Move over galleries, NDMC plans to have 'art streets' at CP

Art streets will soon be a permanent feature of the Connaught Place with live paintings doting the lanes.

The New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) is planning to establish art streets near Rajiv Gandhi Handicrafts Bhawan in Connaught Place.

At a later stage, other areas will also see similar projects. The council has invited a Request for Proposal (RFP) for the project.

The date for submission of the proposal was extended by the NDMC for a month from December 29, 2014 to January 30, 2015.

“The project will be taken up on a PPP (private public partnership) basis. It will be a project on the likes of art streets abroad,” said Jalaj Shrivastava, Chairperson, NDMC.

An independent art institute or a firm will be handed over the project through a bidding process.
The vision behind the project is to “liven up” the streets of Delhi and make Delhiites spend more time on the streets.

Artists sketching on the streets is a common sight abroad.
The council wants to emulate the same through this project.
According to the council’s officials, artists and painters can produce and also sell off their finished products in these art streets.

Licences for artists
At any given time, around 25-30 artists – who will be given out licences –  will be allowed to occupy the lane.

If a greater number of participants come in, they will be allowed to operate on a rotational basis.
The advantage of setting up an art street is people will be able to witness “on-the-spot” painting besides buying the product.

Though the NDMC will not put a ceiling on the price of paintings or sculptors by these artists, it is likely that the products will cost less than those in the galleries with art lovers being able to get better deals.

This project will also help promote young artists and students of art colleges whose paintings may not find space in art galleries, said an NDMC official.
DH News Service