Community Arts
We support artists working with marginalised communities in challenging and remote spaces in India. These community projects empower and revitalise: increasing participants’ well-being and confidence and developing their skills, building community cohesion and energising physical space.
Artists must have an established relationship with and a deep commitment to the communities they work with. Sometimes we support the same project for several years, as we understand that socially engaged art practice takes time.
AKSA
A group of girls from marginalised communities in and around Ranti village are learning techniques of contemporary Madhubani painting with Avinash Karn.
Avinash notes that the studio space has steadily grown into one where the girls are able to communicate openly about the challenges they face in their everyday lives, and the dreams and aspirations they have for their futures. Much of their artwork revolves around these concerns in imaginative and playful ways.
This project was supported by Seema Kohli Studios.
AKSA
Projects take place in diverse communities across the country: from city night shelters to tribal villages in Assam and Jharkhand; from brick kiln labouring sites in Uttar Pradesh to traditional craft communities of block printers in Gujarat and Madhubani painters in Bihar.
Drawing, painting, clay modelling, film making, stitching and weaving recycled materials, poems, performances and visual stories - all of these happen in our Community Arts Projects!
- Birender
For the first time they had their own toys and things that they could look after and be proud of. They all said that they want to create more such objects. Even their parents said they want the children to do this everyday!