Art Appreciation Summer Workshops

To promote cultural heritage and pass on traditional practices to future generations, the Department of Culture, Government of Uttar Pradesh, is organizing Art Appreciation Workshops across all 75 districts of the state. These workshops aim to revive vanishing folk dances, tribal dances, folk instruments, folk arts, local traditions, and theatrical forms by conducting sessions in schools throughout the state.

For the first time, such workshops are being organized in every district to preserve and nurture the cultural legacy of Uttar Pradesh. The workshops are witnessing enthusiastic participation from students and youth. In the first phase, these workshops are being held at the district level. In the second phase, the initiative will be expanded to the tehsil (sub-district) level to further promote and develop cultural awareness.

These workshops are being conducted by autonomous institutions under the Department of Culture, including:

• Uttar Pradesh Sangeet Natak Akademi
• Uttar Pradesh Folk Art and Tribal Culture Institute
• Uttar Pradesh State Lalit Kala Akademi
• Birju Maharaj Kathak Sansthan
• International Ramayana and Vedic Research Institute
• International Buddhist Research Institute
• Bhartendu Natya Academy

The workshops will cover a variety of subjects, including:

• Vocal and instrumental music
• Classical and semi-classical dance
• Drama and puppetry
• Performance-based theatre
• Classical and semi-classical singing
• Painting based on Ramcharitmanas and Ramayana
• Face makeup and mask making
• Ramlila (dramatic folk re-enactment of the life of Lord Rama)
• Clay modeling
• Ramcharitmanas recitation
• Vedic chanting and Vedic general knowledge

In these workshops, the International Buddhist Research Institute, Lucknow, will provide knowledge on the preservation, promotion, and propagation of Buddhist philosophy, culture, education, and the Pali language, along with insights into the practice of Vipassana meditation for bringing positive change among the general public. The sessions will highlight key principles, foundational beliefs, human values, and artistic relics of Buddhist culture.

Workshops on Buddhist culture and the Pali language will offer long-term benefits in the academic, cultural, and spiritual domains. Additionally, the institute will distribute booklets related to Jataka tales to students and youth as part of the initiative to promote awareness and education.