Asia’s largest multidisciplinary street arts’ festival, Kala Ghoda Arts Festival (KGAF), is set to return for its 24th edition, transforming the heart of Mumbai into a vibrant hub of arts, crafts, and creativity from January 20th to January 28th, 2024. Themed ‘Udaan’, this annual extravaganza, organised by Kala Ghoda Association, promises to be a grand celebration of diverse artistic expressions and cultural heritage. Kala Ghoda Arts Festival 2024 will also be part of the much-anticipated Mumbai Festival 2024 – a cultural initiative by the Government of Maharashtra. This edition is presented by India Exim Bank, and in association with Milton and Smirnoff Lemon Pop.
Kala Ghoda Arts Festival has established itself as a cornerstone event in Mumbai’s cultural calendar. Held in and around the iconic Kala Ghoda precinct in South Mumbai, the festival aims to spread awareness of the arts among people with limited access and exposure to culture. What started as a local event in 1999 has grown into one of India’s longest-running and most prominent neighbourhood festivals, attracting hundreds of thousands of visitors from Mumbai and beyond.
With more than 300 programmes across 14 verticals, the festival brings together more than 15 venues in the precinct to bring alive the edition. The festival, over 24 years, has become an annual tradition on the calendars of art enthusiasts, performers, and curious minds who can immerse themselves in a rich array of artistic expressions. Verticals at the Festival include visual arts, dance, music, theatre, literature, heritage walks, urban design & architecture, stand-up among others.
Speaking about the upcoming edition, Brinda Miller – Chairperson of Kala Ghoda Association and Festival Director, shares, “We are happy to bring the 24th edition to the streets of Kala Ghoda. This year, we have joined hands with the Mumbai Festival, a cultural extravaganza by the Government of Maharashtra. The edition, like each year, promises a plethora of unique art forms from across the country. We are also excited that the Literature section comes back to the David Sassoon Library after its restoration. As always, with the support of the BMC, this edition also has much to offer enthusiasts of varied art forms.”
Some of the highlights of the festival are as below:
Jan 20th x Saturday x Dance
Khankana – The Sound of Dancing Feet by Surupa Sen & Nrityagram
Location: Cross Maidan
Description: Khankana – The sound of dancing feet, highly acclaimed and celebrated pieces over the last three decades by choreographer Surupa Sen, that showcase a unique sensibility of thought and movement, performed by highly skilled artists of Nrityagram from Bangalore.
Jan 20th x Saturday x Children’s Literature
Indi Comic Scene
Location: Kitab Khana
Description: The Evolution of Indian Comics: From Niche to Mainstream. Hamza Sayed founded The Comic Book Store – India’s 1st comic book store, which he started as an e-commerce website in 2019. It has won multiple awards, including – Top 30 under 30 and Startup of the Year.
Jan 21st x Sunday x Children’s Workshops
Birds R Us
Location: CSMVS (The Museum)
Description: An interactive workshop on identifying common city birds of Mumbai along with an insight into care for them eventually our environment.
Jan 21st x Sunday x Children’s Workshops
Tech Wings for Your Dreams
Location: CSMVS (The Museum)
Description: A vibrant workshop for young minds to dive into the realms of STEM, AI, and Robotics. Fosters imagination and passion for technology, setting sail on a journey of fantasy and innovation. Facilitated by Dr Avinash Jhangiani from Project Dream On India and STEMpedia.
Jan 21st x Sunday x Literature
The David Sassoon Library Restoration Talk and Walk
Location: David Sassoon Library
Description: Join Abha Narain Lambah (Abha Narain Lambah Associates) and Sangita Jindal (JSW Foundation) on a special tour through the UNESCO Asia Award-winning David Sassoon Library, after its magnificent restoration. Allow yourself the gift of the collections that the library offers, and rediscover yourself by getting lost in its treasures.
22nd Jan x Monday x Food
Same Ghee, Different Bottle
Location: Parsi Dairy Farm
Description: Zeenia Patel, Elisha Saigal and Pritha Thadani reveal the journey of the 107-year-old legacy brand Parsi Dairy Farm and the reimagining of this Mumbai icon.
Jan 23rd x Tuesday x Music
Herbie Hancock
Location: NCPA
23rd Jan x Tuesday x Food
The Making of a Neighbourhood Restaurant
Location: Kala Ghoda Cafe
Description: Can you say “Kala Ghoda” without picturing Kala Ghoda Cafe or Americano? Join Farhad Bomanjee, Alex Sanchez and Aatish Nath as they chat about the making of their neighbourhood restaurants.
Jan 25th x Thursday x Literature
Mosaic of Me: Transgender Rights and Poetic Possibilities
Location: Kalanjee House
Description: This spoken word performance by members of the transgender community explores different facets of their lives, from identity and family to desire and camaraderie. Join these poets for an evening that is all heart, all art.
Jan 25th x Thursday x Children’s Literature
What’s up with me? Puberty, Periods, Pimples, People and More
Location: Kitab Khana
Description: Tisca Chopra in conversation with Yamini Dand Shah on Teen Talk.
Jan 26th x Friday x Urban Design & Architecture
The Making of a Museum
Location: Kalanjee House
Description: Museum design encompasses space planning, accessibility, circulation, restoration, lighting, security and more. Join us for a unique panel discussion on The Making of a Museum with Ratan Batliboi (Ratan J. Batliboi Consultants) and Vinit Nikumb (Bricolage Bombay) on Museum of Solutions, Vikas Dilawari (Vikas Dilawari Architects) on Dr Bhau Daji Lad Museum & CSMVS, Sarika Shetty (SJK Architects) on the Jain Heritage Museum and Dikshu Kukreja (CPKA) on The Brij, moderated by Asad Lalljee (Avid Learning).
Jan 26th x Friday x Street
R. K. Laxman School
Location: Cooperage Bandstand
Jan 26th x Friday x Street
Tata Steel Book Launch and ROTE tribal music
Location: Cross Maidan
Jan 26th x Friday x Music
Mahesh Kale
Location: Cross Maidan
Jan 27th x Saturday x Food
The Travel Stories of Masala Memsahib
Location: Kalanjee House
Description: Karen Anand takes us on a tasting journey through the tales behind her new food memoir, Masala Memsahib. Each dish will be matched with a refreshing Smirnoff cocktail.
Jan 27th x Saturday x Literature
Writers Without Borders
Location: David Sassoon Library Gardens
Description: As international authors find a place in the hearts of Indian readers, Deepanjana Pal examines the global movements that echo in their works. Simon Rowe (Australia/Japan) and Ronya Othmann (Germany) accompany her in this cross-cultural exploration across the page.
Jan 28th x Sunday x Music
Music with Osho Jain, Farhan Akhtar
Location: Cross Maidan
Description: Performances by Osho Jain and Farhan Akhtar.
*All events are subject to change; please check the final schedule before attending.
