When creatives of all kinds come together

Musicians, dancers, theatrical artists, craftsmen and culinary experts will gather in Goa's capital Panaji this December for a week-long art festival along the city's waterfront.

The Serendipity Arts Festival, to be organized by the Serendipity Trust, will be held from December 16 to 23 across a mix of indoor and outdoor locations.

"We are thrilled to announce the first edition of the Serendipity Arts Festival, which we believe will change the way art is viewed in India," festival director Preeta Singh told reporters here.

"We understand the need to break the conventional compartmentalization of art in India, wherein every discipline is evolving in isolation. Through this festival we aim to bring together all these disciplines on one collaborative platform to achieve even bigger creative outcomes," she said.

"We are celebrating diversity in art with a special focus on visual, performing and culinary arts, each of which will be led by renowned curators with distinct backgrounds," she explained.

A curatorial body of experts from distinct backgrounds has been selected for the festival. It includes personalities like Jyotindra Jain, Manjari Nirulaand, Riyaz Komu and Ranjit Hoskote.

Cultural historian Jyotindra Jain explained why the number of art festivals in the country lags.

"Literary fests are mushrooming everywhere. But because of its various dimensions - art, craft, painting and contemporary art, an art festival is much more complex. A lot of disciplines come under the term 'art'. We are trying to fill the gap between them through this festival," Jain told IANS.

"The central point of this festival is that different arts that were always connected and never practised independently, will be after a long time, brought across as a composite culture," he added.

Celebrated curator Riyaz Kamu said that the festival will have "a multi-layered approach and multiple disciplines will come together under the same umbrella."

Noting that Goa needs this festival he said: "It will be a great experience, not just for the audiences but also the local Goan community."

The curators for performing arts include Sanjeev Bhargava and Tanusree Shankar. Lending their theatrical and musical expertise will be Ranjit Barot, Shubha Mudgal, Anuradha Kapur and Lillete Dubey. The Culinary Arts segment will be led by chef and restaurateur Manu Chandra and eminent food columnist Odette Mascarenhas.

Workshops, lectures, conclaves, and a host of pedagogical platforms will be led by leading artists and educators to create exciting opportunities for learning. Serendipity Arts Festival will bring together hundreds of artists from various disciplines for interdisciplinary projects that will educate and open up space for creative dialogue with the intent to engage people with the legacy and future of arts and culture.

--IANS

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