A series of performances, musical presentations and literary events will take place across Venice from 13–17 September 2026 as Serendipity Arts continues its engagement with the National Pavilion of India at the 61st International Art Exhibition – La Biennale di Venezia. Presented by the Ministry of Culture, Government of India, in partnership with Serendipity Arts and the Nita Mukesh Ambani Cultural Centre (NMACC), the programme extends the themes of the India Pavilion exhibition, Geographies of Distance: remembering home, into public spaces across the city.
Extending the India Pavilion Beyond the Exhibition Space
The programme coincides with Homo Faber 2026 and The Venice Glass Week, positioning contemporary Indian artistic practices within Venice’s wider cultural calendar. Through music, dance, poetry and multidisciplinary performances, the initiative explores ideas of movement, materiality, memory, migration, belonging and cultural continuity. The events will take place across public squares, cultural institutions and historic venues throughout Venice, creating opportunities for local audiences and international visitors to engage with contemporary Indian art beyond the walls of the pavilion.
The programme complements the India Pavilion exhibition Geographies of Distance: remembering home, curated by Dr Amin Jaffer. The exhibition brings together works by Alwar Balasubramaniam, Ranjani Shettar, Sumakshi Singh, Skarma Sonam Tashi and Asim Waqif, examining how ideas of home, memory and belonging are shaped by migration, change and distance.
Featured Artists and Performers
The September programme brings together artists working across multiple disciplines:
- Surjit Nongmeikapam – contemporary dancer and choreographer
- Ankur Tewari – singer-songwriter, composer and curator
- Ranjit Hoskote – poet, translator and cultural theorist
- Anwesha Das – Bharatanatyam practitioner and performer
Several works presented during the Venice programme have been specially commissioned and developed as part of the wider India Pavilion initiative.
Programme Highlights
Visitors can experience a range of performances across Venice:
- One World – 13 September 2026, Conservatorio Benedetto Marcello
- Encounters – 14 September 2026, Mercato di Rialto
- Hakchang – Polang (Body Vessel) – 14–17 September 2026, public squares across Venice and Palazzo Diedo
- La Casa in India / Beit-e-Bhārat – 15 September 2026, Palazzo Grassi
- Common Time – 16 September 2026, Teatro Piccolo Arsenal
- SEEDS OF THE SACRED – A Bharatanatyam Offering to the Human Spirit – 29 September 2026, Teatro Piccolo Arsenal
The programme spans music, contemporary dance, literary performance and classical Indian dance, offering multiple perspectives on the themes explored by the India Pavilion.
A Dialogue Between India and Venice
Among the highlights is Hakchang – Polang (Body Vessel), a newly commissioned work by Surjit Nongmeikapam that explores relationships between body, memory and material through contemporary movement informed by Manipuri traditions. Meanwhile, Ankur Tewari’s One World, created especially for Venice, brings together Indian folk traditions and Hindustani classical music through original compositions. Literary audiences will encounter La Casa in India / Beit-e-Bhārat, curated by Ranjit Hoskote, featuring readings in multiple languages of the Indian subcontinent alongside Italian translations.
Connection to Serendipity Arts Festival
The Venice programme also forms part of Serendipity Arts’ wider international cultural initiatives and serves as a precursor to the 11th edition of the Serendipity Arts Festival, scheduled to take place in Panjim, Goa, from 13–20 December 2026. Several works presented in Venice, including Hakchang – Polang (Body Vessel), One World and Encounters, will subsequently travel to Goa, continuing their engagement with audiences in India.
The festival, organised annually by Serendipity Arts, has become one of South Asia’s significant multidisciplinary arts platforms, bringing together visual arts, performance, music, literature and craft through public programming.
Visitor Information
The events are scheduled across multiple venues including Conservatorio Benedetto Marcello, Mercato di Rialto, Palazzo Grassi, Palazzo Diedo, Teatro Piccolo Arsenal and several public squares throughout Venice. The programme is presented as part of the wider India in Venice initiative connected to the National Pavilion of India, whose exhibition remains open until 22 November 2026.
| Event Name | Details |
| Title | Serendipity Arts Venice Programme 2026 |
| Related Exhibition | Geographies of Distance: remembering home |
| Artists / Participants | Surjit Nongmeikapam, Ankur Tewari, Ranjit Hoskote, Anwesha Das |
| Venue | Various venues across Venice including Palazzo Grassi, Palazzo Diedo, Teatro Piccolo Arsenal, Conservatorio Benedetto Marcello and Mercato di Rialto |
| City | Venice, Italy |
| Programme Dates | 13–17 September 2026 |
| Exhibition Duration | Until 22 November 2026 |
| Organisers | Ministry of Culture, Government of India; Serendipity Arts; Nita Mukesh Ambani Cultural Centre (NMACC) |
| Entry | Refer to venue-specific event information |
| Website | www.indiainvenice.com |
Takeaway
By extending the themes of Geographies of Distance: remembering home into Venice’s public spaces, Serendipity Arts creates new opportunities for audiences to engage with contemporary Indian artistic practices through performance, music and literature. The programme highlights how cultural exchange can take place beyond gallery walls, encouraging dialogue around memory, migration and belonging. As part of India’s presence at Biennale Arte 2026, these events contribute to broader conversations about identity, heritage and the role of the arts in connecting communities across geographies.
