This February, the cobbled streets of Kala Ghoda will once again transform into a carnival ground, with the promise to leave no one unentertained. With art, culture, heritage, drama, song and dance awaiting you, it is time to vicariously tap your feet and witness the festival’s new Udaan.
When the world shut down due to pandemic, the Kala Ghoda Art Festival (KGAF), one of the largest multicultural festivals in the world, went global with its digital avatar, hosting over 70 online programs across nine days. This was last year, 2022 February brings with it the proverbial phoenix with the KGAF theme ‘Udaan’, lending it new wings. The wind beneath the wings will be the main venues over nine days including the beautiful 100 year old heritage building —Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Vastu Sangrahalaya (formerly Prince of Wales Museum) which contains the Children’s Museum, Coomaraswamy Hall, the Amphitheatre, the lawns and some beautiful outdoor spaces; Max Mueller Bhavan —which has a respected exhibition space dedicated to art and architecture, The NGMA Auditorium, Horniman Circle Garden, Kitab Khana, the streets and Kala Ghoda precinct. Since the streets will not be blocked this year, the ground installations are minimal, and they will have mostly aerial Visual Arts installations, keeping with the theme Udaan, replete with décor lighting as well. In the past, murals have been painted on some building facades. The KGAF is working on art installations that extend beyond the precinct as well.
Keeping in mind COVID protocols, social distancing and registrations are a must to prevent random walk-ins. Double vaccination certificates will be checked, and for children traveling with parents, the Aarogya Setu app will be checked.
Workshops, heritage walks and street plays will be conducted as well as the visual art installations, literature, theatre, cinema, music and dance events among others.
KGAF has always drawn unprecedented crowds. The waiting list will be long! However, all programs are free and no tickets will be sold. Each person entering the venues will be registered.
Considering that Kala Ghoda Art Festival’s mandate is to use its surplus funds to restore buildings and heritage monuments in and around the area with restored projects like the Muljee Jetha Fountain, the K.E Synagogue and Bomanjee Hormarjee Clock Tower, which have been awarded UNESCO awards.
Brinda Miller, Festival Director, KGAF, is elated. “Kala Ghoda Art Festival’s date with Mumbai is again keeping with our promise for the 23rd year, celebrating art and culture in its finest form. Our partners and collaborators are holding hands with us once again to ensure that the spectacular return of the on-ground festival is as radiant as ever. To avoid overcrowding and to adhere to Covid protocols, we have focused more on aerial installations, and fewer ground events. Also, our stalls are virtual with the Kala Ghoda Art Kart (KGAK) opening the marketplace to the world, in terms of both participation and purchase. And of course, the art kart is open through the year, starting Dec 10. We are looking forward to everyone joining our proverbial Dark Horse that has taken wings with the concept, Udaan that strengthens our global footprint in 2022.”
Here is to support the 22-year-old iconic festival that draws over half a million people from all walks of life and see it grow its patronage from strength to strength yet again.