For five years, Suma Sudhindra, a veena exponent and Veena Murthy Vijay, a Kuchipudi danseuse, have put together Bengaluru International Arts Festival (BIAF), but when it came to organising the forthcoming sixth edition of the cultural extravaganza, they had to deal with a different learning curve. “As artistes, we receive a lot of respect, but the minute we approach people as organisers looking for funds or sponsorship, the attitude changes,” says Murthy, choosing to laugh off the many aspects she and Sudhindra must deal with in organising BIAF, which is part of their initiative, Artists’ Introspective Movement (AIM) .
“The economic slowdown has definitely hit financial patronage of cultural activities hard,” adds Murthy.
BIAF will take off on September 20 with its focus on reaching out to the youth. “The younger generation need to be introduced and kept engaged with the classical and folk arts. It’s the only way we can carry forward our heritage. The deal is that it has to be packaged in a way that it appeals to the young. This year, for instance, we have an event where kathak and B-boying will be performed together,” says Murthy.
In keeping with that intent, BIAF will feature performances by college students this year. Where on the inaugural day, folk dancers from Sri Lanka and Chau artistes will hold sway at National Gallery of Modern Art, contemporary dance by Three Lines has also been scheduled. There’s also the Malleswaram Youth Festival on September 28 at Malleswaram Grounds.
“Through the years, BIAF has hosted 500 artistes from 12 countries,” says Murthy, pointing towards the many collaborations that have been worked upon. This year BIAF will join Bangalore Literary Festival, be supported by the British Council and Mauritius High Commission too. It also will include a bit of theatre with Prakash Belawadi staging The Importance of Being Draupadi, a play directed by him at Chowdiah Memorial Hall. This will be the only ticketed event in an otherwise all-free festival.
“I will be performing a dance drama - Ganga Gowri Vilasam. It’s a Yakshagana piece written by Kempe Gowda himself. This is my tribute to Bangalore,” says Murthy of the group performance she will lead at Chowdiah Memorial Hall on October 4.
Sudhindra will lead 50 veena players in an ensemble performance, Naadataragini, at Chowdiah again, as a festival finale on October 6.
Says Murthy, “Suma and I have known each other for 30-odd years and thankfully, the pressures of BIAF have never come between us as friends or artistes.”