The biggest event in art & culture is back

Next time you think art and culture, think Delhi International Arts Festival (DIAF), which is the largest multi arts multi venue arts festival, organised annually in Delhi. DIAF, which began in December 2007 aims at establishing India as a global destination for the arts and at driving home cultural tourism. Recognised as being a wonderful showcase of Indian arts and was given the Incredible India branding, acknowledging the creation of an unparalleled cultural equity for India, and making it the first NGO run festival to enjoy this recognition.

DIAF is about Brand India and hopes to reclaim for India its position as a Global Soft Power. Over the last two years, DIAF has grown into a brand that will hopefully grow into the best-known destination for cultural tourism nationally and internationally, in this part of the globe. DIAF 2007 was spread over 17 days, had 19 segments, 40 venues, 85 performances and 900 artistes.  By 2008 DIAF grew to 24 days, 35 segments, 75 venues, 300 performances and over 3,000 artistes. In just one year, the international component had grown 300 per cent and only one segment, the Delhi International Literary Festival had 50 published authors from 30 different countries.

This year DIAF goes a step further. The Delhi International Arts Festival 2009 is celebrating ‘One year to go to XIX Commonwealth Games 2010’ from October 3 – 14, 2009 and is the official festival of the organising committee of CWG 2010 to be branded so. Through this festival we are looking at coalescing synergies between creating an awareness of the Games for 2010 and celebrating the fact that India is a meeting point of diverse cultures. During the period of the festival this year, the general assembly of all the 72 Commonwealth countries comprising about 250 international delegates, including international media will be in Delhi.  The festival drives home the fact that India is a country of great harmony, despite its diversity, and upholds peaceful co-existence between all communities. The spirit of brotherhood that the Games celebrate is shared, in essence, by the festival.

Keeping this unique opportunity in mind, DIAF this year has introduced some programming initiatives. Some of them include: Developing some heritage monuments as festival venues, such as Red Fort, Town Hall, Purana Qila, Qutab Minar, Siri Fort and others. To celebrate the ‘One tear to go to Commonwealth Games 2010’, a special segment containing the artistic voice of select Commonwealth countries, is being curated. This enlarges the international component of the festival exponentially. In addition, we have a large presence of performances/exhibitions/film festivals from non-Commonwealth countries. Countries featured are Australia, Canada, UK, Malta, Maldives, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh. Apart form this we have many non Commonwealth countries participating as well. There include Venezuela, Austria, Poland and Paraguay. <br><br>

One of the highlights of the festival is the large Kashmir festival with over 180 artistes reflecting the folk arts of the Kashmir, Ladakh and Jammu region from the state of Jammu & Kashmir. There are 11 classical dance groups, 10 classical India music exponents, popular singers, sufi and ghazal singers of the likes of Manpreet Akhtar, Hans Raj Hans and Zila Khan, and many more who find expression. Western music has choirs in the churches – Sacred Heart Cathedral and the Cathedral Church of the Redemption, and the auditorium of the Bahai.

Thus in October 2009, we endeavour to involve the various parts of the NCR of Delhi in the excitement of the forthcoming Games, to make a ‘City Celebration’ of the fact that there is now but a year to the Games, when the eyes of the world will be on India and what she stands for. We see the potential of world events like the Games and DIAF in its own way, can play towards building the profile of Delhi as a world class arts destination and as a destination for cultural tourism. All the shows of the festival are non-ticketed, free and open to all.