As many as 150 events, 300+ artists, 10 curators, another 15 special curators, 12 venues. Add 15 commissioned works, one picturesque location and you get India’s most diverse, interdisciplinary festival, returning for its sixth on ground edition – and eighth overall. The Serendipity Arts Festival (SAF), which has set benchmarks by blending performing, visual, culinary and performance arts and craft, has become a byword for showcasing not just the best in these spaces, but also empower their practitioners while taking forward these priceless heritages. SAF returns to Goa on its usual dates of 15-23 December. And promises another smorgasbord of culture at its best. “Inclusivity and sustainability have always been at the heart of previous editions and the 2023 festival is no different, with independent and collaborative projects that highlight sustainability and inclusivity,” elaborates Sunil Kant Munjal, chairman, Hero group and founder patron of the Serendipity Arts, under whose aegis SAF is organised. “Like our previous editions, the festival will continue to have region-specific projects, workshops for people with special needs, and a dedicated segment with children’s programmes. We are also pleased to continue giving South Asian artists a platform to amplify their voices and to create a community where young minds can engage, ideate, and co-create.” Interestingly, this year is working with a large number of international collaborators and cultural institutions on projects across the arts. “The beauty of our interdisciplinary festival is that it is a potpourri: you will always find something that piques your interest,” explains Munjal. “Almost anyone who has ever been to the festival comments that it is wonderfully creative, entertaining, informative and welcoming with its army of volunteers. Most visitors tend to become regular repeat visitors and find satisfaction in immersing themselves in multiple art forms at one place at one time including getting to attend workshops with senior artists and listen to academics and subject matter experts in the conferences and conclaves that take place as a part of the Serendipity Arts Festival.” Munjal’s vision has always imagined the festival as an interdisciplinary one. “We wanted to bring back the original idiom of Indian culture to the forefront, but we were clear that we didn’t want to go the traditional way of treating craft forms, or any of the art forms for that matter, in silos. We were firm that our festival has to foster a collaborative environment where artists, craftsmen, creators and innovators work closely together to blend traditional craftsmanship into contemporary idioms. This foundation of incorporating inter-disciplinarity into a multi-dimensional festival has resulted in the promotion of cross-pollination of ideas and techniques.” Smriti Rajgarhia, director of the festival, feels that inter-disciplinarity encourages experimentation and innovation. “How distinct crafts, performances, and arts come together while pushing the boundaries of traditional practices creates new artistic expressions.
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Folk music recital comes alive at the festival
