Be it art exhibitions,street art, cultural & theatre performances or an amalgamation of all, here are some really amazingย art-centric festivals that take place in the country.
1. Kala Ghoda Arts Festival
Where: Mumbai
As the mother of all cultural fests in India, the Kala Ghoda Arts Festival has been an exciting and vibrant cultural melting pot ever since its inception in 1999. As far as cultural festivals go, its exponential growth over the years has attracted visitors, participants and sponsors from all over the world. This year the festival drew over 150000 people over 9 days and 350 events of art, music, dance, theatre, literature, street stalls, films & workshops making it the biggest and most loved cultural festival in the country.
(Images Courtesy :ย instagram.com/chefyash,ย instagram.com/omzii10001,ย instagram.com/themihirthakkar)
2. St + Art Festival
Where: Mumbai & Delhi, India
(Images Courtesy : St+art India)
More than anything, St+art is about providing a platform for street artists from everywhere to come and participate and be a part of the Indian movement, by transforming dreary and lacklustre buildings and streets into vibrant spaces.ย So over a monthย you will spot lovely murals and installations that are bound to catch your eye all over the streets of Mumbai and Delhi.ย In addition to the street art, the festival hostsย multiple other events related to art and art culture. From performances and film screenings to stencil making workshops, pop art exhibitions and street walks, the event is loadedย with a lot of activities in the appreciation of art.
3. Rishikesh Street Art Festival
Where: Rishikesh, Uttarakhand
The countryโs cities can often feel like inert spaces of bricks and walls. Beautifying these surroundings are the people behind the Rishikesh Street Art Festival in the city of Rishikesh.ย Taking the spirit of street art much further,ย Rishikesh Street Art Festival has quietly instigated an art movement in the city of Rishikesh, since last year.
(Images Courtesy :ย www.facebook.com/rishikeshstreetartfestival)
4.ย Street Art Chennai
Where: Chennai
CONQUER THE CONCRETE is Chennaiโs own effort turning public spaces into words of urban art. Spread across 18 days, six international artists invited from Germany, the USA and Spain will collaborate with Indian street artists from Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore and Chennai, cinema hoarding painters and Chennai art enthusiasts. More than 20 walls (in 2015) in the city were ย โconqueredโ by around 25 artists and art lovers.ย The project or festival has been launched by the Goethe-Institute Chennai/Max Mueller Bhavan in collaboration with multiple city schools and corporations : ย Chennai City Connect, Corporation of Chennai, Southern Railways, SPI Cinemas, Paint Box, Spaces, School of Architecture & Planning-Anna University, Stella Maris College and YMCA College of Physical Education.
The focus of this Indo-German and international cultural cooperation is ย introducing beautiful art in public urban spaces. What to expect? Mural paintings and massive works of art spread across the city, brightening up nooks and corners of Chennai.With art in the public space, Chennai will be a more attractive and pleasant city of the 21st century: more attractive for tourism and commerce, but the most important, more attractive for its own citizens.ย Here are some completed murals that have popped around the city :
(Images Courtesy :ย www.facebook.com/streetartchennai)
5. Delhi International Arts Festival
Where: Delhi
AT DIAF expect to be bombarded with a explosion of culture, theatre, puppetry, literature and film. Designed to involve as well as sensitise the local community to social issues through various art forms. It’s rich, colourful and thoroughly satisfying to be part of an event like this. Running for eight years till now, the culturally inquisitive community of Delhi and India have presented and been presented with works of art and new cultures, they otherwise wouldn’t have had the opportunity to.
6. India Art Fair
Where: New Delhi
India Art Fair is one of Southern Asia’s most exemplary platforms for modern and contemporary art. The fair, held over 4 days every January features work of artists from all over the world that reflect the India’s cultural landscape. Over the last 8 years, the festival has gained international acclaim with it’s growing community and connections to the art market. At India Art Fair you will come across art that spans across many disciplines, but still depicting South Asian culture as a whole.
