Want to stage a show? You can book artistes online

Looking for an artist to perform at your event? It could be as simple as booking movie tickets online.

Early next year, Karnataka is looking to launch a virtual marketplace that will allow citizens to contact local artistes across the state with requests to perform.

“A database of artistes is being put together, complete with their contact details and availability,” Kannada & Culture Minister C T Ravi told DH. “Say, someone wants an artiste from Karnataka to perform in Delhi, but does not have any reference or contact details. With this system, artistes can be booked online based on their availability,” the minister pointed out.

“We hope to get this website ready by January 15,” Ravi said, adding that the government had plans to leverage technology to promote the state’s culture.

“Besides Rangayana (the state-run theatre repertory), there are various other cultural bodies in the state that perform regularly. So, we will upload all these details to make a cultural itinerary so that citizens know who is performing where and when. Those interested can attend these events,” Ravi said.

This move, according to Ravi, promises to benefit scores of local artistes and also over 1,000 cultural associations in the state that receive aid from the Kannada & Culture department to promote Kannada and its culture.

“This will be like a BookMyShow for the artistes, but without middlemen and commissions,” Karnataka State Dr Gangubai Hangal Music and Performing Arts University’s acting vice-chancellor V Nagesh Bettakote said, hailing the idea. “At present, artistes are ground under various academies for dance, music, drama and so on. It will help if all artistes can be brought under one roof, and it will also create a supportive ecosystem for them,” he said.

In a separate project, Ravi said the government is putting together a Wikipedia-like platform to capture the history of all villages in Karnataka. The state has 29,340 villages. "Every village has its own history, which is not documented because it lives in the realm of folklore, kept alive orally. The second, third generations of a family may not be aware of the history of the village they come from. We want to compile such history and make it public," Ravi explained.

The department plans to rope in college students for this exercise. "Once enough information about a village is captured, it will be put up for public feedback or objections, before being uploaded," Ravi said.