OT Interview: How Serendipity Arts Foundation Is Shaping India's Creative Future

Founded on a vision to celebrate and nurture artistic expression, Serendipity Arts Foundation has become an important part of India's cultural landscape. Driven by a belief in the transformative power of the arts, the foundation fosters cultural dialogue, promotes accessibility, and provides a platform for artists to innovate and collaborate. Evolving beyond its initial vision, Serendipity Arts now embraces a broader spectrum of issues, including sustainability, inclusivity, and the intersection of technology and art. Through its multidisciplinary approach, it aims to create a holistic and immersive cultural experience.The upcoming Serendipity Arts Festival, scheduled from December 15-22, is a testament to this commitment. This annual interdisciplinary arts festival, held across various venues in Panjim, seeks to drive positive change in India’s creative ecosystem, focusing on the visual, performing, and culinary arts.OT spoke to Sunil Kant Munjal, Founder Patron of Serendipity Arts Foundation, to delve into the organisation's journey, exploring its curatorial philosophy, commitment to innovation and tradition, and impact on the local and global cultural landscape.What inspired you to start Serendipity Arts Foundation, and how has your vision evolved?The idea for Serendipity Arts Foundation came from a deep-rooted belief in the transformative power of the arts. I wanted to create a platform that celebrates artistic expression and nurtures it across disciplines and regions. The foundation was born out of the desire to foster cultural dialogue, create accessibility in the arts, and provide a platform for artists to innovate and collaborate. Over the years, our vision has evolved to encompass larger issues such as sustainability, accessibility, multidisciplinarity and inclusivity, and will be evident in our upcoming edition. How do you approach curating such a multidisciplinary event, and what challenges do you face in integrating different artistic disciplines?Curating a multidisciplinary event like Serendipity requires a delicate balance between preserving the integrity of each art form and creating meaningful intersections. We work with a diverse group of curators, each an expert in their respective field, to ensure the best representation of the disciplines involved. The challenge lies in integrating these art forms into a cohesive festival experience. Through projects like "Multiplay," where participation blurs the lines between the artist and audience, or the "AI Lab," where technology merges with traditional artistic practices, we find innovative ways to interconnect disciplines.How do you envision the intersection of technology and the arts shaping the future of creative expression, and what role will the AI Lab play in this evolution?The AI Lab reflects how technology is becoming an integral part of artistic expression. AI and machine learning are influencing every aspect of life, and the arts are no exception. The AI Lab at this year's festival explores how artists can use AI as a tool for creative experimentation and innovation. By introducing AI-driven projects, we aim to encourage artists and audiences alike to engage with these new possibilities that escape neat categorisation.How do you define sustainability in the arts, and what impact do you hope these initiatives will have?For us, sustainability goes beyond environmental practices—it's also about cultural sustainability. In the Craft section, the "Abundance in Scarcity" project showcases how artisans in Ladakh use limited resources to foster innovation and sustainability. The Culinary Arts section will feature workshops like "Waste to Value," which explores the idea of waste in food through innovative and unlikely uses. We hope these initiatives inspire conversations and actions around sustainable living in art, food, and everyday life.With the expansion of programming and new venues at the festival, how do you measure the success of these elements in terms of community engagement and long-term partnerships?Success for us is the depth of engagement with local and international communities. We consider the festival a success when we see meaningful collaborations between artists and participants and when these connections continue beyond the festival. We just wrapped up our largest community engagement project before the festival—Serendipity Out and About—a one-of-a-kind community engagement initiative that aimed to connect with the local Goan community beyond Panjim. By bringing commissioned and curated performances, workshops, and children's plays to venues such as old Goan homes, community centres, government schools, homes for the elderly, and orphanages, the aim was to foster intimate experiences and relationships beyond the festival and impart arts education to the wider public. Your philanthropic efforts include grants for emerging artists. How have these grants impacted the careers of young artists?We have seen several remarkable success stories through our grant programs. One example is our Serendipity Arts Residency, which provides emerging artists the space, mentorship, and resources to develop their