Serendipity Arts Festival will mark a decade of championing the arts from December 12-21 in Panjim, Goa. Chairman and founder-patron of the Serendipity Arts Foundation, Sunil Kant Munjal speaks with FE about the festival this year. Edited excerpts:
1. Looking back, would you say the Serendipity Arts Foundation rivals, if not beats, the actual festival in terms of impact, considering it is fostering artists and grants?
When this journey began, the idea was not to organise just a festival. The festival was always imagined as a visible platform, but the deeper purpose was to build an ecosystem. The Serendipity Arts Festival and Serendipity Arts were interwoven in a manner that they complemented each other. The foundation’s work has a deep rooted and long-term impact, while the festival is a temporal, bold and vibrant manifestation of the same. Each stream complements the other.
2. What do you aim for the festival and foundation in the next decade?
In the last 10 years we have shown that large-scale arts initiatives can thrive in India. The next decade must be about making the arts an integral part of our daily lives; not something that is inaccessible or exclusive.
3. In its editions outside India, is the festival an ‘Indian’ festival or a global one, resonating with local cultures?
Serendipity Arts Festival has always been about creating a dialogue between the local and global. Our roots are in South Asia—its histories, traditions, and contemporary practices. Yet our ethos is about dialogue, exchange, and co-creation. When we present a mini edition abroad, as we did in Birmingham earlier this year, we don’t simply ‘export’ an Indian festival; we engage with local institutions, artists, and audiences to create something new and hybrid. We carry the richness of India’s diversity with us, so an Indian spirit always resides at the heart of Serendipity.
4. Where else apart from the UK does the festival plan to travel?
In this milestone year, we’ve embarked on a multi-city journey to mark Serendipity’s 10th edition. We are in conversations with partners in Europe and the Middle East. Each city is chosen not just for its cultural infrastructure but for the unique conversations it allows us to initiate.
5. What can we expect from the festival in its 10th edition?
The 10th edition is a milestone, a celebration and a reflection. We have assembled over 35 curators—the largest panel in our decadal history—bringing together some of the most talented voices across disciplines. This would be our most ambitious programme to date, spanning across new commissions, exhibitions, performances, and projects. These will look back at our journey and provide a glimpse into what lies ahead.