From Egyptian cave paintings to Greek tragedies in amphitheaters and ancient instruments in Rajasthan, the Arts have always been an integral part of our identity. Whether it's music, theatre, dance, poetry, sculpture, film, or graffiti arts and gaming, people have different ways of expressing themselves through their art. Some of us are artists, participants, and audiences at festivals, museums, galleries, and theatres.
Since time immemorial, Arts and Culture have been key to our understanding of the world, helping to foster empathy and understanding in the pursuit of peace and prosperity.
Cut to 2020, and the pandemic has caused global lockdowns, including in the Arts industry with performing arts, film production, book fairs, etc. Changes that were already taking place in society and the Arts were accelerated by the pandemic, but in some cases, divisions were also deepened. Arts organisations and artists had no choice but to adapt, though some culture industries survived better than others.