Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate the first Indian Art, Architecture & Design Biennale (IAADB) 2023 being held at the historic Red Fort in the national capital on Friday.

During the programme, the prime minister will also inaugurate Aatmanirbhar Bharat Centre for Design at Red Fort and the student Biennale- Samunnati.

It was the PM’s vision to develop and institutionalise a flagship Global Cultural Initiative in the country like the International Biennales at Venice, Sao Paulo, Singapore, Sydney and Sharjah, among others. In line with this vision, a nationwide campaign to reinvent, rebrand, renovate and re-house museums was launched.

Further, development of cultural spaces in five cities of India namely Kolkata, Delhi, Mumbai, Ahmedabad and Varanasi was also announced. Indian Art, Architecture & Design Biennale (IAADB) will serve as an introduction to the Cultural Space at Delhi.

The IAADB is being organised from 9 to 15 December, 2023 at the Red Fort. It also follows key initiatives like the International Museum Expo (May 2023) and Festival of Libraries (August 2023) that were organised recently. It is designed to initiate a holistic conversation between artists, architects, designers, photographers, collectors, art professionals and the public to strengthen the cultural dialogue. It will also provide avenues and opportunities to expand and collaborate with the creators of art, architecture and design as part of the evolving economy.

The IAADB will showcase different theme based exhibitions on each day of the week: Day 1: Pravesh- Rite of Passage: Doors of India; Day 2: Bagh e bahar: Gardens as Universe: Gardens of India; Day 3: Sampravah: Confluence of Communities: Baolis of India; Day 4: Sthapatya: Anti fragile algorithm: Temples of India; Day 5: Vismaya: Creative Crossover: Architectural Wonders of Independent India; Day 6: Deshaj Bharat Design: Indigenous Designs’ and Day 7: Samatva: Shaping the Built:  Celebrating Women in Architecture.

In line with the PM’s ‘Vocal for Local’ motto, the ‘Aatmanirbhar Bharat Centre for Design’ at Red Fort will showcase the unique and indigenous crafts of India and provide a collaborative space between the karigars and the designers. Paving the way for a sustainable cultural economy, it will empower the artisan communities with new designs and innovations.