Visual Arts: Lalit Kala Akademi

Indian culture is deeply rooted in a pluralistic ethos of age-old history providing creative expressions, value-sustenance and belief patterns to thousands of communities which constitutes the contemporary Indian society. In India the Department of Culture in the Ministry of Human Resource Development plays a vital role in the promotion and dissemination of art and culture.

The aim of the Department is to develop ways and means by which the basic values and perceptions can be instilled in the minds of people, particularly the young and undertake programme of preservation, encouragement and dissemination of various manifestations of creative activity both past and present.

Visual Arts: Lalit Kala Akademi

To promote and propagate understanding of Indian art, both within and outside the country, the Government established Lalit Kala Akademi (National Akademi of Fine Arts) at New Delhi in 1954. To decentralise its activities, the Akademi has set up regional centres called Rashtriya Lalit Kala Kendra at Lucknow, Calcutta, Chennai and Bhubaneswar as well as a small office at Mumbai. The Akademi has also set up Community Artists Studio Complex with workshop facilities in painting, sculpture, print-making and ceramics in Carhi village in New Delhi. The workshops and all regional centres are headed by experts to give technical guidance in these disciplines.

Since its inception, the Akademi organises national exhibition of contemporary Indian art with 10 national awards, each of Rs. 25,000. Three to four special exhibitions every year are organised with some concept involving known and eminent artists of India. Every three years, the Akademi also organises Triennale India, a most significant exhibition of contemporary art in this part of the world. The Akademi also organises a Rashtriya Kala Mela (National Art Fair) where artists from all over India present their work.

The Akademi honours eminent artists and art historians every year by electing them as fellows of the Akademi. To propagate Indian art outside, the Akademi regularly participates in International Biennales and Triennales abroad and also organises exhibitions of works of art from other countries. To foster contacts with artists from outside, it sponsors exchange of artists with other countries under the various Cultural Exchange Programmes and Agreements of the Government of India.

The Lalit Kala Akademi accords recognition to art institutions/associations and extends financial assistance to these bodies as well as state Akademis every year. Under its publication programme, the Akademi brings out monographs on the works of Indian contemporary artists in Hindi and English and books on contemporary, traditional, folk and tribal arts authored by eminent writers and art critics.

The Akademi also brings out other journals, large size multicolour reproductions of contemporary paintings and graphics from time to time. It has also started a regular programme on research and documentation. Scholars are given financial assistance to undertake projects in contemporary folk, tribal and traditional arts.