THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: In a major push to strengthen Kerala’s cultural infrastructure, create vibrant public spaces for artists, and position culture as a year-round tourist attraction, the state government is set to establish a statewide cultural network linking three major cultural complexes across the state. The flagship initiative, part of the department of cultural affairs’ 100-day action plan, seeks to transform these underutilised facilities into dynamic cultural destinations with a curated calendar of performances, exhibitions and public events throughout the year.
Tourism and Culture Minister P C Vishnunadh told TNIE that the initiative was conceived after the government found that several cultural assets created over the years were not being used to their full potential.
The plan is to establish a network that will bring together the Sree Narayana Guru Cultural Complex in Kollam, Subrahmanyan Thirumumbu Cultural Complex in Kasaragod and the V T Bhattathiripad Cultural Complex in Palakkad.
“We have built cultural infrastructure worth nearly Rs 60 crore, but we never developed a system to operate and activate these spaces effectively. Our focus now is to establish a professional management structure, appoint dedicated curators and prepare a 365-day cultural calendar so that these centres evolve into vibrant public cultural spaces that remain active throughout the year,” the minister said.
According to him, the initiative also aims to bridge the gap between Kerala’s rich artistic traditions and its tourism sector.
“Kerala attracts visitors looking for authentic cultural experiences, but we lack permanent venues where tourists can regularly experience the state’s living artistic heritage. Beyond the art gallery, there are hardly any live cultural programmes. We want to integrate these centres into the tourism department’s travel calendar so that visitors can enjoy performances, exhibitions and cultural events as part of their Kerala itinerary,” Vishnunadh said.
The minister said the Sree Narayana Guru Cultural Complex, which houses the A Ramachandran Art Gallery and a museum, remains largely unknown even among local residents. “When I examined the programmes conducted there over the past year, I found that most were handicrafts and textile exhibitions. That was never the vision. These centres should become places where people can experience Kerala’s artistic traditions every day,” he said.
The government expects the initiative to create a permanent ecosystem for artists by providing regular performance opportunities and assured remuneration. “Kerala has no shortage of talented artists. What they lack are permanent stages. Most performers get opportunities only during festival seasons such as Onam. If these cultural centres remain active throughout the year, artists can perform for 60 to 70 days annually, creating a steady source of income while helping preserve our traditional art forms,” Vishnunadh said.
As part of the initiative, a dedicated governing body will be constituted to manage the network, while an expert curator will be appointed to plan and coordinate year-round artistic programming. The objective is to ensure that the centres remain active all 365 days with performances, exhibitions, literary events, workshops, cultural festivals, and exchange programmes instead of functioning merely as event venues. He said that complexes at Palakkad and Kasaragod are nearing completion and will be opened to the public within the next 100 days.
Permanent ecosystem for artists
Plans to establish network to bring together Kollam’s Sree Narayana Guru Cultural Complex, Kasaragod’s Subrahmanyan Thirumumbu Cultural Complex and Palakkad’s V T Bhattathiripad Cultural Complex
Expects to create a permanent ecosystem for artists by providing regular performance opportunities and assured remuneration
