Art directorate invites aided colleges to discuss visual art univ demand

On December 4, HT had reported about the Maharashtra State Visual Arts University Action Committee’s opposition to the art board

Mumbai: The Directorate of Arts has invited representatives of all aided art colleges in the state on December 10 for consultations regarding the demand for a separate university dedicated to visual art. But the invitation has not been extended to unaided colleges despite the unwillingness of 31 out of 178 such colleges to affiliate themselves with the Maharashtra State Education Board for Art.

Art directorate invites aided colleges to discuss visual art univ demand

On December 4, HT had reported about the Maharashtra State Visual Arts University Action Committee’s opposition to the art board and their boycott of the state art exhibition. The invitation letter for the consultation meeting on December 10 was sent out immediately after that.

The committee has demanded that all institutions be invited for the meeting. It has been pushing for a visual arts university, saying if it is established, there will be no problem in converting the current diploma courses into degrees. It will also be easy to make constructive changes in all institutions.

Action committee member Vinod Wankhede clarified that students will be at a disadvantage in joining the board instead of a university. However, Bharat Borate, another committee member, said that it is necessary to understand the reason behind excluding 178 unaided institutions from the discussion.

Asked if the selective invitation was an attempt to create a rift within the action committee, Borate and Wankhede said the committee would send a letter to the art director, requesting him to invite unaided institutions along with the aided institutions for the discussion.