I Believe #ArtMatters Fundraising Gala: An appeal to support India’s artistes & preserve its artistic heritage
New Delhi: The COVID-19 pandemic has changed our lives irrevocably and the art and cultural sectors continue to face its devastating consequences. As a part of Teamwork’s ongoing advocacy and fundraising initiative for artistes, #ArtMatters is producing a fundraising gala by the artistes, for the artistes called, I Believe #ArtMatters that will help raise resources and provide the much needed support for India’s artistes and artisans, as well as celebrate their craft and tradition by highlighting their stories.
As a precursor to the showcase, Teamwork Fine Arts Society hosted a virtual press meet with a panel comprising some of India’s most celebrated artistes, and representatives from leading corporates and organisations in the industry. The media was addressed by Sanjoy K. Roy, Managing Director of Teamwork Arts. The esteemed panel was graced by the Secretary-General of FICCI, Dilip Chenoy; COO – Live Entertainment at BookMyShow, Albert Almeida; violin virtuoso Dr. L. Subramaniam; celebrated playback singer, Kavita Krishnamurthi; leading Indian actor & director, Lillete Dubey; renowned Kathak Dancer & choreographer, Aditi Mangaldas; Indian music composer & playback singer, Shekhar Ravjiani and multi-genre vocal ensemble Shillong Chamber Choir. During the conversation, the panel focused on a wide spectrum of artistes, art-based organisations and collectives in the country, and the need for large-scale financial and policy support in the cultural sector to ensure the survival of the artistes and their craft. The panel also appealed to the masses to donate and extend a helping hand.
The star-studded gala will feature 70 performances by over 450 artists and will be broadcast on 4th October, 2020 on Teamwork Arts’ Facebook Page, YouTube Page and on BookMyShow.
Sharing his thoughts on the initiative, Sanjoy K Roy, Managing Director, Teamwork Arts said, “As a part of the larger advocacy & fund-raising program for artists and artisans ‘I Believe #Artmatters’ has created a platform for artists to experiment, collaborate and create work in these difficult times and help raise much-needed resources for those in distress. We at #ArtMatters along with the entire artist community, appeal to each of you to donate and share their support.”
Talking about the current situation of the Indian art sector, Dilip Chenoy, Secretary-General of FICCI said, “The pandemic has impacted Indian creative and cultural sector. As per recent reports 41% of the creative sector has had to stop functioning during lockdown period. FICCI, Indian Industry and I Believe #ArtMatters, and we need to support artists and artisans in their time of need.
Commenting on the initiative, Albert Almeida, COO – Live Entertainment, BookMyShow said, “We feel honoured to join Teamwork Fine Arts Society in its endeavour to uplift the artist community in India. With ‘I Believe #ArtMatters’, we want to offer our total support to a community that has been severely impacted by the pandemic. These artists across the spectrum of the arts have enriched our lives over the years and it’s our time to give back. We urge audiences to pledge their support and donate generously. At BookMyShow, we root for and stand by the artist community in these difficult times and hope to bring their magic back to life soonest!”
The gala will witness some new and exciting collaborations. Eminent music director, composer and singer, Shekhar Ravjiani and the internationally acclaimed choir group, Shillong Chamber Choir, along with the multi-talented screenplay writer, story writer, lyricist and film director, Anvita Dutt will be collaborating for the first time on a brand-new composition for I Believe #ArtMatters.
Trayam, a music ensemble made up of classical musicians B. C. Manjunath, Praveen D. Rao and Varijashree Venugopal, will debut their track, 23, in collaboration with acclaimed musician, Pramath Kiran, on the I Believe #ArtMatters virtual stage. Individually and as a collective, the trio of Trayam have won numerous awards and have recorded with a range of musicians.
Legendary Indian composer, singer-songwriter, music producer and philanthropist, A. R. Rahman will perform with The Sunshine Orchestra, a symphony orchestra spearheaded by the A.R Rahman Foundation, which is dedicated to life skill development of children from economically underserved sections of the society through music education.
The “Paganini of Indian classical music”, Dr. L. Subramaniam and the much-loved and feted playback singer, Kavita Krishnamurthi, will also come together for a special collaboration, and appeal to the masses to donate and support the arts community.
The Grammy award-winning percussionist, Pandit Vikku Vinayakram, along with his exceptionally talented sons, V. Selvaganesh and V. Umashankar, and grandson Swaminathan will showcase their musical prowess with a breath-taking performance as 3G. 3G is a celebration of Indian classical music with deep roots in Indian culture in which, three generations of a gifted family perform together as a testimony to their unmatched musical dedication. V. Selvaganesh will also collaborate with ace percussionist Sivamani, on I Believe #ArtMatters
An initiative by the Teamwork Fine Arts Society- a not-for-profit organisation that is committed to the cause of promoting and preserving art, literature and craft- #ArtMatters is a platform that is working towards creating awareness about the current reality of various artistes across India and developing support channels for them. Since its inception in April, over 100 artistes have participated in the #ArtMatters campaign through video appeals and testimonials. It has also partnered with UNESCO (The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization), FICCI (Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce & Industry) and ICCR (Indian Council for Cultural Relations). #ArtMatters has partnered with organisations across the country such as Rajasthan Josh SidharVikasSansthan, which is raising resources for families of folk musicians in a village in Jaisalmer, the Brahmaputra Cultural Foundation, which is helping artistes and their families in Assam, and the Vimor Handloom Foundation, which is working with weavers across the country. The Mumbai- based NGO Vision Rescue’s Artists for Artists is an initiative that is run by artists, for artists across the city, Artists for Artists is currently working with over 1800 artists in Mumbai.
#ArtMatters has also joined hands with various industry leaders including Raw Mango and Aditi Mangaldas for a series of short films by Aditi Mangaldas titled, ‘Within…from Within’, as well as Ojas Arts, for an innovative virtual exhibition of over 100 indigenous works of art.