Launched in 2014, PhotoSparksis a weekly feature from YourStory, with photographs that celebrate the spirit of creativity and innovation. In the earlier 915 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 Rotary Club of Bangalore (RCB) recently held the 2025 edition of its Kala for Vidya fundraising exhibition. It was showcased from October 10-12 at Bangalore International Centre (see our coverage of earlier art exhibitions at this popular cultural hub here).
RCB’s 18th annual exhibition raised funds for the Rotary Bangalore Vidyalaya in Nagdevanahalli, which supports the education of around 450 underserved children. The exhibition was inaugurated by Rotarians Sitalakshmi Chinnappa, Meera Shankar, and Shanti Baliga (see our earlier coverage of the 2024 and 2022 fundraising editions).
“We featured 201 paintings and 21 sculptures from 155 artists at the BIC exhibition. Sales will also carry on via our online platform till December 31st,” Sandeep Ohri, Director of International Service at Rotary Club of Bangalore, tells YourStory.
Their approach this year is thus different. “Rather than focusing on the initial weekend sales spike, we have built an extended three-month selling window,” he adds.
A digital marketing campaign has also been launched with professional content to drive online sales through the year-end. This includes over 300 photographs and 30 artist video testimonials.
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“We have a tiered entry fee structure to accommodate different career stages,” Ohri explains. For example, the fee is Rs 550 for printmakers, Rs 1,100 for emerging artists, and Rs 3,300 for established artists. Each paid entry was allowed up to three submissions.
“Printmakers were given a special reduced rate to encourage participation in this emerging art form. These modest fees help cover basic operational costs like venue, insurance and logistics,” he adds.
Commercial galleries tend to take 50%-60% commission on sales. “But we operate on a much lower margin – 30% after GST and payment gateway fees. The proceeds go entirely to fund education for the underprivileged,” Ohri says.
Artists receive the majority of the sale price. “They also retain full ownership and copyright of their unsold works,” he adds.
The artworks represented a wide range of styles of paintings and sculptures – oil, watercolour, charcoal, twisted threads, stucco, terracotta, among others, as shown in this photo essay.
The artists appreciated the quality of presentation at the BIC exhibition. Ohri shares some of the feedback from the artists: This exhibition will always remain a special and memorable milestone in my artistic journey; Hope we sell all the work and give money to provide education to as many students as we can; and I am privileged to be part of supporting the cause.
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“Visitors were impressed by the range and diversity of artforms and pricing – from emerging artists at Rs 7,000 to established masters like KK Raghava at Rs 13.7 lakh. The curation allowed for discovery across all price points and styles,” Ohri says.
The artist lineup, some of whose works are featured in this photo essay series, includes Nayana B, Shiva Hadimani, Nandabasappa Wade, Nidhi Bhatia, Sachin Sagare, Vijay Dhongadi, Sindhu Rani BE, and Poornima P Yellapurkar.
“Currently, Kala for Vidya is our primary art-focused initiative. However, based on this year’s success in building a professional online platform and content library, we are exploring the possibility of making this a year-round marketplace rather than only an annual event,” Ohri explains.
The vision is to create a permanent platform where artists have ongoing visibility and sales opportunities. “At the same time, we generate continuous funding for children's education at Rotary Bangalore Vidyalaya,” he adds.
Other possibilities include potential collaborations with art institutions and schools. “We will explore integration of art education with our community service programs, but those are in early discussion stages,” he says.
The exhibition was curated by artist Jyoti C Singh Deo. See our coverage of her earlier 2022 exhibition titled Coal’I’Fiedhere.
Jyoti C Singh Deo
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“When curating for an organisation, their opinions and ideas have to be kept in mind. In this context, an open call for artists was launched by the organisers, and works were accordingly selected,” Deo explains.
Following the closure of the call, other senior and established artists were invited to participate. “This created an ensemble of art for all,” she says.
At the exhibition, she presented her works, like Smiling Girl. “It is now a prized possession of an esteemed art connoisseur. Two other works created earlier were exhibited as well,” she says with pride.
Deo also explains her creative process. “My artworks speak of landscapes and human lives from mining areas and industrial towns. I like to observe the world around me and identify emotions, themes, or stories that resonate, which helps in creating artworks,” she describes.
“I then gather visual or conceptual references and experiment with sketches or ideas to explore different interpretations. Finally, I refine the strongest concept through iteration, focusing on composition, colour and detail to bring the artwork to life,” she adds.
She was also pleased with the reception to the fundraising exhibition. “It was an incredible experience, and the regular walk-ins by art lovers kept the show going and made it a huge success. The exhibition was very well accepted by all,” Deo 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 Bangalore International Centre.)
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