Kochi-Muziris Biennale: Art By Children hits 2,000 mark

KOCHI: The Art By Children (ABC) outreach programme of Kochi Biennale, supported by the Department of Education, Government of Kerala and Merck has reached out to over 2,000 students across 40 schools across the state in its first phase. “The programme aims at reaching 100 schools across all the 14 districts of Kerala and engage over 5,000 children and school teachers through artist facilitators until March 2017. Over 75 teachers covered in the teacher training programmes will continue to work with the broad strategies and new education techniques passed on at these interactions,” Riyas Komu, director of programmes, Kochi Muziris Biennale, said addressing a press conference here on Monday.

Anand Nambiar, MD of Merck India, said that educational art was considered vital to the cognitive development of children and ABC was a tool that tried to bridge the gap between health and creativity.  Riyas Komu said that the Kochi Biennale Foundation had always laid great emphasis on celebrating the diversity of our nation through art. The ABC Gallery at the Aspinwall House is the country’s first art exhibition dedicated to the work by children.