The golden jubilee celebrations of the Kerala Lalitakala Akademi was inaugurated here on Sunday. Union Minister of State for Food and Civil Supplies K V Thomas inaugurated the celebrations. On the occasion Thomas said that the works on the open air stage at the Durbar Hall Ground will be completed in January 2013.
“Once the stage is completed, a cultural programme will be organised there every week. This will be a treat to the art lovers of the city,” he said.
Meanwhile, Minister for Cultural Affairs K C Joseph who presided over the function said that it is a sad fact that the city is yet to have a memorial for the state’s first Jnanpith laureate G Sankarakurup. “A memorial for the great poet will be constructed in the one and a half acres of land under district administration near the Marine Drive, “the minister added.
Meanwhile, Excise Minister K Babu, while addressing the gathering, said that art galleries should be constructed in all the 140 constituencies of the state.
The Akademi is planning to celebrate the golden jubilee year as the ‘Year of Renaissance’. Huge sculptures will be erected on Churam Road in Idukki and the first artist village of the state will be set up at Sreekandapuram in Kannur district and the first floating gallery will be launched at Kottappuram backwaters next year.