The art of making art accessible and inclusive

The beginning of the art season in Delhi had the city buzzing with energy and a vibrant art programme engulfed the city in celebratory fervour. Delhi had its second edition of the art week last month. Art weeks have been a common phenomenon around the world happening in major cities, including London, Berlin and Copenhagen. The past month saw the art fraternity in Delhi come together through various curated shows, art walks, talks, and walkthroughs that showed the changing cultural consciousness of the capital. The city witnessed a new energy which was a wonderful way to announce the beginning of the creative season. 

As the world emerges from a pandemic, the way in which art is perceived is transforming. The rise of online platforms, social media, and viewing art through Online Virtual Rooms (OVRs) becoming 
a prominent practice and the collective need for connectivity and awareness about art, is what created the momentum that led to a much-energised second edition of the art week. Being a culturally vivid city, which has various institutions, including public and private galleries, museums, national and cultural foundations, it becomes important to have an art week where all the institutions come together under one umbrella and raise awareness about art in the community. 

There was a time when private galleries and institutions possessed the image of being exclusive, only catering to a specific audience. Not anymore. Today, there is a conscious effort by all institutions to make their spaces more accessible, as the idea of inclusivity takes precedence. 

A pertinent need has arisen to inculcate art in one's everyday existence and not regard it as an occurrence reserved only for the connoisseurs or collectors. A collective effort like an art week not only raises awareness about art, but also establishes a sense of community working towards understanding, appreciating and engaging with art as a way of life. 

One sees that the narrative in the contemporary art scene is evolving and becoming open to a wider audience. The nature of collaboration between public and private institutions has also led to a culture where the whole experience of going into a private art space is not an intimidating one. The cohesiveness between different sections of the art fraternity has successfully created the base for an accessible environment, a sense of collective cultural identity and community among a variegated public.

The core idea is to give back to the community which we are part of and create an aware audience that understands and appreciates the role of art in life while keeping inclusivity as a fundamental value. One can see that Delhi is moving towards becoming the art capital as the energy of the city is changing with more art activities and the rise of a new audience.

Sunaina Anand can be reached at sunaina@artalivegallery.com.