Delhi Government and NalandaWay Foundation to Release Report on Delhi Arts Curriculum
NalandaWay Foundation is a non-profit organisation that uses art as a medium to transform the lives of children belonging to disenfranchised communities. The Delhi Arts Curriculum was a pilot project that ran in nine government schools in Delhi between July 2022 and March 2023. Children aged three to ten gained specific art-based competencies in five art forms (visual arts, music, dance, theatre, and media arts) as well as social-emotional skills. The pilot also involved students belonging to grade 8 of each of the pilot schools producing their own musical theatre production involving script writing, costume design, music composition, choreography and art direction The event would also include an exhibition featuring an installation created by students, as well as other artwork created by them during the pilot project by Sarvodaya students.
Sriram V, Founder & CEO, NalandaWay Foundation has always believed in the transformative power of the arts, “For us, arts have been a key driver for social change. 3 years ago, when we signed the MoU with the Delhi government to introduce an arts curriculum in govt schools, we used the opportunity to introduce visual arts, music, theatre, dance, and media arts every day for all ages from 3 to 13 years. At the end of the artful academic year, we were thrilled by the outcomes for children as well as teachers. The arts curriculum led children to appreciate art, learn art skills and improve socioemotional skills- an increase in student attendance, participation, confidence, and social skills was observed; while for the teachers, it led to improved creative confidence in teaching arts.”
He continued, “Following this pilot project, we now plan to continue our partnership with the Delhi government for the next phase of scale, by training government teachers on art-based skills and other recommendations cited in the report. This is informed from our work across State governments, including that of Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Bihar, Jharkhand and J&K. Over the last 16 years, NalandaWay Foundation’s work in urban slums, anganwadis, children’s homes, rural panchayat, government and corporation schools across the country has benefited more than 5 million (50,00,000) vulnerable children. This is a step in taking it to every child in the national capital of Delhi.”