Serendipity Arts Festival Brings Tamil Nadu’s Cultural Heritage to Life in the 10th Milestone Edition

 This December, as Goa’s riverfront comes alive with colour, movement, and imagination, the Serendipity Arts Festival (12–21 December 2025) marks a landmark – ten years of transforming how we experience and connect through art.

What began a decade ago as an experiment in interdisciplinary collaboration has grown into South Asia’s largest celebration of creativity and culture, spanning music, dance, theatre, visual arts, and culinary innovation across more than 300,000 square feet of Panjim’s heritage spaces. This milestone edition will feature over 150 projects curated by 35+ leading voices, reaffirming the Festival’s belief that culture is for everyone:  accessible, inclusive, and life-affirming.

Tamil Nadu at the Heart of Serendipity Arts Festival 2025

Tamil Nadu’s cultural imagination shines brightly this year, with four deeply evocative projects that celebrate its creative spirit from food and folk traditions to sound, performance, and contemporary dance.

At the Old GMC Complex, Culinary Cosmopolitanism through Porotta Shops of Rural and Coastal Tamil Nadu by Sumaiya Ahamed Mustafa and Noor Nisha explores the world of porotta eateries – humble yet vital community spaces that have become part of Tamil Nadu’s social and culinary fabric. Through photographs and storytelling, the project highlights how food becomes memory, identity, and belonging.

At Azad Maidan, Funkybodhi ft. S. Rani’s Irular Ensemble unites composer Paul Jacob and folk singer S. Rani, leader of the Irular women’s cooperative society. Blending tribal and contemporary rhythms, their performance pays tribute to the resilience of a community whose voices have carried songs of survival and strength for generations.

Ottam: Born to Run, written and directed by Sapan Saran and produced by Tamaasha Theatre under the curation of Mahesh Dattani, set the stage into a space for resistance and redemption. The play follows Akai Amaran, a Pariyar girl from rural Tamil Nadu who breaks barriers of caste and gender to become a national athlete, only to confront questions that challenge her very identity. The performance is an ode to perseverance – to running, in every sense of the word.

At The Arena, Nagalli Hills Grounds, Jatayu bridges the ancient and the modern, the local and the global, rooted in tradition yet unafraid to experiment. Known for electrifying live performances and cross-cultural collaborations, this Chennai-based band redefines Indian fusion with their distinctive blend of Carnatic music, jazz, and rock. This performance was supported by Serendipity Arts’ Independent Music Production Grant. The Grant supports the process of creating, recording, producing and releasing and/or presenting new music.

Together, these projects bring Tamil Nadu’s diverse artistic language to Serendipity – one that is rooted in tradition, yet constantly evolving towards the future.

A Decade of Serendipity Arts Festival

As Serendipity Arts celebrates ten years, its spirit of collaboration has travelled far beyond Goa. This year, milestone events have been held across Birmingham, Ahmedabad, Delhi, Varanasi and most recently Chennai, while announcing its upcoming event in Gurugram, each reflecting the Foundation’s commitment to cultural dialogue across regions.

In Chennai, Serendipity Arts, in collaboration with THE Park Chennai, hosted an exclusive evening celebrating art, philanthropy, and community. The event brought together leaders from business, culture, and the arts for a discussion – “Collaborate, Connect and Make Impact: The Indian Way of Giving” moderated by Narayan Lakshman, featuring Mr. Sunil Kant Munjal, Priya Paul, and Ranvir Shah. The evening concluded with a powerful performance by Uru Paanar, a Chennai-based band that revives ancient Tamil music through instruments like the yazh, urumi, pepa, and sangu, creating a bridge between Sangam-era poetics and contemporary sound.

Talking about the evening, Ms. Priya Paul, Chairperson Apeejay Surrendra Park Hotels Ltd, said:

“At THE Park Hotels, we see art as a living dialogue — one that engages the senses and connects people beyond boundaries. Staying true to our promise of being ‘Anything But Ordinary’, our collaboration with Serendipity Arts celebrates decades of creative exploration and exchange. It is through such partnerships that we continue to honour the transformative spirit of art and its ability to bring people together.” 

Adding onto that, Mr. Sethu Vaidyanathan reflected:

“In a country as rich and layered as India, art is a magnetic force that connects people across languages, regions, and generations. Collaboration deepens those bonds, turning creativity into a shared expression of community and culture. In Chennai, a city celebrated for its vibrant artistic spirit, hosting an evening with Serendipity Arts at The Park felt especially meaningful — a convergence of creativity and collaboration in a space that has long championed the arts.”

With successful events across India, Serendipity’s 10-year celebration now journeys beyond India – with upcoming editions in Dubai and Paris, before culminating in the grand ten-day festival in Goa this December. 

Reflecting on Serendipity Arts Festival’s Multi-City journey, Mr. Sunil Kant Munjal, Founder–Patron of Serendipity Arts, expressed:

 “We are bringing together artists and communities in different cities to experience and celebrate art together. Through this initiative in Chennai, and others in Varanasi and Delhi, Serendipity Arts, while celebrating the 10th of it’s festival in Goa, is honouring India’s tradition of generosity by making art accessible to everyone. Great art shouldn’t be limited to one place or one group of people—it creates real impact when it’s shared widely. This is not just about displaying art; it is about connecting people, starting conversations, and encouraging philanthropy as a movement that brings our rich cultural heritage into today’s world.”

Adding onto that, talking about the 10 years of Serendipity Arts Festival, Ms. Shefali Munjal, Co–Founder – Patron of Serendipity Arts, said:

“Ten years ago, we began with a simple yet profound belief: that art has the power to transform lives, build bridges, and create a more empathetic world. Today, as we celebrate this milestone, I am filled with gratitude for the artists, curators, and audiences who have joined us in this journey. Serendipity has grown into more than a festival — it is a movement that champions creativity as a vital force for social change.”

Join the Celebration

From December 12–21, 2025, the streets, stages, and riverfront of Panjim, Goa will transform into a living celebration of creativity — where music, movement, food, theatre, and design come together in one unmissable experience.

Join us in Panaji, Goa, from 12–21 December 2025, to celebrate the 10th edition of Serendipity Arts Festival.

Registrations Are Now Open!

Registrations for Serendipity Arts Festival 2025 are now live! Visit the official festival website to secure your Art Pass, book your tickets, and stay updated on workshops, performances, exhibitions, and more. More programmes will be announced soon so keep checking back for updates.

Link: https://www.serendipityartsfestival.com/register