Created to celebrate Bengal’s rich artistic heritage and cultural cosmopolitanism, the festival brought together over a 100 artists (ranging from masters like Rabindranath Tagore, Abanindranath Tagore, Gaganendranath Tagore and Jamini Roy to well-known and emerging contemporary practitioners), 50 exhibitions, numerous performers, scholars and curators from India and abroad.

Spread across national and state monuments such as The Victoria Memorial, museums such as The Indian Museum, Alipore Museum and The Nandan Museum – Kala Bhavana (Santiniketan) – the first edition, themed “Anka-Banka: Through Cross-Currents,” explores the intertwined pathways of history, identity, aesthetics and social narratives through exhibitions, performances, workshops, talks and public art installations.