The State government is planning to hold art competitions for school and college students in Bengaluru, besides the general public, on three days every year, and ₹25 crore will be set aside for this, announced Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar.
Speaking at an event organised to inaugurate the renovated Venkatappa Art Gallery on Thursday, he said that officials will come up with a plan to hold this annual event, possibly in the last week of December when there are a string of holidays. He sought suggestions from the artist community to design this event in a meaningful way.
Minister for Law & Parliamentary Affairs and Legislation and Tourism H.K. Patil said that it was K. Venkatappa who showed the world that any feeling can be expressed through plaster of Paris.
The inauguration of the renovated building comes on the golden jubilee year of the art gallery which was founded in 1975.
New additions
Brigade Foundation began the renovation and modernisation works of the iconic building, which was in dire states earlier, in March 2024.
The renovation included reinforcement of the building’s foundation, roof, and walls, while updating exhibition spaces and public amenities. Galleries now showcase works of K. Venkatappa and K.K. Hebbar, alongside five mini galleries featuring rotating exhibitions.
The renovated facility also features a restoration room which provides conservators with tools to maintain and restore artworks. Other additions include a sculpture park where emerging artists can display their work.
Importance of art spaces
Speaking at the inauguration, M.R. Jaishankar, executive chairman of Brigade Group and lifetime trustee of Brigade Foundation, said that the importance of well designed spaces for art in urban settings cannot be overstated.
According to him, although the initial budget for the restoration was ₹5 crore, it went up to ₹10 crore by the time the works were over.
The renovated art gallery has now been officially transferred to government authorities for maintenance. “Now it is up to Bengalureans and the government to ensure that the gallery thrives,” he said, while requesting the government to name one of the galleries after the Brigade Group.
Published – June 12, 2025 11:42 pm IST
