The first edition of the Black Bird Art Festival brings artists, artisans, music, and food together to make Goa’s creative landscape more accessible to audiences
this weekend
VINIKA VISWAMBHARAN | NT BUZZ
Behind every artwork lies a process, a practice and a person whose story often goes beyond the finished piece. The first edition of the Black Bird Art Festival will offer visitors a glimpse of the state’s diverse creative community, with traditional crafts and contemporary art sharing the same space.
Taking place on October 24 and 25 at Imagine Panjim Riverside, the Old PWD Building, Panaji, the festival will bring together more than 20 artists, alongside craft demonstrations, workshops, music, performances, food, and a curated Makers’ Market.
The idea behind the festival took shape when founder Gaurabh Quenim recognised the need to connect Goa’s artists with wider audiences. “Goan art and artists needed another platform. There are a few exhibitions happening, but we still need more coming up so that more people in the art world get a chance to display their art to the general public,” he says. What began as a small group exhibition gradually evolved into a festival as artists, artisans and musicians joined the initiative, bringing diverse creative practices together under one roof.
Quenim chose the name Black Bird for its association with creative freedom. “It symbolises freedom and expression,” he says.
This spirit carries into the festival’s curation, which brings together different artistic practices. “We have very cultural artisans to very contemporary artists, all in the same space, which rarely happens,” says Quenim. The festival explores three stages of Goa’s cultural evolution: its older traditions, the external influences that shaped its culture and the contemporary landscape influenced by travel, cultural exchange and changing tastes. He says by bringing these together, it aims to show how these influences co-exist in Goa’s creative community.
The exhibition also brings together artists across generations and practices. This, says Quenim, was done deliberately. “It’s a great mix where everyone gets to share their experiences within the artist community also and learn a lot about the other trends.”
The definition of local, too, extends beyond where someone was born. The festival includes artists and craftspeople who have settled in Goa and become part of its
creative community.
Marketing lead Shivani Kunkolienkar says the intention is to make art more accessible to people who may not ordinarily visit exhibitions. “The idea is to be the bridge,” she says.
That accessibility extends beyond viewing artworks. Visitors can participate in workshops exploring Chitari, Goa’s painted woodcraft, and Azulejos, the hand-painted tiles, alongside weaving, embroidery, ceramics and pottery. The emphasis is on experiencing the techniques directly, with craftspeople sharing the processes behind their work.
The Makers’ Market will feature homegrown artisans selling their own work, with some demonstrating their techniques on site. Music will weave through the venue, with performances ranging from sitar, ghumat and piano to brass bands and modern acts, while food stalls will serve traditional Goan fare, including sukhi bhaji and pao, alongside contemporary options.
Choosing Imagine Panjim was equally intentional. Situated beside the river, the restored Old PWD Building offers a setting that combines architectural character with open spaces for visitors to move between exhibitions and performances.
Quenim hopes the festival will also create opportunities beyond the two days, particularly for artists exhibiting their work publicly for the first time. The organisers are expecting around 2,000 visitors, and all artworks will be available for purchase.
Future editions could introduce an open-call format through which more artists can apply to participate.
Organisers and curators Abhijit Patnaik and Araddhya Mehtta, along with the team at Miskut Jar Collective, have also helped shape the festival’s curation.
Patnaik emphasises the importance of supporting the people behind the work. “Buying a work by a local artist or an object made by a local craftsperson isn’t simply a transaction. It supports someone’s practice and helps ensure these traditions and contemporary practices have a future.”
As Mehtta puts it, “Goa has always been a place where different influences meet, and that exchange is part of what makes its creative culture so interesting. We want Black Bird to reflect that openness while keeping the focus firmly on the people who are creating and making here.”
