Chitra Santhe from Bengaluru is going hybrid for the first time, the event starts on January 5 | Bengaluru

Bengaluru is all set to witness the 22nd edition of Chitra Santhe organized by the Karnataka Chitrakala Parishath. The event begins on January 5th and will introduce a hybrid format for the first time, allowing the online component of the festival to run for a full month.

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Sharing details with the media on Saturday, BL Shankar, the director of the Parishath, said that more than 1,500 artists from 22 different states will participate in the event and showcase a vibrant collection of artworks. Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah will inaugurate the festival at the Karnataka Chitrakala Parishath campus on Kumara Krupa Road in Bengaluru. There will also be designated stalls for senior citizens at the Seva Dal site.

Of the 3,177 applications from across the country, 1,420 works of art were selected for exhibition. These include 189 works by senior citizens, 152 by artists with disabilities, 292 by amateur artists, 769 by professional artists and 18 by art institutions, an Indian Express report said. Karnataka has the highest number of participants, followed by Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, West Bengal and Kerala.

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Artists can showcase up to 10 of their works for free on the festival’s virtual platform, accessible at ckpvirtualworld.in. The online exhibition will be available from January 5th to February 4th and will provide art enthusiasts with global access for an extended period of time.

What is the theme this year?

This year’s theme of Chitra Santhe is the Girl Child and focuses on issues such as child abuse and the challenges girls face. Shankar also pointed to logistical challenges, including limited space, which led to restrictions on the number of artists participating.

Parking options

To address parking issues, BMTC will operate feeder buses from key metro stations – Majestic, Mantri Mall and Vidhana Soudha – to Shivananda Circle. Visitors are advised to park their vehicles at subway stations and use the shuttle service to get to the venue.