Free art education for rural children at gram panchayat libraries: Khandre

Bengaluru: Free modern art education will be provided at gram panchayat libraries to nurture creativity among rural children and help them pursue excellence in the field of art, Rural Development and Panchayat Raj Minister Eshwar B. Khandre said on Thursday.

Speaking after witnessing the exchange of a memorandum of understanding between the Rural Development and Panchayat Raj Department and the National Gallery of Modern Art (NGMA), Bengaluru, at Vikas Soudha, Khandre said children visiting gram panchayat libraries and Arivu Kendras would be introduced to modern art.

Under the agreement, the Rural Development and Panchayat Raj Department will facilitate the outreach and implementation of the programme. NGMA will develop art education models and resources and provide selected digital artworks from its permanent collection for educational purposes. It will also train librarians and resource persons, who will in turn provide free modern art education to rural children, he said.

The India Foundation for the Arts (IFA) will develop the curriculum required for learning modern art and support capacity building and implementation of the programme. Reriti will undertake independent evaluation and monitoring of the initiative, Khandre said.

Department Secretary D. Randeep, Commissioner Y.S. Patil and NGMA Director Priyanka Mary Francis were present on the occasion.