Conceived in 2016 as a multi-disciplinary festival celebrating different arts and their diverse genres, Serendipity Arts Festival (SAF) has evolved into the largest festival of its kind in the region. Held annually in Goa, it sees a diverse set of curators who select projects from their areas of expertise. To be held from December 15-22 this year, in its ninth edition, it will bring together more than 200 projects spread across more than 20 locations in Panaji. Sunil Kant Munjal, Chairman of Hero Enterprises and Founding Patron of SAF, explained how the festival continues to evolve, with plans to take it to Birmingham next year and open at The BRIJ, an arts and culture centre, in Delhi in 2027.
It is difficult to single out just one aspect that sets this year’s festival apart as we actively present innovative ideas every year and collaborate on exciting projects with various partners. For example, the AI Mini Lab curated by Mathieu Wothke explores the intersection of art and technology. It invites viewers to interact with AI algorithms to create animated visuals and sounds, questioning the ethics of AI-driven creativity. Similarly, a haptic score curated by Veerangana Solanki offers a multi-sensory experience. Viewers engage with art through touch and sound, pushing the boundaries that define visual art.
The festival is promoting inclusivity and innovation through projects like Multiplay, curated by (Jiten) Thukral and (Sumir) Tagra. Here audience interaction is redefined by mixing public art with real-time engagement. The Food Arts section, curated by Food Issues, will feature more than 50 events that will examine the intersection of food, art, and sustainability through workshops, talks, and outdoor activism. This year we also have The Galli, a vibrant marketplace in the historic Old Goa Medical College that will showcase sustainable fashion, responsible design and artistic innovation.
We will also have initiatives like the accessibility program curated by Salil Chaturvedi, and the comprehensive children’s program curated by ThinkArts, Bookworm and Avat Studio. The idea is to ensure something for everyone, and create a festival that evolves, challenges boundaries, and embraces bold, interdisciplinary ideas.
In 2016, when the festival was founded, there were not many platforms for different forms of art to come together. How important do you think it is to celebrate and encourage this interconnectedness?
The foundation was established to support emerging and established artists in various disciplines, foster creativity and promote cultural exchange. Our goal is to reflect the diversity of the region through innovative artistic practices that project a contemporary view of Indian art. While many of our activities focus on education – such as residencies, grants, and writing initiatives, and courses – we aim to explore different art forms and engage with a wider audience in the arts. Unlike many arts organizations that direct their own programs, Serendipity Arts Foundation strives to facilitate ideas; Collaborates with various curators and partners to create a platform that offers diverse perspectives, genres, and disciplines.
We are committed to cultural leadership and institution building. We want to measure our success by our positive social, cultural, and environmental impact. To encapsulate our knowledge and mission, we will soon launch a nine-month Cultural Leadership Fellowship aimed at individuals who want to be involved in the cultural sector. This fellowship will guide participants through the complexities of building organizations in the arts. Some corporations have shown interest in exposing some of their senior executives to this fellowship.
Has there been an effort to include the local community and celebrate the local culture? For example, the “Goa Familia” exhibition highlights the Goan culture.
Yes, there is an effort to engage the local community and celebrate Goa’s rich cultural heritage. We do this during the Serendipity Art Festival and throughout the year. This year’s festival line-up includes a number of projects that engage deeply with local traditions, communities and stories, promoting a sense of belonging and pride.
A prime example is the exhibition Goa Familia: Archive of Potential (Goan) Futures, curated by Leena Vincent and Akshay Mahajan. It is an archival storytelling project that has been running since 2018 and uncovers the personal and collective histories of Goan families using photographs, objects, and stories to create a nuanced picture of Goan’s evolving identity. It highlights the everyday lives and experiences that shape the region, emphasizing community involvement.
In music, projects such as Semper Fado: Antigo e Novo, curated by Zubin Balaporia, celebrate traditional Goan sounds and their connections with Portuguese fado, blending local tunes with international influences to showcase Goa’s unique musical heritage. Similarly, Music in the Art Park, curated by Gaya Tiedemann, features daily performances by local and experimental musicians in a dynamic, outdoor setting, inviting audiences to connect with Goa’s contemporary music scene.
