightseeing Golden Tours. You might also want to use the city’s Park and Ride service
Donations and Sponsorship
Please help us make this bigger and better next time by becoming a sponsor.
We had so much fun at last year’s event: lots of singing, dancing, community connectivity, vibrancy, spirit and joy in a safe space so let’s do it all again! York Health and Arts Mela will always be free to attend-but we can only make it happen with your support. Every donation, large or small, helps us create a safe, inclusive, and unforgettable event for everyone.
See full details here and complete your application form in this pack,
Would you like to sponsor our event? Here is an overview of our sponsorship packages.
Gold Sponsorship – £10,000 – prime stall location, logo on communications, publicity on stage screen, acknowledgement of your support and credit given, opening ceremony speaker, and social media publicity and PR publicity.
Bronze Sponsorship – £5,000- prime stall location, logo on communications, publicity on stage screen, acknowledgement of your support and credit given, and social media publicity and PR publicity.
Standard Sponsorship – £3,000 – prime stall location, logo on communications, and publicity on stage screen
In Kind Support
Any support with the venue, project administration and coordination, marketing and communications, volunteering, or other areas is very welcome and much appreciated. In return, your organisation will receive a range of event benefits, detailed in the sponsorship pack PDF. Please email us:
Would you like to have a stand at our event?
Small Charity or Community group
Suggested donation of £75
Other organisations
Suggested donation of £125-£250+
Catering food and drink (not bar/alcohol)
Minimum donation of £100 to £300
Bids are taken and then pitches are offered based on criteria including selection of food, dietary requirements, locality, price of food to the public and stand bid amount. Please complete a Stall-holder Expression of Interest Form to be considered in the bid process.
York Health and Arts Mela In partnership with:
York Museum Trust, Humber and North Yorkshire Care Partnership (ICB), Public Health England (CYC), Nimbuscare.