Arts Council of Pakistan

The Arts Council of Pakistan Karachi (Urdu: آرٹس کونسل آف پاکستان کراچی‎), also known as the Karachi Arts Council (Urdu: آرٹس کونسل کراچی کی‎) is an organization for promotion of the Arts in Pakistan. Occasionally the federal Government of Pakistan and the provincial Government of Sindh issue this Arts Council hefty financial grants to sustain and develop it.[1]"It is the country's oldest and most famous NGO (non-government organization) that deals in promotion and development of arts and crafts in Pakistan."[2] The Arts Council of Pakistan Karachi is arguably the largest council made for the purpose of promoting arts and culture in Pakistan, and perhaps the busiest in terms of organising events on a yearly basis. Given the kind of sociopolitical turn that the country has taken with reference to religious extremism, it makes the council all the more significant an institution to uphold and foster the traditions of the arts that aim to give society a balanced approach to life.[3]

History and background

According to the reported history of Arts Council, Karachi, sometime in 1948, a group of arts enthusiasts gathered and formed themselves into a society under the name of Karachi Fine Arts Society. The Society did a great deal of initial pioneering work to encourage and promote arts and culture in Pakistan. It held exhibitions and promoted activities relating to theatre.

The funds of the society were contributed personally by the members themselves. They had no permanent building of their own. Their meetings were therefore held at the residences of the office bearers. Art exhibitions were held in rented space in private houses. Six years later in 1954, the Karachi Fine Arts Society was reorganized into a body called the Arts Council of Pakistan, Karachi. This organization was registered with the registrar of societies, Karachi, under Act XX1 of 1860. (The Registration Certificate was issued on 10 May 1955). After its formation, the Arts Council of Pakistan, Karachi stepped up activities in the field of arts and culture. It also has sponsored production of plays and musical programs - for example, it recently held a Musical Tribute Event in 2017 in honor of the late Bade Fateh Ali Khan (Pakistan's famous classical music singer) in its auditorium.[4]

Academies at Arts Council of Pakistan, Karachi

"Karachi Arts Council has four academies of its own that help in fostering raw talent and developing them into real performers."[2] These include:

Theatre Academy

It helps in teaching script-writing, directing, acting, cinematography, editing and production management.[2]

Music Academy

It helps in teaching of violin playing, flute playing, dholak playing, vocals training, guitar playing and other classical instruments.

Fine Arts Academy

It helps in teaching and developing literature, floral art, architecture, interior designing and sculpture.[2]

Facilities

Following are some facilities offered by the Arts Council of Pakistan for hosting events:

Recent local body elections

In 2005, Arts Council of Pakistan had over 4000 members and over 3000 eligible voters.[5] Arts Council of Pakistan elections for office-holders were to be held on 18 December 2005.[5]

On 18 December 2016, latest Arts Council of Pakistan elections were to be held for office-holders.[6]

See also

National Academy of Performing Arts (Pakistan), located also nearby in Karachi

References

  1. ↑ Grants from the government for Arts Council of Pakistan, Dawn newspaper, Published 25 December 2004, Retrieved 17 April 2017
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 Profile of The Arts Council of Pakistan, Karachi, Retrieved 17 April 2017
  3. ↑ The glue that holds: 'Despite borders, Urdu literature connects India, Pakistan' The Express Tribune newspaper, Published 1 December 2016, Retrieved 17 April 2017
  4. ↑ Tribute to Music icon Ustad Fateh Ali Khan, Arts Council of Pakistan, Karachi website, Published 2 March 2017, Retrieved 17 April 2017
  5. 1 2 KARACHI: Arts Council's polls in 2005, Dawn newspaper, Published 18 December 2005, Retrieved 17 April 2017
  6. ↑ Arts Council of Pakistan elections to be held in 2016, The Express Tribune newspaper, Published 18 December 2016, Retrieved 17 April 2017


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