Making distances shorter

The seventh edition of Bengaluru International Arts Festival (BIAF) will have an array of music, art and dance performances in the City from September 5 onwards over three weekends. It will feature eminent artistes from India, and abroad.

At the press conference, Veena Murthy Vijay, director of BIAF, said that the festival was one of the ways to promote harmony through different art forms, bridge gaps among countries and continents through arts and open up opportunities for young artistes.

Suma Sudhindra, a veena artiste and directors, BIAF, said, “The festival was mainly envisaged with a move to push for world class performances by legendary artistes to the coming generations. ‘Harmony through Arts’ has been our objective and we hope to take this forward, especially in the current times.”  

Another highlight of BIAF this year is the ‘Go Green’ campaign that will take place on September 14 at 10 am. As part of an afforestation campaign, BIAF will plant over 1,000 saplings in Nelamangala,  with Sukrushi organic farm. “As part of mementos to the artistes, we will also give away plants to the performing artists,” Veena added.

A festival of such magnitude is ridden with challenges as well. Veena says that this year, the Karnataka government has come forward for funding the event but otherwise, it is quite difficult to find sponsorships.

“Bangalore still has to pick up in terms of arts, unlike Chennai, which is a cultural capital.” Ned McGowan, a composer and Western flautist, who was also present at the press conference, said, “The reason I am in India is because I love Indian music and my main goal is to study difference between the two systems of music.”

The festival will be held over three weekends, from September 5 in venues like National Gallery of Modern Art (NGMA), Chowdaiah Memorial Hall and MLR Convention Centre among others.

A shehnai performance by Ustad Zamin Hussain Bismillah Khan from Varanasi will also take place on September 7 at NGMA. There will be Carnatic concerts by Balamuralikrishna on September 20 at Chowdaiah Memorial Hall and by P Ramaa and troupe on September 13.