Children's art and culture spaces look beyond the metros
‘I am bored’ need not make parents recoil in horror Take, for instance, the Arthshila centres, run by the Takshila Foundation, which is helmed by the father-daughter duo of Sanjiv Kumar and Setika Singh. Envisaged as an immersive platform for artistic expression and creative experiences for people of all age groups, Arthshila has centres in Ahmedabad and Santiniketan, launched in 2021 and 2022, respectively, besides one other in Delhi, which was launched in January. These are open spaces, with curated programmes across disciplines, that hope to democratise art.
The fourth centre, all set to open in October in Patna, will have a dedicated children’s experience centre. “A lot of curation in cultural spaces is aimed at adults. Children’s programmes are often a by-product.
But we want to respond to their curiosity and imagination. Say, if we have a family coming in on a weekend, how will the general programming appeal to kids?" asks Singh. Hence the new centre for kids, which will engage those in the age group of 6-14 through books, design activities and art events.
“We are working very closely with experts such as ThinkArts, based in Kolkata, who specialise in diverse programmes related to literature, visual and performing arts, storytelling, and more. Conversations are happening with the theatre and puppetry group, Katkatha, about creating an immersive puppet corner and other pedagogical activities. There are plans for a music wall in collaboration with Svaram from Auroville, who research and develop musical instruments," elaborates Singh.
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