Inside Mélange Expo, Where Art Becomes Community

Mélange Expo is not trying to be a quiet little art platform sitting neatly in a corner. It has more of a “come in, bring your people, move the furniture, hang the work, start the conversation” kind of energy. A bit like its founder, Leila Colette.

Leila didn’t arrive in my inbox like a polished press release with legs. She got in touch directly, we had a lovely chat, and within minutes it was very clear why Mélange feels the way it does. She is bright, warm, easy to talk to, and full of the kind of energy that seems to pull people in. You can hear it in how she talks about artists, not as names on a list, but as people, stories, friendships, collaborations, and chosen family.

Mélange brings together artists from different backgrounds and disciplines, not just to exhibit their work, but to build something around it. Artists show their work in cultural centres, tattoo studios, cafés, galleries, restaurants, and community spaces, adapting to each place rather than pretending art only belongs in one kind of room. That flexibility is part of its charm, and very much part of its Barcelona energy.

This Meet the Makers interview is about the Mélange family, the street artists who helped shape the project from the beginning, the importance of affordable prints, and the small but powerful moments that make an independent art project worth fighting for. It is also about what support for artists can look like when it is rooted in care, not just promotion, and why Leila hopes Mélange can keep growing into something with real positive impact, both inside and beyond the art world.

If someone has never heard of Mélange Expo before, what would you want them to understand about it first?

Mélange is a movement as much as it is an exhibition platform. Of course, the art is important. However, for me it’s equally about the people behind it. Every artist has a story, a journey, and a cultural background that shapes their work. Mélange creates a space where people can connect with those stories, not just view the finished pieces. At its heart, it’s about building a creative community where artists support one another, collaborate, and grow together.

You describe yourself as “from the world.” How has that shaped the way you work with artists and build community in Barcelona?

Being from different backgrounds and having lived in several countries has made me naturally curious about people and their cultures. My own identity has always felt complex. I’m half French, half Persian, I grew up in the UK, my family lives in Cyprus and I’ve spent the last 13 years in and out of Spain. For much of my life, I never felt like I completely belonged anywhere. 

Barcelona is probably the closest thing I’ve found to home. It’s an international city full of people who have come from somewhere else to build something new. Many of the artists I work with are incredibly talented but arrived here without a network or recognition. I understand that struggle personally and that’s one of the reasons I care so much about helping create opportunities and connections for them.

How do you choose the artists you work with? Is it more about style, energy, story, community, or something else?

For me, it always starts with the person. I simply don’t work with people I don’t connect with. There’s a reason I call it the Mélange Family. I like to spend time getting to know artists beyond their work and having deeper conversations to see whether our values and ideas align. The best projects feel like true collaborations. We all bring different strengths to the table. For example, some artists have a great eye for curating and placing work in a space, while my strengths lie more in marketing, promotion and building connections. When those skills come together, that’s when something special happens.

It feels like Mélange Expo is not just about showing art, but about building a kind of artistic family. Is that how you see it? What brings these artists together?

Absolutely. The idea of family is very important to me because it creates a sense of belonging. With Mélange, you’re not just another name on a list or another artist in a show, you are part of a collective and your contribution matters. Like any family, some members are closer than others and some artists live far away and only join us occasionally. However, there is still a connection. What brings everyone together is a shared belief in supporting one another, celebrating creativity and creating opportunities that might not exist otherwise.

You’ve worked in different venues and spaces around the city. What kind of atmosphere are you trying to create at your shows?

One thing I love about Mélange is that it isn’t tied to one type of space. We’ve worked with cultural centres, tattoo studios, cafés, galleries, restaurants, and community spaces. Each venue brings its own energy and attracts different audiences.

One of my favourites is Venus Delicatessen which has supported Mélange since the very beginning. It’s a beautiful space in the heart of Barcelona that genuinely embodies community spirit with local cuisine. 

More than anything, I want people to feel welcome. Mélange is versatile and adaptable. You can’t really put it in a box, and I think that’s one of its strengths. Every collaboration opens up new possibilities, and that sense of openness is what keeps the project evolving.

Is there a moment from a Mélange Expo event that has stayed with you? Something that made you feel, “yes, this is why I’m doing this”?

For me, it’s rarely one big moment. It’s the accumulation of small wins. It’s hearing someone say they love the concept and want to know more about the artist behind the work. It’s watching meaningful conversations happen between strangers. It’s seeing an artist feel genuinely appreciated. Of course also when someone buys a piece and takes it home, knowing it resonated with them enough to become part of their life. Those moments might seem small, but they’re exactly why I do what I do.

I love that affordable prints are part of Mélange Expo, especially as a way to support street artists whose work is often shared freely in public space. Why is that accessibility side important to you?

Accessibility is incredibly important to me because I know what it’s like to struggle financially. I left home at 14 and spent many years trying to find my way. Because of that experience, I’ve always believed that art shouldn’t only be available to people with large budgets. Not everyone can afford an original artwork but many people still want to connect with an artist’s work and take a piece of that experience home. 

Prints make that possible. It’s especially important for street artists. They create work that everyone can enjoy for free, yet recognition and financial support can be difficult to achieve. Sometimes selling prints simply helps cover the cost of materials so they can continue creating the murals and interventions that make cities more vibrant. In fact, Mélange began by working closely with street artists such as Smking Panther, Skupe, and Asscream. They believed in the project from the beginning and played a huge role in helping it grow. I’ll always be grateful for that support. 

You can find our prints at www.melangeexpo.com

What would you like Mélange Expo to become over the next few years?

My hope is that Mélange continues to grow while staying true to its community roots. Like many independent art projects, funding is always a challenge and it would be incredible to build stronger partnerships with organisations, hotels and businesses that believe in supporting culture and local artists. 

Beyond the exhibitions themselves, my biggest dream is to create a charity focused on helping people affected by addiction. This is something I’m already involved with on a personal level and I’d love to find a way to connect that work with Mélange.  

Ultimately, I want Mélange to be more than an art platform. I want it to be a force for positive impact where supporting artists also helps support projects that can genuinely change lives. That’s what motivates me most.

Big thanks to Leila for sharing the story behind Mélange Expo and the energy she brings to supporting artists in Barcelona.

Projects like this grow through community: following along, sharing the work, buying prints when possible, and supporting local artists in whatever way you can.

Mélange has a lot of heart, and I’m very happy to help share it here with the FrikiFish community.