PROMOTION AND DISSEMINATION OF CULTURE
(i) PROMOTION AND DISSEMINATION
Centre for Cultural Resources The Centre for Cultural Resources and Training was set up in 1979
and Training as an autonomous Organisation fully financed by the Government of India.
The Centre has taken over the Scheme of Propagation of Culture among
College and School Students, which was being implemented by Delhi Uni-
versity from 1970 onwards.
The broad objective for which the Centre has been established is to-
revitalise the educational system by creating an understanding and aware-
ness among the students about the plurality of regional cultures of India
and integrating this knowledge with the curriculum subjects. To fulfil its
objectives, the Centre organises a number of training programmes for the
benefit of in-service teachers drawn from primary/high/higher secondary
schools in different parts of the country. The following training program-
mes were organised :
1. Orientation Course on the Appreciation of the Arts.
2. Refresher Course for trained teachers.
3. Workshops and Seminars on different facets of Indian Culture.
4. Course on Puppetry for Education.
During the period under report, the Centre organised 18 Orientation/
Refresher Courses and Workshops ranging from two to six weeks duration
each at New Delhi (8), Chandigarh (2), Udaipur (2), Bangalore (1),
Madras (1),. Goa (1), Baroda (1). Hyderabad (1) & Trichur (1). These
training programmes are designed to create an awareness of the funda-
mental principles underlying development of Indian culture in the fields of
Architecture, Sculpture, Paintings, Literature, Dance,_Music, Theatre, Folk
Arts, Handicrafts etc. The training programmes consist of lectures and
lecture-demonstrations, practical training in these art forms, seminars and
discussions etc. In addition, four courses on Puppetry for Education were
also organised at New Delhi.
In order to full realise the objectives of the training given to the
teachers and to foster an understanding and a preciation of culture among
school children an Educational Kit consisting of audio-visual materials is
provided to the institution from where the teacher has been trained in the
Orientation/Refresher Course. During the year 1981-82, 300 Educational
Kits are expected to be produced for distribution to these institutions.
The Centre continues the publication of its quarterly journal entitled
"Newsletter" which provides a platform for dialogue amongst trained
teachers working 'in different regions to exchange views on Education and
Culture, The Centre Undertook the production of Guide Books of the
Arts.
The work relating to the production of films on art and culture of the
various regions in the country was speeded up. These films will be of
20-25 minutes duration and are intended to document some of the tradi-
tions prevalent in the different regions of the country. Field trips to the
rural and tribal areas of Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Karnataka and Goa
were organised with a view to collecting audio-visual resources on the
plastic and performing arts.
Building Grants to Voluntary Under this scheme, grants are given to voluntary cultural
Cultral Orgainsations organisations including those run by local bodies, municipalities/corpora-
tions working primarily in. the cultural fields of dance, drama, music, fine
arts, indology, literature, other than religious institutions, public libraries,
119
museums, municipalities, schools, universities, institutions fully financed
by Central/State Government for construction purposes and purchase of
equipment.
Financial Assistance to Dance, Under the Scheme of Financial assistance to eminent institutions in
Drama and Theatre Ensembles the field of performing arts, assistance is provided to well established insti-
tutions of national or regional importance which have been doing good
work in the field of performing arts with a view to helping them become
national or regional resource centres in their respective fields.
The Scheme of Financial assistance to professional groups and indivi-
duals for specified performing arts projects financial assistance is provided
to dramatic theatre groups, music ensembles, orchestra units, children's
theatres, puppet theatres, solo artists etc. for approved projects.
Festival of India The Government of India and the British Government are organising
a Festival of India in Britain from March to November, 1982. Smt. Indira
Gandhi, Prime Minister and Rt. Hon. Margaret Thatcher, Prime Minister
of Great Britain are the two patrons of this Festival. The Festival will
be inaugurated on March 22, 1982, with an inaugural concert to be held
at the Royal Festival Hall. Two major exhibitions will also form part
of the inaugural functions the exhibition of Classical Art at the Hayward
Gallery and the Exhibition of Science and Technology at the Science
Museum. Major exhibition representing India's past will be at the
Hayward Gallery, Victoria and Albert Museum and the British Museum.
