Kala Ghoda Arts Festival Needs Your Support

Will India’s largest multi-cultural festival the ‘Kala Ghoda Arts Festival’ be back in all its glory on 1st February? That depends completely on your generosity.

About The Kala Ghoda Arts Festival

Kala Ghoda Arts Festival is the country’s largest multicultural festival, taking place in February each year. The Festival draws visitors in large numbers, not just from the city but from all over the country, and the world. With performances under multiple categories including art, music, theatre, and cinema amongst many other genres, the Festival has been bringing artists – both renowned and emerging ones – to the people of Mumbai for 20 years now. The Kala Ghoda Arts Festival has been a beloved part of Mumbai’s rich history for the past two decades. Since our inception, KGAF has been a pioneer in evoking a sense of civil responsibility towards the cultural and historic heritage of a city. The growth that we have witnessed speaks volumes of the support that we have received thus far.

What’s The Problem?

For the first time in our 20-year history, the Kala Ghoda Festival is facing a lack of sponsors. This year, with the business climate in the country being bleak, we, as all other art initiatives in the country, are facing tough times. While the festival itself is a blocked date on art lovers’ calendars across the country, funds raised through the festival are, primarily, used towards restoration projects in the Kala Ghoda precinct. In the past few years, the Kala Ghoda Association has funded restoration of iconic structures such as the Elphinstone College building and the Institute of Science, the Khyber Restaurant wall mural,the Cama Hall exteriors, garden of the David Sassoon library, the Bomonjee Hormusjee Wadia Clock Tower (located at Perin Nariman street), the Seth Gangalal Nandlal V Mulji Pyav located at the entrance of the Horniman Circle Garden and the Ruttonsee Muljee Jetha water fountain, among many others. The Association has also supported the Shivaji Chhatrapati Vaastu Sangrahalaya, the Rhythm house and the Asiatic Library have also been recipients of the Association’s funds and support. Now, due to the shortage of funds, Kala Ghoda Association is facing a crisis that has never been seen in the 20 year history of the festival.

How You Can Be A Part Of The Solution

And that’s where you can help us. Through this association with Ketto, we invite art lovers across the country to become a part of something bigger and very impactful. The festival was started for the people and it has grown with them, and, now, we wish to keep this legacy alive with your support.  Through this campaign, we invite all people to step forward in carrying forward the festival’s legacy in preserving Mumbai’s cultural heritage. The Kala Ghoda Association now seeks to bring in the public who have enjoyed editions of the Festival as stakeholders in this annual magnum opus. After all, only the people can come together to save, what has become, the oldest street festival in the country. The long lines that may be seen outside the Rampart Row street, even on a Monday afternoon, is testimony to that.

People who contribute INR 5,000 or more will also be a part of Contributors' Photo Wall at KGAF 2020. The Kala Ghoda Arts Festival will be held in the Kala Ghoda precinct from Saturday, 1st February to the next Saturday i.e. 9th February 2020.

Please come forward and save India’s largest multicultural street art festival. Your contribution will help keep the proud art heritage of India alive. Please donate generously for this festival of the people.

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