Parliament Question: Public art galleries

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF CULTURE RAJYA SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1461 TO BE ANSWERED ON 12.02.2026 PUBLIC ART GALLERIES

1461. SHRI SANJAY KUMAR JHA:

Will the Minister of CULTURE be pleased to state:

(a) whether it is a fact that there are very few public art galleries in the country and talented artists struggle to find space to showcase their work;

(b) the number and locations of public art galleries, State-wise; and

(c) an estimate of ideal number of art galleries needed to meet the needs of artist community? ANSWER MINISTER OF CULTURE AND TOURISM (GAJENDRA SINGH SHEKHAWAT)

(a) No Sir. The Government recognizes the importance of providing adequate platforms for artists to showcase their work. The Ministry of Culture, through its subordinate offices and autonomous organizations such as Salar Jung Museum, Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts (IGNCA), and Lalit Kala Akademi (LKA), provides exhibition spaces and opportunities for artists across the country. These institutions regularly organize exhibitions, art camps, workshops, and outreach programmes, and extend gallery spaces to emerging and established artists. For instance, Salar Jung Museum organizes exhibitions, art workshops such as “Seva Parv”.

IGNCA conducts curated exhibitions and thematic displays at its headquarters and regional centres, while Lalit Kala Akademi and its Regional Centres provide gallery facilities and organize national and regional exhibitions to promote artistic visibility. The Government continues to support and expand such initiatives to facilitate greater access to exhibition platforms for artists.(b) & (c) The Ministry of Culture, through its autonomous organizations such as Lalit Kala Akademi, maintains public art galleries at various locations in the country. Lalit Kala Akademi operates gallery spaces at its Headquarters in New Delhi and Regional Centres at Garhi, Bhubaneswar, Kolkata, Chennai, Shimla and Agartala. These galleries are regularly utilized for exhibitions by contemporary artists, scholars and institutions. In addition, institutions under the Ministry such as IGNCA and museums across the country also provide exhibition spaces as part of their cultural outreach activities.

The Ministry of Culture focuses on strengthening and optimal utilization of existing gallery infrastructure to meet the needs of the artist community. Emphasis is also laid on developing multi-functional cultural spaces, promoting travelling and digital exhibitions, and supporting regional and community-level platforms through institutional collaborations. These initiatives help expand opportunities and visibility for artists across the country.

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