LALIT KALA AKADEMI
- To promote and propagate understanding of Indian art, Government of India established Lalit Kala Akademi (National Akademi of Arts) at New Delhi on 5 August, 1954.
- The Akademi has regional centres called Rashtriya Lalit Kala Kendras at Lucknow, Kolkata, Chennai, Garhi in New Delhi, Shimla and Bhubaneswar with workshop facilities in painting, sculpture, print-making and ceramics.
- Akademi has been organising national exhibition of contemporary Indian art with 15 national awards, each of Rs. 50,000.
- Once in every three years, the Akademi also organizes Triennial India, an International exhibition of contemporary art in New Delhi.
- The Akademi honours eminent artists and art historians every year by electing them as Fellows of the Akademi.
- To foster contacts with artists from outside, it sponsors exchange of artists with other countries under the various Cultural Exchange Programmes and Agreements of the Government.
- The Lalit Kala Akademi accords recognition to art institutions / associations and extends financial assistance to these bodies as well as State Academies.
- It also gives scholarships to deserving young artists belonging to its regional centres.
- The Akademi brings out monographs on the works of Indian contemporary artists in Hindi and English and books on contemporary, traditional, folk and tribal arts authored by eminent writers and art critics, bi-annual art journals, LalitKala Contemporary (English), LalitKala Ancient (English) and Samkaleen Kala (Hindi).
- The Lalit Kala Akademi celebrated its Foundation Day in collaboration with Dhrupad Kendra, Ustad Alauddin Khan Academi, Bhopal.
SANGEET NATAK AKADEMI
- In 1945, Asiatic Society of Bengal submitted a proposal for the creation of a National Cultural Trust consisting of three academies — an Academy of Dance, Drama and Music, an Academy of Letters and an Academy of Art and Architecture.
- These Conferences convened by the Government of India finally recommended the creation of three national academies: an Academy of Dance, Drama and Music, an Academy of Letters and an Academy of Art after independence.
- The National Academy of Dance, Drama and Music, named Sangeet Natak Akademi, was the first of these entities to be established by it resolution of the Ministry of Education, headed by Maulana Abul Kalam signed on 31st May, I952 and inaugurated by the then President of India, Dr Rajendra Prasad.
- In 1961, Sangeet Natak Akademi was reconstituted by the Government as a society and registered under the Societies Registration Act, I860 (as amended in 1957).
- The festivals of music, dance and drama presented or promoted by the Akademi are held all over India. The great masters of the performing arts have been elected as Fellows of the Akademi.
- The Sangeet Natak Akademi Awards conferred annually on eminent artists and scholars are considered the most coveted honours in the field of performing arts.
- Thousands of institutions across the country have received financial assistance for their work from the Akademi.
- The Jawaharlal Nehru Manipuri Dance Academy in Imphal is the premier institution in Manipuri dance and music established in 1954 by Akademi.
- In 1959, the Akademi established the National School of Drama and in 1964, the Kathak Kendra, both being based in Delhi.
- The Akademi’s other projects of national importance are in Kutiyattam theatre of Kerala, commenced in 1991 and recognised by UNESCO as a masterpiece of oral and intangible heritage of humanity in 2001.
- The project on Chhau dance of Orissa, Jharkhand and West Bengal began in 1994.
- The project support to Sattriya music, dance, theatre and allied arts of Assam was started in 2002.
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