Indian Peoples' Theatre Association (IPTA) presents 2nd Delhi State Conference and Cultural Festival at Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), New Mehrauli Road > 31st August & 1st September 2013

Time : 
31st August : 2:30 pm - 10:30 pm
1st September : 9:45 pm - 10:30 pm
Click here to view the schedule

Entry : Free (Seating on First-Come First-Served basis)

Place : Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), New Mehrauli Road, New Delhi - 110067

Venue Info : www.jnu.ac.in | Map
Nearest Metro Stations - 'Hauz Khas(Yellow Line)' &  'Delhi Aerocity(Orange Line)'

Event Description : Indian Peoples' Theatre Association (IPTA) presents 2nd Delhi State Conference and Cultural Festival. 
As we celebrate the completion of 70 years of the Indian People's Theatre Association this year, we are also concerned that the legacy of people's cultural movement, which goes much beyond the the organizational bounds of IPTA. All of us, artists, writers, thinkers and activists continue to contemplate, individually as well as collectively, on the frustrating decay of cultural sensibilities and shrinking democratic space which is necessary not only for ensuring freedom of expression but also for realizing the goal of progressive cultural movement(s): Celebration, Protection and Promotion of a Creative Human Life. The threats to our purpose are immense. The murder of Narendra Dabholkar and arrest of Hem Mishra are the recent instances of the dangers that we live in with today.The politics is increasingly getting degenerated into sectarianism, intolerance, and repression. The art of conversation itself is at serious risk.

The rise of market has encroached upon social values and intrinsic motivations behind art. Today, everything is up for auction. The psyche of making money is killing everything that is intrinsic to humans. It is market and products all around. People with their beauty and joy of creating and sharing are disappearing fast. The ‘invisible hand’ is very efficiently putting a price tag on everything, including human life. Life has become a cost-benefit analysis. This is today’s real calamity: a drought of compassion, a famine of collective joy. And this too is man-made. Desires of expression, fellowship and freedom are brutally and systematically suppressed whereas alienating, divisive and individualistic tendencies are schematically sponsored. It is not the political institutions alone that are rotting with corruption, human dignity and identity are at stake. The integrity of humans as social and creative being is under serious threat. The orchestrated onslaught of communal and consumerist ideologies together make it impossible to recognize people as people. Hence, IPTA has a much bigger challenge today, more difficult than it was at the time of its formation 70 years ago. There are more cultural activists today, but scattered. There are many performances engaging with today’s ‘cultural calamity’, but mostly sporadic and inconsistent. All these artists and performances need to be brought together and IPTA must shoulder this responsibility ONCE AGAIN. Only a symphony of multiple voices of resistance and freedom can wake up the society from the slumber of consumerist culture, from the night of hatred.

It is in this context, that we extend our invitation to you, with great hope, to join us for our 2nd Delhi State Conference of IPTA. In this conference we will engage with ironies of our times through performances that range from traditional proscenium theatre to unconventional art forms, to academic presentations and discussions. We aim to initiate a conversation among artists, activists and audience.    

Related Events : Exhibitions | Theatre | Music | Talks