The Attakkalari India Biennial aims at investing in knowledge creation by mapping new territories, identities, localities and culture with works from different regions and countries, to promote a greater understanding, appreciation and respect for cultural diversity and gender equality.

This year the festival will be a multi-venue, multi-layered event which will include a few large productions, some solo and smaller pieces, commissioned works by young choreographers from less developed regions and platform performances. Along side there will be a screening of films, site specific works, installations, seminars and workshops.

Works that reflect the emerging authenticities which are specific to the cultures of the individuals and groups that produced them will be considered, chosen and presented, as far as possible. Focus will be on artists from developing nations, especially Africa, Latin America, Asia and India, who along with performers from the developed world will engage with movement text, technology and digital art to reflect new expression, new vision and new intellectual property.

The Attakkalari India Biennial 2008 will provide a platform for interdisciplinary work where the body is at the centre with an endless realm of space -- both real and virtual -- around it to create an individual or collective expression. An expression which uses its inherent culture to perpetuate new thinking by stimulating reaction out of action. Thereby creating a new
voice… a new identity.

The festival will serve as an avenue for the artist who, through performance will challenge the audience to think differently. Artists will encourage audiences to move towards enlarging their sense of being by transcending borders drawn by technology, culture and body – and embark on a journey towards reform and re-forming boundaries.

If there is any work of yours that would have a synergy with any of the above we would be extremely happy if you could send us some material – including a DVD on the work– by 1st, June, 2008 so that we could put it across to our expert panel of curators. Also, if you could let us know whether any organisation would be able to support your participation, as it would help us a great deal in expanding the scope of the festival.