Sunil Kant Munjal Smriti Rajgarhia Founder Patron, Serendipity Arts Foundation Serendipity Arts Foundation & Festival Director “Artists have a lot of meaning they produce that can allow us to look at the world in deeper, meaningful and more probing ways.” - Okwui Enwezor In three years, Serendipity Arts Festival has in projects that were evocative and thought- Time really passes very quickly. While I write this experiment (as we like to call it) had taken on become a driver of change by showing how an provoking, working with technology, the impact note for the third edition of the Serendipity Arts different forms, attempting to find the right balance interdisciplinary format can alter our perceptions of social media as well as pertinent issues around Festival, it’s incredible to imagine that a dream and of making a festival inviting enough for the audience and pre-conceived notions about art and culture. gender, social stratas and the historical relevance an idea for a multi-disciplinary festival will be soon to engage with the various projects that in the past This festival has shown that it is possible for of the many images we consumes in our daily lives. in its fourth year in 2019! Like any other initiative of would have either not been of interest or seemed different forms of art to grow and thrive beyond At the same time, the effort was also to expose a its scale and size, the festival has a lot of trials and too distant in reach. their disciplinary constraints. It has displayed larger audience to traditional art forms, and lend tribulations behind it, but what makes it special is the ability of art to generate appeal and interest them a contemporary face. the passion and the love from each person involved, What really makes it worth it in the end is the amongst a wider audience, irrespective of economic, and the rigor with which everyone has worked feedback we have got from the audiences and Besides the festival, the Foundation’s work with social or geographic background. With each towards making this a space for experimentation, everyone participating. They enjoyed the festival – arts education is growing. We have expanded the passing year, Serendipity Arts Foundation has with dedication and an unconditional love for it was experiential, full of joy and surprises. When scope of research and documentation in 2018 by demonstrated that it is possible to increase the the arts. Its success lies in our shared belief in art becomes a way to celebrate the region, the encouraging art writing through an online blog scale of an arts festival, creating a robust platform a common goal, and this, for me, is the biggest heritage, the diversity and the city, we feel that we ‘Write | Art | Connect’ and ‘Projects and Processes’, for both the artists and the audiences. It is living achievement of Serendipity Arts Festival. have achieved a little segment of what we set out our publication series. In the coming editions, proof of how multiple and diverse organisations to do. we will continue to support more such research can come together and become part of a common The festival was conceived as a long-term platform practices to encourage young writers to engage mission. creating tangible change across the country’s I cannot end this note without thanking my amazing with the process of art practices and curation. cultural landscape, the aim being to make the team that keeps this initiative going, and often me The first edition in 2016 had 53 projects; and in 2018 The Foundation’s residency programme continues arts inclusive, educational and accessible whilst as well! They have worked tirelessly to make this last year, there were 93; footfall increased from to garner strength. Dharti Art Residency, a 3-month maintaining rigour and depth, and today, I can festival happen, through venue changes, socio- 150,000 in the first year to more than 450,000 in long residency in Delhi, is now in its third year. proudly say that we have worked towards this is in political situations and personal challenges. I would the third year, and between 2016 and 2018, we This programme works with artists around the every aspect of the festival. like to thank all of our partners who have believed in have brought together more than 3,000 artists country, and culminates in an open studio of work in us, and have come forth to support us, and pushed and artisans. The third edition of the festival was progress; the art has been showcased previously at When Serendipity Arts Festival started in us to make the festival better every year. Finally, held across 15 venues, and we took the festival the Festival. 2016, I believed that the success of initiating a I would like to thank all of our curators, from the to residences, bus stands, parks and municipal larger audience into the arts relied heavily on past three editions who have come on board for this markets. From an abondened maternity hospital, In addition, we have also initiated ‘Line of Flight’ – a programming and an attempt towards inclusivity. bumpy ride with us, teaching, advising and believing the former Secretariat, to modern buildings and residency project which looks at works produced at Our first edition was an experiment with the in us through the year. Without them, this festival public spaces, Serendipity Arts Festival has stood by international and national residencies along with very notion of programming – programing not would not be where it is today. We believe that its mandates of reimaging a city through the arts. a day-long symposium at the Festival. Eminent only a space, or a building, but a city. How can art can change lives, and we hope the the coming organisations from around the world participated The Serendipity Arts Foundation was instituted as we weave arts through the urban fabric, such editions become a platform for this change. in this foundation led initiative to talk about the a leap of faith, to foster and strengthen India’s rich that for a moment in time, it resonates with the context of art residencies and their future. and diverse cultural roots and connect these with arts, the artists, the audiences and the region the nation’s future. The festival’s success and impact In the end, however, such initiatives are merely a seamlessly? We were aware of the conversations over a short period is a testament to the universal drop in the ocean. We need not only the goodwill, around the dynamics between the public and appeal of the arts, irrespective of age, region and but also the active support of individuals, the private, a major connection that deterred the cultures, and its potential to become a part of companies, foundations, institutions, colleges, success of engaging with a new audience, as well everyday life. museums and other like-minded organisations to as the conversations around the question of local keep the flag of art and culture flying in India and engagement – something we still spend a lot of time For the 2018 edition, along with our curators we, place the nation on the global cultural map. thinking about. By the third edition, our cultural experimented with format and content, resulting 2 3 Pro Helvetia is mandated by the Swiss Confederation to promote artistic creation in Switzerland,contribute to cultural exchange at home, promote the dissemination of Swiss is culture abroad and foster cultural outreach. Pro The French Institute / IFI (Institut français India) a section of the Embassy of France responsible for Helvetia New Delhi supports and disseminates connecting and implementing Indo-French human Swiss arts and culture in South Asia, promoting exchanges. IFI performs numerous functions: cultural exchange, developing and nurturing long- from promoting academic and scientific exchange term partnerships, initiating co-productions and between higher institutes of learning and research Asia Art Archive (AAA) is an independent non-profit supporting residencies. Institutional organisation initiated in 2000 in response to the to enabling student mobility, and promoting the urgent need to document and make accessible the French language. IFI also fosters links between multiple recent histories of art in the region. With artists, scientists, NGOs, professors, enterprises, one of the most valuable collections of material film professionals, publishers and more, and Collaborations on art freely available from its website and onsite supports partnerships in research and innovation, library, AAA builds tools and communities to capacity-building and interactions with civil society, Auction house Christie’s and Serendipity Arts collectively expand knowledge through research, vocational studies, as well as artistic and cultural Foundation have collaborated on two occasions, residency, and educational programmes. AAA in partnerships in performance, books, film, fashion, asking important questions in the panel discussion, India (AAA in I) wasestablished in 2013 reflecting design and more. IFI supports and organise forums “Constructing Modernism: Conversations on Art in the organisation’s widening scope of Collaborations and debates that bring together innovators and a Young Nation”, held at Bhau Daji Lad Museum, activities in India. With an on-site digital collection thinkers from both countries. Mumbai on August 20, 2017, as well as coming housed in New Delhi in a space that is open to together for the conclave, “Indian Art from 1700- visitors, AAA in I organises a range of projects, 1850”, which took place at the Adil Shah Palace, workshops, and programmes with a mission to Panaji, on December 17, 2017, during the time of build archives and instigate dialogue and critical the Serendipity Arts Festival. At SAF 2018, Amin thinking around contemporary art from India. The Jaffer and Sonal Singh curated a panel titled “Art organization works in partnership with various Accessibility:Ideal or Reality?” individuals, organisations and institutions in the field that share AAA’s values.