Community-Centred Work

One of Academy’s thrust areas is to take art and literature out of the confines of the elite to the marginalized sections of society, especially those from the slums and 'jhuggi bastis'. With this end in view, it locates girls in the surrounding slums, most of them doing menial jobs in nearby posh colonies, brings them to the Academy and imparts non-formal education courses and vocational training to them. The main components of the programme offered to them are: non-formal education, primary health, vocational training, awareness of their bodies and their social and legal rights, AIDS awareness, family planning, environment and heritage awareness, collective savings and micro enterprises. Income generating vocational training courses include tailoring, dress designing, costume jewellery, pickles and spices, fashion accessories, etc. They are also encouraged to learn ceramics, painting, sculpture, classical dance and theater acting.
These girls from the marginalized sections of society have free access to the Academy’s library-cum-reading room, art galleries, literary gatherings, dance performances, music concerts, plays, etc. The Academy believes in ‘open spaces…..no walls’ policy. Large halls without any walls to segregate one activity from the other, making it possible for the girls from slum colonies and jhuggi clusters to move around freely and to participate in all literary and cultural activities. That is our logo and we stand by it facing innumerable odds and challenges!