PUNE CALLING

TIFA is trying to re-vitalise the cultural life of the city with micro-residencies and experimental programming

- Nishita Zachariah

What should a cultural space look like? If you’ve grown up with visions of weathered laterite facades, fluid spaces and multi-faceted programming, all under one roof, you can count yourself lucky.

There was news recently of an impending assault on the monumental Charles Correa-designed Kala Academy in Panjim – this was heart-breaking and brought into sharp focus, the disservice we do to public buildings and spaces meant for cultural expression. In Pune, the dire condition of state-aided galleries and spaces is compounded by the scarcity of contemporary arts spaces like those found in other metropolitan cities.