Festival to showcase, promote Indian arts and crafts

Reckoning that the age-old Indian traditions need a fresh stage to be showcased to the audience of current generation, a new festival here aims to promote the rich arts and crafts across the country.
Titled 'Kalapana: Imagine the arts', the two-day event by Tata Trusts, that seeks to revive Indian art forms, will feature leading performing artists and craftsmen.
"Kalapana was conceived as a two-way celebration. To show the work by institutions and artists and how these choices are made.
"Hopefully, this kalapana - imagination - will grow in many ways, but in this event, performing arts and craft are highlighted," Deepika Sorabjee, Head, Media, Arts and Culture, Tata Trusts, said.

The event that is scheduled to begin on January 7, at the lawns of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Vastu Sangrahalaya here, will showcase three performing arts as well as 10 craft organizations from different parts of the country.
Having multiple shows lined up, the crafts section will be exhibiting different forms such as handloom weaving, embroideries, leather craft, dhokra metal, natural fiber craft, and folk art among others.

Participants also include organisations from remote outposts of the country such as Attakkalari Centre for Movement Arts (Contemporary Dance) from Karnataka, Dhrupad Sansthan (Indian Classical Music) from Madhya Pradesh among others.
"The trend towards sustainable, local products in an increasingly globalised world has opened significant possibilities for artisans' products crafted in India. 'Kalapana' is the Trusts' contribution to this movement," said Reshma Anand, Head Strategy, Partnerships and Crafts.

Also, speaking on the need for the preservation and awareness about these arts and crafts, Tara Sabavala, Associate Director- Tata Trusts said, "Our interventions are designed not only to preserve our rich heritage but also to integrate art into the present and learn from the past in order to define the future".