300 programmes spread out over a week at 40 venues for Keraleeyam Cultural Festival to be hosted from November 1

In about 300 performances over the course of a week, over 4,000 artists who represent a microcosm of Kerala's art and cultural scene will take the stage as part of the city's Keraleeyam Cultural Festival, which gets underway on November 1.

A variety of performances by disabled and transgender people—including kids from the endosulfan-affected areas—have been added to the lineup. In addition to the four main locations at Putharikandam Maidan, Tagore Theatre, Nishagandhi Auditorium, and Central Stadium, there will be two theatres for plays, twelve smaller ones, and eleven outdoor sites.

A number of events, including classical, ritual, and folk arts, will also take place at the following locations: Vivekananda Park, Keltron Complex, Tagore Open Air Auditorium, Bharat Bhavan, Women's College auditorium, Balabhavan, Panchayat Association hall, Sooryakanthi, Museum Radio Park, University College ground, SMV School, and Gandhi Park. 

Ministers V. Sivankutty, Antony Raju, and G.R. Anil briefed the media on the Keraleeyam preparations and announced that admission to all activities would be free. The electric bus fleet of the Kerala State Road Transport Corporation will be utilised to provide free transportation for the public to a number of locations. Parking facilities and traffic plans would be created. The Ministers said that they were working to draw tourists to Keraleeyam.

Seminars, an industrial expo, a cuisine fair, a flower show, a film festival, and lighting will all be included in the week-long celebration.

The preliminary work for the mural exhibition, Mosaic of Expression, in association with Keraleeyam on Manaveeyam Veedhi was officially opened by Mr. Sivankutty on Tuesday. 13 female artists will finish their graffiti by the time the cultural festival opens on November 1. The initiative is being curated by Bose Krishnamachari, co-founder of the Kochi-Muziris Biennale, and features artists Anupama Alias, Mona Isa, Ashya K. Suresh, Sabitha Kadannapally, Jalaja P.S., Sara Hussain, Jaya P.S., Shilpa K., Helna Merin Joseph, Soumya V.N., Hima Hariharan, Yamini Mohan, and Mariam Jasmine.