Foundation working on art education structure

The Singhal Iyer Family Foundation is using competitions to find and nurture young talent

The Singhal Iyer Family Foundation (SIFF), a Bengaluru-based organisation, is mentoring children between 11 and 18.

They were found after they were invited to compete across 20 genres of music and dance last year. Of 12,000 applicants, 100 finalists were selected. The finalists are being given scholarships worth Rs 25 lakh, according to the foundation.

Well-known names such as Dr L Subramaniam, Kavita Krishnamurthy, Madhavi Mudgal, Rukmini Vijayakumar, Ashwath Narayanan, Anupama Bhagwat and Nikhita Gandhi are mentoring the finalists.

“We chose artistes not just accomplished, but also interested in educational aspects,” says Kavita Iyer, co-founder.

Kavita comes from a family invested in the arts and has been a student of Hindustani vocal music. “The idea is to keep our young talent interested in the arts in the long run, even if they don’t pursue it professionally,” she says, explaining the ethos behind the competition.

In 2016, the SIFF Scholars program began mentoring children from low-income homes. The group is currently working towards establishing the SIFF Academy of Classical and Contemporary Arts.

“We are planning to create a seven-to-eight-year curriculum across different art forms. A student will be able to progress from beginner to advanced levels,” she says.

The pandemic has changed the idea that some kinds of education can only be imparted in person. “The ability to record classes, for example, has helped many, as it allows students to repeat and practice. However, at the same time, some categories call for a physical presence, to correct or demonstrate postures, for example,” she says.

In academics, the level of proficiency is recognised with degrees, but that doesn’t happen so much in the arts. “We want to make the format of art education more relevant to today’s needs,” she says.