practice. The residency has supported many artists who have gone on to gain recognition both in India and internationally, like Dilip Chilanka. We also collaborated with the Royal College of Art (RCA) to establish a Senior Artist Residency programme. This marked the first time in 120 years that RCA opened its studios to a South Asian artist when Sukanya Ghosh was selected as the 2024 artist-in-residence for a three-month immersive experience at RCA's London campuses. Many traditional art forms, festivals, and folk traditions in India are steadily disappearing, especially those from marginalised communities, as urbanisation and insular attitudes pose new threats. The "Enduring Traditions" grant aims to document and preserve these fading traditions by developing a digital archive. How do you balance innovation with tradition, and what are some of the most memorable boundary-pushing projects you've seen?Balancing innovation with tradition involves existing in the gaps and bridging them. We do this by bringing in programming that allows for social, political and cultural conversations that otherwise would not have a platform. Our Visual Arts curator, Veerangana Solanki's projects like "Synaesthetic Notations" in the previous year and "A Haptic Score" this year especially push the envelope with her explorations that make sound and touch cross paths with the visual, stretching and redefining the medium and methods of artistic production. Over the years, we have also supported many performance art projects. We are excited to showcase Preethi Athreya's curation of "The Labour and Leisure Chronicles," which will occur in venues across Panjim.How does the festival interact with the local cultural and tourism landscape of Goa, and what unique experiences can travellers look forward to?With the Serendipity Arts Festival, we have always looked at cultural place-making, identifying cities where exchanges thrive, the community is vibrant, and the public culture is robust. Goa and the city of Panjim have graciously hosted our largest outreach event of the year for nine editions so far.Our venues are right around the street corner in Fontainhas, celebrating the rich culture, history, and affinity for arts that is a big part of the ethos of Goa. Every year, we set out to transform historic local spaces where audiences from all walks of life can experience the wonder of the arts in new and exciting contexts. This year, we're restoring the historic Directorate of Accounts building, which dates back to the 1500s, transforming its grand colonnade and secret tunnels into a vibrant hub for visual art and craft exhibitions at SAF 2024.To celebrate Goa Liberation Day on December 19, the project "Sempre Fado: Antigo e Novo" captures the heart and soul of Goa's musical heritage. It features talented local artists like Braz Gonsalves and offers a day of Goa-specific programming. These experiences give visitors a deeper connection to Goa, blending music, culture, and stunning surroundings.How do you think the festival influences travel patterns and tourism in Goa?Our festival thrives in the bustling heart of Panjim. We have a unique MOU with the Government of Goa. The festival changed the vein of Panjim and highlighted its cultural capital, for which we were awarded the Leading Cultural Destination Award in 2021.The festival has become a major cultural draw for Goa, attracting domestic and international tourists. Our multidisciplinary approach appeals to various interests, from fine arts and culinary experiences to cutting-edge technology and sustainability initiatives. As a result, we've seen a shift in travel patterns, with visitors including the festival in their cultural calendar, eager to experience the artistic richness Goa has to offer.The festival's Culinary Arts section will focus on sustainable food systems. How can travellers engage with this aspect of the festival, and what are some culinary experiences that they should not miss?Travellers can immerse themselves in the festival's Culinary Arts section by participating in various workshops that will take place in the Food Lab for hands-on experiences. These projects, curated by Edible Issues, showcase innovative recipes and offer a deeper understanding of how food systems can be reimagined for a sustainable future. Visitors can participate in events like "Feast of the Wild Greens," "Mock Wild Picnic," and "Food x Play," sample unique creations, and even contribute their own stories and recipes to the discussion.How do you envision cultural festivals like Serendipity Arts influencing global travel trends?Cultural festivals like Serendipity Arts have the potential to reshape global travel trends by offering travellers more than just sightseeing. These events provide enriching, immersive experiences that combine art, culture, and local engagement. As cultural tourism continues to grow, festivals like ours will play a key role in promoting sustainable travel, revival of regional artistic traditions, fostering cultural exchange, and creating long-lasting connections between travellers and the destinations they visit. We believe such events will become central to how people explore and engage with new cultures in the coming years.