Greater Noida : The Department of Art, Media and Performance at Shiv Nadar University, Delhi-NCR and Trinity Laban (London) jointly announced the launch of Satyam Kalon, an interdisciplinary arts research and education project uniting leading institutions spanning India, the United Kingdom and the United States. The Project brings together the finest creatives and academics across the globe in the pursuit of excellence, new thinking and interdisciplinary artistic practice.
The name Satyam Kalon unites the Sanskrit word Satyam (Truth) and the Greek word Kalon (Beauty), signifying a cross-cultural convergence of philosophical ideals and artistic practices. Leading institutions renowned for their excellence in contemporary practice and research, such as the Attakkalari Centre for Movement Arts and the KM Music Conservatory, have also joined Shiv Nadar University, Delhi-NCR, and Trinity Laban in this collaboration.
Speaking on the launch of the project, Satyam Kalon’s founder said, “Growing up in London in the eighties and early nineties, the South Asian music and films that my parents loved and the Western artists that I was more used to appeared miles apart, even though they seemed to touch the soul in the same way. The Satyam Kalon Programme provides a platform for a diverse group of talented students and researchers, guided by leading academics and artists, to explore the confluence of cultures and artforms in a dynamic creative environment. The programme presents a compelling opportunity for philanthropists to fund the pursuit of global artistic excellence in a focussed way.”
This international collective will come together through seminars, workshops, and curated events in London and Delhi, offering holistic training and opportunities that encourage a vibrant exchange of ideas, helping scholars build successful careers as artists, curators, educators, or creative professionals.
Professor Rajat Kathuria, Dean, School of Humanities and Social Sciences, Shiv Nadar University, Delhi-NCR on the launch said, “Satyam Kalon represents the immense power of partnerships across cultures and disciplines. It manifests a spirit of collaboration, desperately needed in these hard times and reflects our belief that the arts flourish when truth and creativity meet scholarship. This is an inspiring opportunity to nurture a new generation.”
Adding to this, Professor Aleksander Szram, Artistic Director of Trinity Laban, said, “Forming Satyam Kalon with our partners is an important step as we develop our vision for excellence beyond tradition. It is a commitment to push boundaries and explore creativity across art forms, making space for deep thought through a rigorous, research-led process. At Trinity Laban we believe that forging new cultural languages across continents is fundamental to our mission, as we develop artists who will lead the future sense of global community and society”
This project is supported by philanthropists and endorsed by global icons including Trinity Laban Honorary President AR Rahman. It offers scholarships, research grants, and advanced teaching opportunities to selected dancers, musicians, visual artists, art historians, and philosophers.
International composer and performer, Founder of KM Music Conservatory and Honorary President of Trinity Laban, AR Rahman, says:
“My whole life has been dedicated to finding new ways of reaching out across the globe to connect people and cultures through music and art. These new networks and initiatives created through Satyam Kalon exemplify this at the highest level, and I am very proud to see esteemed international organisations and experts forging new collaborations to build a stronger creative future.”
Dr. Aadya Kaktikar, Associate Professor, Head of the Department of Art, Media and Performance at Shiv Nadar University, Delhi-NCR says:
“Participation in the Satyam Kalon Project will support and expand the unique interdisciplinary space that the Department of Art, Media and Performance holds in Indian higher education. Bridging the binaries between artistic practice and research, thinking and making, and between tradition and contemporaneity, the Satyam Kalon project is a much-needed interdisciplinary intervention for the arts.”
The Department of Art, Media and Performance at Shiv Nadar University is one of its kind in the country, positioned at the cusp of arts practice and research.
Satyam Kalon brings together students and faculty from Trinity Laban, Shiv Nadar University, Attakkalari Centre for Movement Arts (Bangalore), and KM Music Conservatory (Chennai), institutions recognised for their leadership in contemporary practice, research, and pedagogy. The programme is further enriched by the participation of students from Columbia University (New York) and visiting academics and professors from Bonn University (Germany), Columbia University (New York) and The Courtauld Institute of Art (London). Together, the institutions and scholars of the Satyam Kalon project aim to create a lasting legacy of interdisciplinary collaboration and innovation that will shape the future of global arts education across the world.
