For a foundation-administered project that supports research into the history, evolution and current musical practice of the Mir musicians of Rajasthan. Through field trips and intensive interactions, this study seeks to analyse the geographical, historical and socio-political confluences, continuities, fissures and divergences in the recent decades that have impacted the trajectories of the music of the Mirs. The outcome of this project will be an essay.
For a foundation-administered project, supporting an initiative in Rajasthan, which will bring together the families of Mir musicians and their patrons scattered across the Bikaner region, in an attempt to reinvigorate their musical tradition. A core team of senior as well as young artists along with patrons will undertake a yatra across the ten far flung Mir strongholds in the Bikaner region; towards facilitating musical interchanges, community interactions and mapping of musical opportunities within cultural festivals and events.
For an intensive and interdisciplinary residential workshop to train government school teachers to become Masters Resource Persons for arts education in Karnataka. This training will be followed by a series of one-day sessions to assist the teachers to translate their training into actual classroom practice. A two-day international arts education conference for discussing best practices and key themes in arts education have also been planned.
For training camps, meetings and a concluding music conference to address issues of livelihood among the Mir musicians of Rajasthan and reinvigorate their music traditions. The training of a group of young musicians will be strengthened and local centres for performance will be created and energised. Traditional patrons and the music community will be encouraged to take joint responsibility for keeping the tradition vibrant.
For arts education groups and professionals in Southeast Asia and India to collaborate on workshops in built heritage, theatre, the visual arts and dance. Apart from facilitating creative exchange and mutual learning, these workshops are expected to help participants to build new methodologies and strengthen their practices in arts education.
For four art historians to identify, edit and annotate critical writing––in Bengali, Malayalam, Gujarati and Marathi respectively––on the visual arts in the first half of the twentieth century. The resulting selections will be published with the aim of reintroducing to a contemporary audience.
