The agreement brings together Greenwich’s School of Design and Creative Industries and Kala Bhavana, a distinguished centre for visual arts education and research - renowned for its contribution to Indian modernism and the artistic legacy of Rabindranath Tagore.
Through the partnership, the two institutions will explore opportunities for collaborative research, creative practice and cross-cultural exchange across a wide range of disciplines, including art, design, curation, landscape, performance, sound, film and animation.
The collaboration will support a variety of activities, including joint exhibitions, workshops, seminars, conferences, artist talks, research events and cultural exchange initiatives.
Staff and students at both institutions will also benefit from opportunities to engage in interdisciplinary learning, creative experimentation and the sharing of artistic and pedagogical expertise.
The partnership reflects a shared commitment to fostering innovation in teaching and research through international collaboration, while encouraging dialogue between Indian culture-specific modernism and contemporary UK art and design practice.
The institutions will also work together on projects that address environmental, social and community-based artistic practices.
Professor Natasha Vall, Pro Vice-Chancellor and Executive Dean of the Faculty of Law, Arts and Social Sciences, signed the agreement on behalf of the University of Greenwich. The partnership will be led by David Waterworth for Greenwich and Professor Sisir Sahana, Principal of Kala Bhavana, for Visva-Bharati.
David Waterworth, Curatorial Fellow at University of Greenwich Galleries said:
"Both our campuses are on World Heritage Sites that reflect our complex and intertwined histories. This partnership will allow us to mutually explore how these shared roots can inspire globally relevant methodologies for teaching and research in creative design subject areas today."
This new collaboration strengthens Greenwich's global network of academic and creative partnerships and creates exciting opportunities for staff and students to engage with one of India's most influential centres of artistic education and practice.
Photograph courtesy of Kala Bhavana, Visva Bharati University, India
