The LitArt Foundation which envisages upholding the principles of freedom, courage, integrity and secularism in the domain of literature, art and filmmaking was registered recently in Guwahati under the Societies Registration Act.
The Foundation has an August advisory panel comprising Dhruba Hazarika, Mitra Phukan and Dr Akshata Narain. While Hazarika and Phukan are both veteran columnists and erudite authors from the region, Dr Narain is Group President of AM Television.
Subhankar Banerjee, Founder and Director of Seven Sense Communication a city based Public Relations agency is also a part of the core team of the LitArt Festival.
Proyashi Barua, President and Co-Founder of The LitArt Foundation states, “This Foundation, among other things, is committed to bringing the works of writers, filmmakers and artists hailing from Assam and the northeastern region to the notice of the national and global audiences. Although in recent years literature, cinema and works of art from the region are getting noticed and appreciated by readers, audiences and art enthusiasts from across the country more than ever before, we believe that there is a lot more in terms of recognition and visibility that our creative fraternity deserves. To achieve this fundamental mandate the Foundation shall undertake a set of specific activities.”
The LitArt Foundation shall facilitate internships for students and young aspiring professionals (in the domain of art, literature and filmmaking) with reputed design, publishing and production houses across the country and northeastern region.
The Foundation shall also facilitate collaborations for established creative professionals from the region with their national counterparts. “The idea is to facilitate our artists, filmmakers and writers to exchange creative ideas and perspectives and create works that shall probably translate to greater national and international appeal without ofcourse diluting our indigenous essence,” explains Proyashi.
Today there is a growing convergence between literature, filmmaking and other works of art. Also, the proliferation of OTT content, online art, e-books and audiobooks has metamorphosed into an unprecedented landscape of opportunities and creative possibilities for content creators.
Jyotsna Neog, Vice President and Co Founder of The LitArt Foundation states, “Film making is a craft that involves art and literature. If we mainstream the Assamese entertainment industry by promoting the literature, arts and crafts of the state it shall surely translate to an ocean of possibilities and this shall be our cardinal endeavour.”
Moreover, today it is also imperative to understand the nuances of the business ecosystem for every successful creative professional. “Adhering to this need The LitArt Foundation shall host panel discussions and workshops to facilitate informed discussions and knowledge sharing on these critical aspects too,” elaborates Jyotsna.
The Foundation shall also undertake research and documentation work in collaboration with academic institutions and organisations in the creative space. Currently The LitArt Foundation is a seven member foundation comprising of professionals from the creative, media and academic fraternities.