CCC Art fest: Creativity unleashed

This art festival, being organised physically, as the schools are open now, is in continuation of these ongoing initiatives as part of the Art Integrated learning programmes

Schooling is all about the holistic development of every child, and they should get ample opportunities to showcase their creative talent apart from the textbook learning. At The Velammal International School (TVIS), our curricular framework always focuses on the overall development of the students and we liberate them to a wider world beyond the four walls of the classroom and also the textbooks.

That is the reason why when we are back to normal functioning after the prolonged lockdown in the wake of Covid-19 pandemic, we decided to hold the art festival organised by Chitravathi Centre for Creativity (CCC), the expert team handling the art integrated project for the Velammal Group of Institutions.

Even during the lockdown days, we had made it sure that art engagements are given due importance, of course using the online platforms. Experts in different fields led various art integrated programmes that introduced different areas of arts and crafts to the children in different age groups. The new programmes, organised physically from October 4, 2021 onwards, are in continuation of these ongoing initiatives.

In the first stage, CCC is organizing workshops introducing the students of class IX and XI to the techniques like Appliqué and Cyanotype print making, which is expected to revitalize them.

“Art has a very strong healing power, which can help the students in positive expressions and in experiencing a fresh start,” said Biveesh B, HoD, CCC. The pandemic kept the students away from the school for a longer period and this gap was very stressful for everyone, as they were denied the opportunity to have physical interaction with their peers and teachers. After this prolonged uncertainty, students are now coming back to campus life with the expectation of getting back to normalcy, and they should have more activities to energize them, he said. “That is why Chitravathi is organizing this art fest exclusively for the students of IX and XI standards of TVIS to begin with,” he added.

This fest brings back a new vigor to meet the new normal by physically engaging in various creative activities, which they enjoyed before the pandemic, said Pramod Prasad, Teaching Artist, CCC.

Creative expressions can be a relief, and at times it heals our mind and body. Also, when generated from an innocent mind, it becomes a unique piece of art as well, according to Upayan Bardhan, Teaching Artist, CCC.

The idea behind such a festival is to break the compartments of individual subject understanding and create a possibility for inclusive experiencing of science, history and visual arts together, according to Garima Aggarwal, Teaching Artist, CCC.

The very aim of CCC’s programmes is this integration only. The teachers said the students are very keen to learn, and once they understand the process, they also share new ideas to experiment with. This is just the beginning, and much more are in the offing to unravel their talent, according to the team members of CCC.

Every artist dips the brush in his or her own soul, and brings nature around to life in its different manifestations. Since this festival is organised when they are back to school after the pandemic, the students are really excited to be part of it and experience it physically. The Appliqué and Cyanotype print making are the beginning to open a new world of creativity before them, according to team CCC.