On art and its impact on the community

‘Art can build resilience, resistance and recovery for people and communities’

The spotlight was on art and its impact on the community at a panel discussion organised by SCARF India and Evam Entertainment in association with the British Deputy High Commission in Chennai on Wednesday.

The discussion, moderated by Sunil Vishnu, Director, Evam Entertainment, focused on how art can build resilience, resistance and recovery for people and communities.

Speaking about the People’s Palace Projects initiative, Paul Heritage, Director of its Arts Research Centre, highlighted how art can be used as a methodology to learn about the world. “The People’s Palace Projects brings together artists, activists, academicians and audiences as we focus on resistance and transformation as well as how it is linked to creativity and mental health,” he said. 

Sangeetha Isvaran, founder of the NGO Katradi, spoke about how the organisation focused on empathy-based transformation through the arts. “Art is often seen as an entertainment or a spiritual experience. While it is these things, it is important, something that can also help us understand and communicate better,” she said as she delved into Katradi’s work with marginalised communities across the world.

“Art has slowly become a goal to achieve stardom and achieve status which is concerning,” said R. Mangala ,Assistant Director (Media and Awareness), SCARF India.  

“We need to enjoy the process of art rather than it becoming something that affects mental wellness. Art is more about your personal satisfaction, and should rather be seen as a path or a methodology to be happy and successful in life,” she added.