Multi-venue arts extravaganza at Delhi Festival

A feast of music, dance, theatre performing and visual arts among others put together by a multitude of artists, including those from 14 countries, is in store at the Delhi International Arts Festival, which begins here tomorrow.
Performances by dance troupes from Malyasia, Kazakhstan and Turkey are among those scheduled to open the two-week-long multiple-venue event at a gala opening ceremony at the Red Fort here.
An exhibition titled "Beyond Bollywood: Indian Americans shape the nation" curated by Masum Momaya, curator of the Washington-based Smithsonian Institution, one of the world's biggest museum and research complex is one of the highlights of the festival.

The exhibition set to open at the American Centre here explores the heritage, daily experience and numerous diverse contributions that Indian immigrants and Indian Americans have made to shaping the US.
This is one of the very few festivals in the world which has all genres of art and it is a good way to showcase the country," Pratibha Prahlad, Festival Director said.
Prahlad, however said the festival faced a crunch of funds.

"The journey so far has not been a happy smooth one. For the initial three years we had support from private sector but even after so many editions we still do not receive any government funding. It is hugely painful," Prahlad said.

The festival line up includes a sufi and international dance performances, a Czech dance theatre, a classical dance and folk theatre as well as sufi and qawwali performances from Iran India and Pakistan.
A football film festival organised in association with the Italian Embassy is set to showcase a clutch of films themed on football from Italy, Uruguay, Brazil and Italy.
Poetry recitations, a fashion show, a cultural carnival from the North East, a puppetry show, a children's film festival and exhibition of handloom and handicrafts from different parts of the country are the other festival events.