Kala Academy involves Corporates in performing art
GOANEWS DESK, PANAJI | 08 July 2013 22:09 IST
Goa Kala Academy, a cultural centre of theatre and music in Goa, is planning to rope in corporate houses to sponsor several events of performing art while its own budget has also been hiked by five times in last two years.
GKA Chairman Vishnu Wagh said the budget of the most popular state-level Bhajan Competition has been taken care of by NRB Group of Industries, headed by GCCI chairman Narayan alias Nana Bandekar.
The NRB Group has sponsored prizes of around Rs 6.75 lakh for Bhajan competition, which is held in three different categories – General, Women and Children.
Around 362 groups, a record of its sort, are participating this year in this competition.
Though the sponsorship commitment is for around 10 years, GKA vice chairman Sushant Khedekar said they have a backup system in place with a necessary budgetary provision, in case the sponsorer backs out.
Following this, Wagh said the GKA would also try and get sponsorship for its other major events including its prestigious Surashree Kesarbai Kerkar Music Festival, dedicated to Indian classical music.
Besides this, the GKA is also trying to get sponsorship for drama and tiatr competitions, Sangeet Natak competition, Dance competition as well as school and college level one-act play competitions.
Wagh also informed that the GKA is planning to start open one-act play competition, without any categories, to test the real talent in Goan theatre.
The GKA has also managed to get its annual budget hiked by almost five times in last two years, from mere Rs 1.6 crore to Rs eight crore now, in order to upgrade its activities.
One such major activity would be workshops by veterans at national level in the field of music, drama and films, said Wagh.
It would begin with veteran actor Vikram Gokhle’s week-long theatre workshop, followed by actor Manoj Joshi and vocalist and musician Shridhar Fadke.
“It would also be thrown open for participants form Konkan, Belgaum and Karwar”, said Wagh.
The GKA is also opening up hobby classes in the field of music, especially Natya Sangeet, Bhavgeet, Gazal and Bhajan, twice a week for two hours after 6.30 pm, to benefit the office goers.
Wagh also informed that the GKA would revive Lok Mahtosav – a folk music festival, along with a Lok Sanman Award for an eminent folk artist.
