'Festival of Places' kicks off in the capital

Aiming to unravel and interpret the fascinating bond between people and places, a "Festival of Places" kicked off here on Friday to explore the cultural legacies of cities -- Delhi, Lucknow and Kolkata.

The festival is about understanding the idea of "Space as a Place" -- about exploring places that form an integral part of cities and towns.

It is expected to offer experiences about celebrated places in the three cities as meaningful connected spaces through which urban life throbs. It will rediscover the lost art of creating vibrant Places that nurture culture and creativity.

"Festival of Places" has been organised by the Indira Gandhi National Centre for Arts (IGNCA) and has been conceptualized by CATTS a non-profit working in the area of heritage conservation and management.

"We are featuring talk sessions on Indian and International Placemaking and Placecentered Initiatives that have helped revitalize public and community spaces in cities," Urvashi Shrivastava of CATTS told IANS.

Architectural and photographic exhibitions, presentations and short films, cultural performances by renowned artists will highlight the uniqueness of each city and prove how culture, conservation and creativity can drive development.

"The festival explores the invaluable cultural fabric and a memory associated with places and provides an opportunity to people for sharing their personal narratives," Shrivastava said.

"It has been envisaged as a convergence of people from all walks of life and disciplines who seek a deeper understanding of our culture through the places we live in as well as share an eagerness to rejuvenate them," she added.

She further explained that the festival encourages participation of people of all ages, youth and experience for developing an in-depth understanding of places and spaces we live in. "It seeks people to play an active role both in the creation of new places and the preservation and sustenance of existing ones," Shrivastava said.

--IANS

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