Launched in 2014, PhotoSparksis a weekly feature from YourStory,with photographs that celebrate the spirit of creativity and innovation. In the earlier 925 posts, we featured an art festival,cartoon gallery.world music festival, telecom expo, millets fair,climate change expo,wildlife conference,startup festival,Diwali rangoli,and jazz festival.
The Serendipity Arts Festival (SAF), regarded as South Asia's premier multi-disciplinary cultural platform, has kicked off its 10th annual edition in Goa. It spans visual, performing and culinary arts, as well as film, live arts and literature.
“This festival’s diversity, scale and depth of messaging is unusual. It is hard to be described – it has to be experienced,” Hero Group’s Sunil Kant Munjal, Founder-Patron of Serendipity Arts, tells YourStory.
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The mega-festival is spread across multiple venues in the city: Old GMC Complex, Art Park, Azad Maidan, Old PWD Complex, Captain of Ports Jetty, Kala Academy, Santa Monica Jetty, Directorate of Accounts, and the Arena at Nagalli Hills Ground. The outdoor Art Park also features the children’s workshop area, Maker’s Asylum makerspace, music stage, Goan cuisine, and crafts exhibition.
In this photo essay series, we showcase a range of creative highlights across venues, along with founder and curator insights. See our coverage of earlier SAF editions here.
“There are many points of connection at SAF. It does not matter what your age, your stage, or your interest is – you will find something to engage with at the festival,” Munjal adds.
The festival works across all art forms, and across many interesting questions. “It brings up issues like creativity, value systems, environmental concerns, relationships, and civic responsibility,” he says.
SAF features over 35 curators for its 10th edition, such as Sudarshan Shetty, Ranjit Hoskote, Thukral & Tagra, Veeranganakumari Solanki, and Vidya Shivadas for visual arts. There are other curatorial experts for music, such as Shubha Mudgal, Bickram Ghosh, Ranjit Barot, Zubin Balaporia, Ehsaan Noorani, and Aneesh Pradhan.
“We welcome artists, curators, and art lovers from across the world to experience the magic that happens when art spills into our streets, our heritage spaces, and the very heart of our city,” Panaji mayor Rohit Monserrate explains.
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Sankar Venkateswaran, Lillete Dubey, Mahesh Dattani, and Anuradha Kapur were curators for theatre. The photography exhibitions were led by Prashant Panjiar, Ravi Agarwal, and Tanvi Mishra, while food arts were anchored by Manu Chandra, Odette Mascarenhas, and Rahul Akerkar.
“While film music continues as mainstream music in India, there are several ensemble performances that are taking place bringing together classical musicians and those trained in Western music,” says music curator Aneesh Pradhan, commenting on trends in Indian music.
In terms of public response, these ensemble performances seem to attract a lot of listeners. “But only time will tell if the music that emanates from such dialogues will have a lasting presence,” he adds.
Along with vocalist and composer Shubha Mudgal, Pradhan co-curated some projects for this year’s festival. “The Clay Play concert focused on percussion instruments made from clay, particularly highlighting the ghumat, which is a traditional instrument from Goa,” he explains.
Curators for dance include Tanusree Shankar, Geeta Chandran, Jayachandran Palazhy, and Ranjana Dave. The crafts section is spearheaded by Sandeep Sangaru, Kristine Michael, Rashmi Varma, Anjana Somany, and Ayush Kasliwal, and overall accessibility of the festival has been guided by Salil Chaturvedi.
“The idea of arts for art's sake is wonderful. But arts as a vehicle for improving the quality of life of people and the planet is even more valuable. That is what we are attempting to do,” Sunil Kant Munjal signs off.
Now what have youdone today to pause in your busy schedule and harness your creative side for a better world?
(All photographs taken by Madanmohan Rao on location at SAF 2025.)
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