Pune's bustling JM Road is set to undergo a remarkable transformation this November 16, as a typically busy pedestrian stretch becomes a vibrant platform for artistic expression. The inaugural Street Art Festival 2025, a collaborative effort between Bharati Vidyapeeth College of Fine Arts and Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC), promises to turn the pavement between Balgandharva Police Chowki and Chhatrapati Sambhaji Garden into an open-air art gallery.
Democratizing Art Through Street Festival
The festival represents a significant move toward making art accessible to everyone. From early morning until late evening on November 16, the usually chaotic section of JM Road will become a colorful, celebratory space where art meets the common person. Dr Girish Charwad, Associate Professor at Bharati Vidyapeeth College of Fine Arts, emphasizes the symbolic importance of holding the festival on the street, highlighting the organizers' intent to truly democratize art.
The selection process for participating artists was conducted through the PMC Care app between November 6 and 9. A dedicated committee will choose the final participants from the pool of applicants, with space constraints limiting the exhibition to 50 artists. The participants will include students, alumni from the college, and independent freelancers.
Inspired by Bengaluru's Chitra Santhe
The Pune Street Art Festival draws inspiration from the highly successful Chitra Santhe in Bengaluru, organized annually by Karnataka Chitrakala Parishath. The Bengaluru event, which just completed its 22nd edition on January 5 this year, attracted 1,500 artists and hundreds of thousands of visitors, setting a benchmark for street art festivals across India.
The timing of Pune's festival coincides with two significant milestones: PMC's 75th anniversary and Bharati Vidyapeeth College of Fine Arts' 25th year. According to Dr Charwad, the event aims to increase awareness about multiple art genres, provide much-needed visibility to artists recovering from the COVID-19 pandemic's impact, and ensure an enriching experience for all attendees.
Artists and Visitors Connect Directly
One of the festival's most distinctive features is the opportunity for genuine dialogue between artists and visitors. Artworks will be available for purchase at zero commission, meaning artists retain all earnings from their sales. Price points are expected to begin at Rs 500, making art ownership accessible to a wider audience.
Dr Charwad explains that such direct interactions are rarely possible even in established galleries. Visitors will have the unique chance to speak with artists about their creative journeys, understanding the decades of practice, moments of triumph and tribulation, and the rigorous discipline behind each artwork.
The festival specifically hopes to reach children absorbed in digital screens and parents struggling to navigate the increasingly digitalized world. Live art demonstrations will allow visitors to watch artists create in real-time, potentially inspiring both children and stressed adults to explore their own creative potential.
As Dr Charwad beautifully summarizes, "Art is an essential part of everybody's life. It contributes to society. The street art festival is a salute to all creative pursuits." This November 16, Pune residents have an extraordinary opportunity to experience this philosophy firsthand on the transformed streets of JM Road.
