Inclusion of Arts, Culture to add soul to Smart Cities

Inaugurating the FICCI’s first Cultural Industries’ Summit at India Habitat Centre, New Delhi, Amitabh Kant, CEO, Niti Aayog said that we must look into incorporating creative arts into the Smart Cities project. He also complemented FICCI for raising issue of inclusion of art and cultural into city infrastructure. “If the city is not focusing on cultural aspects, it will create lopsided efforts,” Kant said in the first-ever 2-day cultural industries summit. Kant also suggested for a review of the educational system for young people in the country to be exposed to arts and culture and learn to appreciate it. Pavan Varma, former MP and a renowned author said the government should first introspect at the existing state of the arts and culture in the country before moving ahead. He added, “More than the blueprint, you need to have the soul for what happens.” “A city without culture and art is actually a city without a business model,” said Dr. A Didar Singh, Secretary-General of FICCI, explaining the industry body’s unique initiative for the country’s creative industry. The first day of the summit was graced by many government officials, artists, corporate executives and other stakeholders discussing and deliberating on issues to formalize the arts and culture industry while seeking support in removing the bottlenecks for growth. At the event, FICCI in collaboration with E&Y released the first ever Creative Industries Report. Among the key issues, industry stakeholders opined that arts and culture should be included in the 100 Smart Cities that the government is planning, which includes creating infrastructure and reducing the licensing regime. “We need to create a proper ecosystem of laws” said Dr. Jyotsna Suri, Chairperson, FICCI Art & Culture Committee, and Chairperson and Managing Director, Bharat Hotels Ltd. “A Smart city cannot be smart city without art and culture.”