Bhubaneswar: The state government has initiated steps to strengthen local folk art organisations in the state.
A two-day state-level review meeting of artists' federationwas held in the city where discussions were done on visibility and social communication plans of the folk art bodies. The culture department formed the Nagar Kala Sanskruti Sangha on the lines of the Zilla Kala Sanskruti Sangha and Block Kala Sanskruti Sangha.
Secretary of culture department, Manoranjan Panigrahy, has asked to strengthen artist federation at all levels. "Block-Level Loka Kala Mohatsav (folk art festival) will be held in all 314 block for the promotion and protection of traditional folk art forms, Panigrahy said.
In his speech, Panigrahy emphasised on the sustainability of artists' federation, documentation and database. In the first phase, district-level festivals will be held in Khordha, Jagatsingpur and Puri in December. In the second phase, the festival will be held at Ganjam, Koraput, Nuapada Sambalpur, Bhadrak, Balasore and Kalahandi by March, 2018.
There was district wise review of the federation. The guidelines on Zilla Loka Kala Mohatsav and the launching festival of Nagar Kala Sanskruti Sangha were sensitised to district culture officers and officers of the sangha. The training of trainers (TOT) programme will be completed by March 2017 in all districts.
A one-day sensitisation programme will be conducted in three regions of the state with the financial support from UNICEF for 314 block development officers.
There will be mapping and documentation of art forms, its origin, region, location and gradation of groups.
"All local folk art organisations will be strengthened and artists will be involved in more social communication programme for their livelihood support," Panigrahy said. There will be short a documentary film on success stories of artist federations. The revolving fund of Zilla Kala Sanskruti Sangha, Block Kala Sanskruti Sangha, Nagar Kala Sanskruti Sangha and corpus fund of Rural Kala Sanskruti Sangha will be enhanced.
"We have already sent the proposal to the government," Panigrahy said.