Community-driven programs such as Public Screening Season 1 curated by Aldona Video Club, source archival footage, personal videos, and local films from the Goan community. These screenings create opportunities to represent Goa and reflect the evolving image through the eyes of its people. The Night Bazaar of Stories, curated by Preethi Athreya, provides a platform for women and queer artists from Goa to share their stories, emphasizing more inclusion and diverse representation.
Workshops like Shankar Turi’s azulejo workshop offer hands-on experiences, teaching participants about the traditional Portuguese-inspired art of azulejo tiles, an important aspect of Goa’s visual culture. The program promotes a deeper understanding of Goa’s artistic heritage and provides a platform for skill sharing and creative expression.
The festival also connects with the local food scene through projects such as Redefining Goan Food for the Next Generation, curated by Food Issues, where food innovators and traditional practitioners explore the evolution of Goan cuisine while addressing sustainability and cultural preservation.
These initiatives, coupled with year-round community outreach and our engagement with over 200 schools, underscore the festival’s commitment to celebrating Goa’s cultural richness while creating spaces for dialogue, collaboration, and artistic expression.
Can you talk about the selection of curators? Also, an effort is made to choose curators with different sensibilities each year to broaden the horizons of the festival and provide a different perspective to each edition?
Curators are selected based on their expertise and unique perspectives in their fields. This year’s lineup includes diverse talents like Geeta Chandran for dance, Zubin Balaporia for music and Thukral and Tagra for visual art. An evolving roster ensures fresh interpretations and thematic diversity every year. For example, Jubin Balaporia’s rock music background contrasts with Vikram Ghosh’s fusion expertise, while Veerangana Solanki’s theoretical approach complements Thukral and Tagra’s artist leadership perspectives. Similarly, Sandeep Sangaru’s expertise in design and architecture finds a different niche than Christine Michael’s focus on ceramics and glass. We look for curators who are not only extremely talented in their own right but also have the ability to work with other artists and art forms.
The festival also moves to Birmingham next year. Will this be an annual feature?
We are getting requests from many countries and are ready to expand our horizons internationally with a landmark edition in Birmingham in 2026 in collaboration with Birmingham City University. The initiative celebrates Birmingham’s strong cultural and economic ties to India and the South Asian region, making it an ideal location for our first international venture.
In 2025, we are planning a special weekend event in London and an inaugural starter Birmingham edition. The event will offer a glimpse into the philosophy of the festival, which will focus on themes such as nostalgia, identity, inclusivity, and global cultural dialogue.
While the Birmingham edition in 2026 will mark an important milestone, the idea of making it an annual feature remains open. We are exploring how these international collaborations can create and organically develop sustainable cultural connections, based on the shared interests of our partners and audiences.
Do you see it expanding to other countries or even other cities in India in the coming years?
Only time will tell as requests continue to pour in from different countries and different states in India, but we are a nomadic festival. We don’t know where we’ll be next year! Undoubtedly, Goa will always be a part of the cultural calendar of the Indian subcontinent / South Asia.
When is Delhi’s Arts and Culture Centre, BRIJ expected to open? Can you tell us about the permanent exhibits and activities visitors can expect at the center?
Our privileges always come with responsibilities; This initiative is a responsibility and a passion project for us. Planned to open in 2027, BRIJ stems from the responsibility we feel towards art; The way art is viewed today, compared to how art was viewed in the region, prior to colonialism. In terms of its programming, Bridge will maintain the aura of the flagship festival by adding multiple layers of practice, learning and experimentation to its programs throughout the year. Planned around diverse creative practices, the facility will house higher art education, incubation labs, cultural innovation centers, performance spaces, and interdisciplinary museums on a rarely seen scale. In fact it will put together a complete ecosystem for arts and culture.
The three essential elements of the center will be education and research, multi-disciplinary experience and innovation and incubation with training, workshops and residencies. This center is currently under construction.