Five reasons why Serendipity Arts Festival could be a game-changer in Goa's cultural calendar

From December 16, artists and art connoisseurs gathered in large numbers in Goa to witness first edition of the week-long Serendipity Arts Festival (SAF), that brought together dance, photography, music, theatre, food, science and visual art blurring boundaries and thus widening the narrow perspective that art festivals were previously viewed with.

As India's first multi-disclipinary arts festival, SAF had a difficult work set out in front of them- to drive enough crowds so as to make it an integral part of Goa and the country's cultural calendar and for making art relatable through a cohesive cultural experience for every visitor.
accustom laymen with the concept and make art relatable.

In both these counts, the festival, spearheaded by Sunil Munjal, outperformed itself, despite logistical snares and initial low turnout. With fourteen curators, over 40 commissioned projects and performances, spread daily over eight beautiful venues ably delivered what it ambitiously promised- morphing all its parts seamlessly into a wholesome cohesive arts festival.

Praise, in part should be also be bestowed on the eminent list of curators the organisers managed to get hold of. From Shubha Mudgal, Lillete Dubey to Manu Chandra and Wendell Rodricks, to name a few, each of the curators put up a delightful never-seen before experience in front of the visitors.

Mornings started off with admiring art at the majestic Adil Shah Palace and listening to conclaves comprising art aficionados like Tishani Doshi and Ranjit Barot debating what an art art institution in the city should look like, followed by a relaxing wine or feni appreciation workshop which were usually succeeded by superlative dance and music performances that had the collective power to magically transform you into a different world.

If there was one complaint, it would be missing out on a chance to see the legendary Shubha Mudgal perform. Keeping that grief aside, here are our top six picks from the first edition of the Serendipity Arts Festival that concluded today: