AuroBharati, Sri Aurobindo Society, Union Territory of Puducherry organized ‘National Capacity Building Program for Artists and Cultural Professionals’ on 18th November, 2023. The program was facilitated by Dr. Kishor Kumar Tripathy, Member Secretary, AuroBharati, Sri Aurobindo Society, Puducherry.

National capacity building program is a strategy to identify individual artists and creative entrepreneurs with the objective in strengthening the creative economy with the development of talent and creative entrepreneurs was one of the focused areas of the program. This will also include professional development and a capacity-building program for artists of all disciplines and to create a local artist ecosystem. The initial stage will cover community engagement events designed to simultaneously engage in the creative community.

Speaking on the occasion, Dr. Tripathy highlighted the vision of Maharshi Aurobindo on National Value of Art “….. in India, the greatest efflorescence of a national Art has been associated with the employment of the artistic genius to illustrate or adorn the thoughts and fancies or the temples and instruments of the national religion. This was not because Art is necessarily associated with the outward forms of religion, but because it was in the religion that men’s spiritual aspirations centered themselves.” He also emphasized on the vision of Mother “If art is to manifest something in the divine Life, there also a vast and luminous peace must express itself.”

Dr. Tripathy mentioned about the evolution of art, including early Indian Art, Middle Kingdom and early medieval period, Late medieval period and colonial period and contemporary Art. Different forms of art with their peculiarities were also discussed during the program. He addressed significant areas related to art, including diversity of cultural expressions, national value of art, promotion of art, entrepreneurship, art education and Creative Art Industry and sustainability. He emphasized that art in its nature is universal, which has always been a creative way to present the integral vision through the ages. An artist fosters creativity and intellectual insights into society at large.

He also informed about the various initiatives undertaken by AuroBharati, Sri Aurobindo Society for the promotion of art including National capacity Building Program for Artists and Cultural Professionals, Promotion of art among the educational Institutions and exhibition and outreach programs, etc. The discussion also included the strategies for introducing the creative art industry for the promotion of art and sustainable measures. He briefed about the different schemes implemented by the government and emphasized that institutional networking, technology initiatives, preservation measures and community outreach programs can be useful for the promotion of art.