Shillong International Centre for Performing Arts to come up by 2018
SHILLONG: The second 18 Degrees festival, organised by the Department of Arts & Culture, was set in motion at State Central Library premises on Thursday.
The event was inaugurated by Chief Minister Mukul Sangma who was welcomed amidst great fervour and the ceremonial beating of the drums. Sangma unveiled the logo of the event and kick-started the three-day festival with the flagging off of a bike rally.
Speaking at the inaugural function, the Chief Minister informed that the State has already sanctioned a project called ‘Shillong International Centre for Performing Arts’ which will provide the infrastructure to host any national or international event at a grand scale.
The Rs 151.33 crore project will be the first of its kind initiative in the country and is slated to be completed by 2018, Sangma said. The facility will come up on a 35 acre area near IIM Shillong at Mawdiangdiang.
Meanwhile, the inaugural ceremony of the three-day festival witnessed a flute recital by Gregory Jala Kharbhih, a self-taught flautist of the city. The recital was a flute meditation dedicated to the lost souls and victims of the floods in Garo Hills.
The Chief Minister in his speech termed the event as an attempt to connect with the youth and with the rest of the world via art and creativity. He spoke of the festival as a medium to create stories and carry these stories around the world.
“We have a big catchment area of young talent here,” he said.
Sangma also urged people to pray for those who lost their near and dear ones in the recent flash flood and landslides that hit the State.
The inaugural ceremony came to an end with a much energetic performance by a folk fusion band, Ahowee from Garo Hills.
The rest of the day was lined up with events like panel discussions, debates, quiz programmes, painting, poetry, creative writing. One of the highlights of the event was the launch of a graphic novel ‘The Legend of U Sier Lapalang’ by Joshua Rynjah. The graphic novel, based on a Khasi folktale, is the first of its kind in the region.
Another attraction of the festival was the 3d chalk art by international artist Stacy Lee Strum. Several events that were going on simultaneously in the premises were photography and painting exhibitions, scale modelling and the display of art installations. The other activities that were lined up for the evening were acoustic band performances and a fashion show going by the name “Creative Encounter.”
The inaugural function was also attended by Chairperson of Meghalaya Resource and Employment Generation Council, DD Shira, Director of Arts & Culture, MS War besides others.
