MUMBAI : In a bid to democratize arts education and empower aspiring talents from across India, SIFF (Singhal Iyer Family Foundation)’s cultural extravaganza returned with renewed vigour with the latest edition of its flagship programme Young Artiste Festival 2023. The Young Artiste Festival 2023 is an expression of celebrating the cultural vibrancy of India and is set to shine the spotlight on emerging young talents. Under the patronage of esteemed industry veterans, this festival is committed to support the cultural interests of every aspiring young artiste, while nurturing both classical and contemporary artistic expressions. The programme witnessed spectacular performances by some of the contemporary hyperlocal young artistes with large YouTube audiences including Chandrani Sarma (Hindustani classical vocalists and earlier Zee TV SaReGaMaPa performer), Kamlesh Sharma (song-cover expert), and Deepak Devrani (choreographer) along with other talent galore.

The Young Artiste program was launched in 2020 by SIFF in collaboration with maestros of international stature such as Ustad Amjad Ali Khan, Terence Lewis, Shovana Narayan, Shalmali Kholgade and Aruna Sairam. It was created with the aim of increasing the accessibility and affordability of Arts Education for all Indians - with a specific focus on Tier 2 & 3 cities. Over the years, the programme has paved the path for several self-driven learners from all ages and walks of life who are keen on pursuing cultural art forms either as a hobby or as a professional. Currently, the Young Artiste forum has nearly 4 million viewership with a learning community of 60,000 members and around 2,000 videos across 7 channels on YouTube.

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Speaking on the initiative, Kavita Iyer, Cofounder, Young Artiste said, “Young Artiste Festival is a testament to our unwavering commitment to democratize art education, ensuring that each aspiring artist’s voice is heard. Stepping into the offline phase, we are taking a leap towards advancing our offering for young talents to be trained by industry experts, bridging between tradition and innovation with a long-term impact.”

Further to a huge success of the previous edition, which was an online offering in the wake of the pandemic, this is the first-ever on-ground adaptation bringing young talents aged 6–21 years from across India, including Jammu & Kashmir, Sikkim, West Bengal, Maharashtra, Rajasthan, and Karnataka, showcasing their prowess in their art—Instrumental, Vocal & Dance Genres. Some of the youngest artistes performing at the festival were as young as 6-year-old, Vihaan Bamugade, one of the youngest pianists in India, and 13-year-old Navdeep Singh, a dancer from Jammu.

Recognizing art education as one of the most exquisite expressions of every culture, Singhal Iyer Family Foundation, the Bangalore-based philanthropic organization embarked on the journey of increasing affordable and accessible art education for all. The festival recognizes the broad reach and influence of this platform in connecting learners across geographies, making quality Music & Dance education more inclusive and available. The winners have been rewarded with trophies, cash prizes, mentorship, select studio opportunities, and Young Artiste Give Aways, with the aim of promoting and keeping alive the rich and diverse Arts & Artistes of India - both classical and contemporary forms of music and dance.

Worldclass Sarod Maestro Ustad Amjad Ali Khan, who was part of launching the first edition of the SIFF Young Artiste Festival in 2020, emphasized on the importance of art education, saying, "It is the duty of every parent and schoolteacher to find out creative instincts in every child because it is very healthy for the mind and body of the child to express his creative instincts. The heartbeat is an indication of rhythm and what we speak; conversation, recitation, chanting, and singing are all part of music. To continue our tradition and convention of music, whether classical, folk, music, or film music, we need younger, committed, and dedicated young musicians."

The launch of the Young Artiste Advanced Mentorship Program (YAMP) in 2020 offered immersive mentorship to the top 100 finalists chosen from the national level competition Young Artiste Festival 2020 – under the leadership of globally acclaimed Indian maestros including Ehsaan Noorani (part of renowned musical trio Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy), Dr. L. Subramaniam, Kavita Krishnamurti, and others.