FOLK PERFORMING ARTS IN INTERNATIONAL CULTURAL EXCHANGE PROGRAMMES

**Executive Summary** This report outlines the Ministry of Culture’s efforts to promote Indian heritage internationally through the Global Engagement Scheme and the Festival of India. For the 2025-26 financial year, Rs. 2.58 Crore has been allocated to support international cultural promotion via Indo-Foreign Friendship Societies. Key initiatives include the ICCR’s Annual Plan of Action, which currently prioritizes tribal and rare indigenous arts from rural areas. **Key Points / Main Content** **Global Engagement Scheme (GES) and Empanelment** * The Ministry of Culture implements the GES to facilitate performances in the Festival of India (FoIs) abroad. * A total of 627 artists and groups are currently empanelled, including 31 from Uttar Pradesh. * The Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR) has sponsored 52 folk art troupes for international performances over the last five years. **Selection Criteria for International Performances** * **Experience:** Applicants must have a record of performance at the State, National, or International level. * **Communication:** Artists/groups must be capable of explaining their specific art form and performance to an international audience. * **Exhibitions:** For Category VII, only applications for curated exhibitions are considered. * **Nationality:** Foreign nationals seeking empanelment must hold an Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) card. **ICCR Strategy and Annual Planning** * **Selection Process:** ICCR sponsors groups based on recommendations from Indian Missions, Posts, and Cultural Centers abroad to meet local demand and preferences. * **Priority Focus:** The Annual Plan of Action prioritizes under-represented arts and artists from rural and remote regions. * **Current Theme:** The cultural projection theme for the current year is “Connecting the World through Tribal, Folk and Rare Indigenous Arts.” **Monitoring and State Collaboration** * ICCR utilizes feedback and monitoring mechanisms to evaluate the impact of outgoing troupes. * The Council has signed MoUs with State Governments to ensure sustained support for diverse folk traditions. **Impact Analysis** **Artists and Folk Groups** **Impact** Artists gain access to international platforms and potential sponsorship for performances abroad, with specific opportunities for those from rural or under-represented backgrounds. **Action Required** Interested parties must meet the empanelment criteria, ensuring they have the required performance experience and the ability to articulate the nuances of their art form to foreign audiences. **Indian Missions, Posts, and Cultural Centers Abroad** **Impact** These entities act as the primary conduits for cultural exchange, receiving funding to support Indo-Foreign Friendship Societies. **Action Required** Missions must identify local demand for specific genres and submit proposals and recommendations to the ICCR for the Annual Plan of Action. **State Governments** **Impact** States are integrated into the national strategy for cultural promotion through formal agreements. **Action Required** State governments must fulfill the terms of their MoUs with the ICCR to support and promote local folk traditions in a sustained manner.

Key Entities Referenced