[PhotoSparks] The human face of creativity – what makes Chitra Santhe such a special art festival

PhotoSparks is a weekly feature from YourStory, with photographs that celebrate the spirit of creativity and innovation. In this photo essay, we showcase the diversity of paintings at the annual Chitra Santhe in Bangalore, one of India’s largest street fairs celebrating art (see also my photo essays from the earlier editions in 2016 and 2015)!

In the earlier 115 posts, we brought you a wide range of creative photographs from an art fair, world music festival, painting fair, telecom expo, art museum, mobile showcase, math museum, social hackathon, bookstore, co-working space, sensorium, international design week, flower show, outdoor ads, startup roadshow, computer museum, startup T-shirts, business cards, art therapy, startup festival, Diwali rangoli, Vesak, jazz festival, modern art gallery, ecopreneurs, painter-poets, health activists, eNGOs and digital innovators.

The annual Chitra Santhe held every January for the past fourteen years in Bengaluru is truly a celebration of art for all citizens. In the previous photo showcase, we featured a small cross-section of the 80,000 creative works in the form of paintings, sculptures and mixed-media installations.

In this edition of PhotoSparks, we salute the 1,400 artists as well as organisers and designers who showed how art can be brought out of the confines of galleries and studios and literally into the streets for all citizens. Caricaturists, body artists, cardboard costumes, stencil makers, instrument vendors, tattoo artists, guitarists and especially enthusiastic children showed how art can bring out the best in us, both as a pastime and full-blown career.

We look forward to the 15th edition of Karnataka Chitrakala Parishath’s annual showcase already!

Got a creative photograph to share? Email us at [email protected]!

See also the YourStory pocketbook ‘Proverbs and Quotes for Entrepreneurs: A World of Inspiration for Startups,’ accessible as apps for Apple and Android devices.