The Festival will seek to portray the character, variety and quality of
modern India through depicting the continuity of her traditional skills in
folk and classical arts and the many aspects of crafts and handlooms-
including craftsmen at work; as well as her technological achievement,
contemporary films. books, graphic, photography etc. An Exhibition of
Science, Technology and Medicines of India will be mounted at the Science
Museum. An Exhibition of Contemporary Indian Art is being organised
at the Royal Academy of Art. An Exhibition of Contemporary Art is
also to be, held at the Tate Gallery. There will be exhibitions on Indian
Books organised by the National Book Trust and on photographers (5
eminent British and 5 Indian) and on Design organised by the National
Institute of Design.
Major educational programmes are being planned so that children in
Great Britain become aware of the rich heritage of' India's past and also
of dynamic contemporary India.
The list of the exhibitions which are planned is given below
(1) Hayward Gallery 2000 years of Indian painting and sculr-
ture March 25-June 13, 1982
(2) Science Museum Science, Technology and Medicines of
India Spring 1982
(3) Victoria and Albert Museum Courtly Life in Mogul India April-21
August 22, 1982
(4) Bethnal Green Museum of Childhood Indian Playing Cards:
from the Museum's Collection
(5) The British Library The Art of the Book in India April 16-
closing in August, 1982
(6) Museum of Mankind Vasna: Inside of an Indian Village
April 2-September, 1982
(7) British Museum From Village to City in Ancient India
April 10-September, 1982
(8) Commonwealth Institute (A) Srinagar-A pageant of Indian
Costumes
February 3-April 18, 1982
(B) Indian Industrial Design and
Graphics :
April 13-May 23, 1982
(C) India and Britain
May 31-August 15, 1982
(D) Indian Books-Autumn 1982
(To be organised by National Book Trust)
(9) The Tate Gallery Modern Indian Artists Spring 1982
(10) Serpentine Gallery The Living Arts May 8-13, 1982
120
(11) Photographers Gallery Indians Here and There-History of
Indian Photography January 22-end
February, 1982
(12) Barbican Centre Aditi: Creations, Celebrations July. 1982
(13) Royal College of Arts Visvakarman, an exhibition of textiles
Autumn 1982
(14) Royal Academy of Arts Contemporary Arts from India September
October, 1982
(15) Lytterlton Circle Eye on India, a photographic exhibition
Foyer National Theatre May 31-July 3, 1982
(ii) SCHEMES FOR TRAINING AND RESEARCH
Cultural Talent search Scholar- The main objective of this scheme is to spot talents within the age-
ship Scheme group of 10-14 years and to award them scholarships with a view to
developing their talents in different cultural fields. The scheme provides
for 100 fresh scholarships every year, including 25 reserved for children
belonging to traditional families. The scholarships are tenable up to the
age of 20 years or the completion of first degree stage of education, which-
ever is earlier.
Scholarships to Young Workers The scheme provides financial assistance to young artists of outstanding
in different Cultural Fields promise for advanced training within India in the fields of music, dance,
drama, painting, sculpture, book illustration and design etc. The scholar-
ships of the value of Rs. 350/- p.m. are given to artists in the age-group
of 18-28 years for a period of two years, with extension up to two years
in exceptional cases. From 1980-81 the, number of scholarships has been
increased to 75 per year.
Award of Fellowships to out- The Scheme was introduced to provide basic financial support either
standing Artist in the Fields of for very advanced training or individual creative effort or for revival of
the Performing the Literary and some of our traditional forms of arts, for outstanding persons of literary,
the Plastics Arts the Plastic and the Performing arts in the age-group of 25-65. Under
the scheme 15 senior fellowships and 35 junior fellowships of the value of
Rs. 1000/- p.a. and Rs. 500 p.a. each respectively are awarded.
Financial Assistance to persons The Scheme provides for financial assistance to persons distinguished
distinguished in letters arts and in letters, arts etc. who may be in indigent circumstances and who are
such other walks of life who above 58 years of age and in certain cases, to their dependants who are
may be in indigent circums- left unprovided for. The maximum allowance admissible under the
tances scheme is Rs. 200/- p.m. Generally, State Governments meet 1/3rd of
the expenditure involved, but in the case of Union territories and in excep-
tional cases, the entire expenditure is borne by the Government of India.
Owing to paucity of funds, however, at present only old cases are being
renewed.
121