As the government of India looks to gradually reopen the economy, creative and cultural industries, a sector that has already been impacted by the ongoing pandemic, may be among the last to recover from the economic downturn. As the arts nurture public health and as cultural diversity is an essential aspect of the nation’s fabric, it is critical to keep this sector afloat.To get more news about importance of art in history, you can visit shine news official website.

For several reasons, creative and cultural industries are poised to suffer enormous losses. Many of India’s performing arts, museums and heritage sites have come to be tied to tourism, another sector poised to recover slowly as travel and social distancing restrictions will continue for some time. The perception that the arts and humanities are not essential to our society is entrenched. Since many artists, arts organisations and cultural workers have been the recipient of meagre grants from the government and philanthropic trusts even before the pandemic, their resources will diminish first.

To counteract this, the development of a forward-looking cultural policy is the need of the hour. Recent symbolic gestures by the Union Ministry of Culture — such as inducting regional weaving traditions into national lists of intangible cultural heritage and illuminating the forecourt of the Red Fort with oil lamps — will neither preserve these practitioners nor the sites. A recognition that the arts positively affect our bodies and minds is an elementary first step in formulating a new policy. Art fosters awareness, enhances social skills, increases self-esteem and slows cognitive decline. Many studies have shown that activities such as viewing a painting, listening to music or watching a performance strengthen learning, reduce anxiety and heal trauma. Therefore, the arts are promoters of healthier communities in the intermediate and long term. If the past is any guide, then by turning to it we might learn of other benefits of investing in the arts in times of crisis. As a famine extended its grip in Bengal in the 1940s, artists such as Zainul Abedin and Chittaprosad made sketches of the unfolding human tragedy.

Some exhibited their work, others arranged for their speedy and inexpensive publication. Even as these ventures drew the colonial government’s ire, they inspired fellow Indians to contribute resources to ease the suffering of those most impacted by the catastrophe. Two decades later, a severe drought hit Bihar. Pupul Jayakar, the then head of the handicrafts board, encouraged the women of the Mithila region to transfer compositions they had hitherto reserved for their nuptial chambers to paper.

With Indira Gandhi’s support, Jayakar marketed these rustic paintings to urban audiences by emblazoning their images on trains, hanging them in hotel lobbies, selling them in emporia and showcasing them at international festivals. Since then, a dedicated group of anthropologists, designers, museum professionals and government officers has revived many other ritual art traditions, including some on the verge of extinction. As a result, their makers have enjoyed fame, their rural communities have prospered and new forms of cultural expression and regional identity have flowered.

Alongside arts practitioners, now is the time to support arts scholars. Given the closure of Archaeological Survey of India-protected monuments, budgets allocated for repaving walkways, growing exotic flowers on lawns and installing dynamic lighting systems should be transferred to fellowship schemes for students and scholars of archaeology. Funds apportioned for the construction of grandiose experiential museums in the recently-concluded budget session should be transferred to charitable trusts devoted to advancing the history, conservation and enjoyment of art. These trusts should be allowed to help existing museums pay the salaries of positions critical to their missions and cover other essential expenses. The Ministry of Culture should publicise its pension and medical aid scheme for artistes facing hardships, simplify the application process and expedite fund disbursal.