KOCHI: Addressing a growing concern over the state of art schools in the country, the Kochi Biennale Foundation (KBF) will organise the first south zone conference on art education. The three-day conference, titled ‘State of Art Schools: Reality and Prospects’ organised in association with the Foundation for Indian Art Education (FIAE) at Casino Hotel, Willingdon Island, will begin on Thursday.
It will feature talks by artists, art critics, art educators and other stakeholders and bring together the 15 young curators who have begun work on the next edition of Student’s Biennale. The Kochi conference will kick off a series of zonal conferences, leading up to a national summit in Delhi to be organised late next year.
KBF Secretary Riyas Komu said that there has been a widespread concern that art education is not getting its due recognition despite universities opening their doors to art and design education. “This forum may serve as a platform for various stakeholders in art education to brainstorm, exchange views and thrash out a strategy to address the fading prominence of art schools in the country,” he said.
The speakers on the first day of the conference will address findings of a recent survey on art colleges in India’s five southern states. The meet will also have speakers expressing views on contemporary art education, visual art education, art history and policy-making in the context of art education.
KBF president Bose Krishnamachari was also present.
Dr J Letha, Vice-Chancellor of Cochin University of Science and Technology, will be the chief guest at the inaugural function, while Ernakulam District Collector M G Rajamanickam will also address the session.