BENGALURU: BBMP Chief Commissioner M Maheshwar Rao on Thursday said civic agencies should focus on creating greater public demand for accessible and inclusive public spaces that foster dialogue, creativity and community engagement.
He was speaking at the inaugural event of the 10-day Creative City Bengaluru: Dialogues & Discoveries, organised by Artmantram. Rao said art often emerges naturally when people are encouraged to gather and engage in shared spaces.
“If citizens begin asking for such spaces, it becomes easier for us to support and sustain these initiatives,” he said. Speakers at the event emphasised that Bengaluru’s commons extend beyond parks to include neighbourhood histories, cultural memory and everyday urban spaces.
Architects and heritage experts cited Cubbon Park as an example of collective ownership that requires active public participation to survive. Discussions highlighted concerns such as the shrinking of accessible public spaces, weakening connections to local history and the need to reclaim shared commons beyond landmarks.
Speakers highlighted neighbourhood memory, everyday streets and cultural practices as vital parts of the city’s commons, stressing that art and heritage must move out of elite spaces and become part of daily public life through inclusive, people-led engagement. Panellists also discussed the role of AI in contemporary art.