Over the years, St+art has transformed the walls between Khanna market and Meherchand Market into a public art gallery, made possible with support from the Central Public Works Department (CPWD) & Swachh Bharat mission. The aim is to re-invigorate the Lodhi Colony area of New Delhi and convert it into the first open-air art district in India. St+art’s projects have found immense support from the CPWD. Speaking on the association, Shri Prabhakar Singh, Director General, CPWD said, “The CPWD have been supportive of this endeavor of creating India’s first public art district over the last 5 years, we are happy to unveil the Lodhi Art District this year with a special map, as well special focus on community interactions and ownership and share in the vision that Art should be accessible to all.” Adding to this, Shri Navneet Kumar, ADDL, Director General (DR) – CPWD, said, “We welcome the artists, both national and international to continue the transformation of Lodhi Colony and are happy to officially unveil the Lodhi Art District this year.” On Friday 1st March, St+art India Foundation in the presence of the Director General, CPWD, will officially unveil the Lodhi Art District and release the map.
The Lodhi Art District has come into existence on the premise of making art accessible to all, taking it out conventional gallery spaces and embedding it on the walls of the city we live in, making art truly democratic and for everyone, as well providing Delhi with a new cultural destination, enriching its rich history of cultural and architectural heritage. The St+art Delhi 2019 - Lodhi Art Festival, supported by Asian paints, is a celebration of the Lodhi Art District and its cultural significance on Delhi’s tourist map, with mentions and features in local and international publications. There are curated tours, workshops with national and international artists as well a robust community outreach program for the residents of the Lodhi colony and surrounding areas. St+art’s projects have found immense support from the long term association with Asian Paints.
Speaking of this shared vision, Mr. Amit Syngle, COO, Asian Paints Limited, said, “Delhi is known for its rich history and heritage. Through St+art festival, we are continuing to create the country’s first public art space, Lodhi Art District. Asian Paints feels elated to support St+art India Foundation and the national and international artists as they have created some beautiful artworks and painted Lodhi District in unique colours and concepts. We are also happy that this year St+art Delhi 2019 has gone that extra mile by encouraging community participation at Lodhi Colony and the surrounding areas”
Akshat Nauriyal, Co-founder and Content Director at St+art India Foundation said, “This year, there has been overarching community outreach effort that began with reaching out over 7500 households, using the extensive newspaper delivery networks, to get feedback on their interests, and the stories of the Lodhi community. As a result of the https://www.instagram.com/startindia/?hl=en outreach, workshops, performances and curated tours, tailored to engage the communities have been scheduled, as a way of thanking them for their continued support. These efforts will culminate in a dedicated community wall – “saath saath”, and a talent showcase from the residents, to activate a sense of ownership and community pride for the Lodhi Art District residential community”
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