Mumbai, August 7, 2026: The fourth edition of CultureCon 2026 convened over 500 creative professionals at the National Centre for the Performing Arts (NCPA) in Mumbai on August 6 and 7, focusing on the infrastructure, ideas, and communities shaping India’s creative future. The event featured the ‘Culture & The City’ session, presented by Crisil Limited, which examined how Mumbai and other Indian cities can become more conducive to creativity and cultural expression.
The panel discussed the importance of cultural infrastructure, heritage preservation, public-private partnerships, accessible venues, and community-led ecosystems in fostering creativity. Suraj Iyengar of Crisil Limited highlighted that while China has 20 UNESCO creative cities, India has only nine, despite its cultural diversity. He questioned whether Mumbai has enough resources to become a global creative hub.
Industry leaders discuss challenges
Radha Goenka of RPG Foundation spoke about interventions at Banganga and Worli Koliwada, where partnerships with the government helped create ecosystems benefiting locals, documenting history, and promoting arts and murals. She emphasised the need to enable environments where cultural ecosystems can thrive, noting that culture is both born and nurtured.
Bruce Guthrie of NCPA addressed the need for more cultural institutions like NCPA and NMACC, and stressed the importance of supporting infrastructure such as food, running water, and toilets. He said that ancillary services are essential for cultural venues to function effectively.
Infrastructure and accessibility highlighted
Priyank Mahajan of District by Zomato pointed out that few Indian venues can easily accommodate global touring programs, citing challenges such as setting up backstage facilities and inadequate public transport and parking. He noted that despite these constraints, efforts are being made to develop workable solutions in partnership with state governments.
Sanjoy Roy of Teamwork Arts, organiser of the Jaipur Literature Festival, advocated for collaboration between philanthropy and government to build inclusive arts communities. He argued that creating community is key to leveraging and building effective governance systems for the arts sector.
Audience engagement and conference scope
The session concluded with a Q&A involving the audience and speakers. CultureCon 2026, organised by Art X Company and Festivals From India in collaboration with NCPA, brought together practitioners from design, film, music, arts, education, writing, fashion, and cultural management for multidisciplinary discussions on India’s creative industries.
Disclaimer: This article is based on a press release provided by the concerned organisation and has been edited for style and clarity with the assistance of AI tools. BusinessFortnight does not verify, endorse, or take responsibility for the claims, figures, or statements made in the original release.
