The hugely popular NGV programme features Bollywood dancing, dhol drumming and DJ performances. Indian Community Day returns on Sunday 13 October 2024 at NGV International from 11am to 5pm. Celebrating the creativity and diversity of Victoria’s Indian community, this annual free event features art, food, performance, dance, music and more for audiences of all ages.

Highlights of Indian Community Day 2024 include an energetic and powerful percussion performance. Starting from the forecourt of the NGV, a group of Indian dholis will perform an exciting and energetic travelling performance in the Great Hall.

Inside, guests can enjoy performances and workshops featuring Indian dance styles, including Kathak, one of eight forms of classical Indian dance, and folk dances from Gujarat and Rajasthan. The Great Hall will also host an interactive Bollywood performance and Ignite Bollywood workshops.

The event will be hosted by Sharon Johal, renowned Indian-Australian actress, writer and human rights activist. Johal is best known for her work in Australia’s longest-running television series Neighborstelevision adaptation Shantaram (2022) in which she starred alongside Zac Efron in Ricky Stanicky (2024) and also took part in a TV show about renovation Block.

Melbourne-based visual artist Bushra Hasan will teach children about the rickshaw, an iconic form of transport in India, during a hands-on creative workshop Let’s go. Drawing inspiration from how owners decorate their real rickshaws, kids can draw boldly colored and patterned rickshaws. Born in Lucknow, India, Hasan works in painting, large-scale murals, mosaic floors, and community garden installations.

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Revealing the influence of traditional Indian dress on contemporary fashion design, SBS Radio host Preeti Jabal moderates a panel discussion with Melbourne designers Abha Gupta and Kudrat Makkar, as well as Sunita Lewis, Project Officer, Asian Art at NGV. The conversation will also explore the influence of family on their designs and invite the audience to share their favourite fashion moments from their own upbringing.

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Transforming the Grand Hall into a dance floor for all ages, DJ and music producer Pradip Sarkar, aka Sikander, presents an exciting journey through different musical horizons with an electrifying DJ set. Sakar is a founding member of the Sikander Band and hosts a popular radio show The tiger beats elephant rhythms on PBS FM.

For Indian Community Day, Chef Helly Raichura of popular Carlton North Indian restaurant, Enter via Laundry, will be creating a special menu of Indian dishes and snacks served throughout the Great Hall and Gallery Kitchen. Raichura was a guest judge on Masterchef Australiashe co-hosted a TV show about cooking India Unplated alongside Adam D’Sylva and Sandeep Pandit, and also appears regularly as a guest chef Cook Up with Adam Liaw.

Visitors can also explore the NGV collection, including key works from the NGV’s Asian Art Collection, presented by Sunita Lewis, Projects Manager for Asian Art.

Colin Brooks, Minister for Creative Industries, said:It’s the people and diverse cultures that make Victoria such an exciting place to live, work and visit. NGV’s Indian Community Day promises to be an epic celebration of Indigenous culture and creativity, and what’s more, it’s all free. The Allan Labor Government is proud to support Indigenous Community Day. It’s a chance for all Victorians to come together at Australia’s most popular gallery to have a great time, while learning more about one of the largest diaspora communities in our state.

Tony Ellwood AM, Director of NGV said: “Indian Community Day is a vibrant and joyful celebration of one of Victoria’s largest diasporas. The NGV prides itself on being an inclusive civic space where members from all segments of our diverse community feel welcome and represented. In 2023, Indian Community Day welcomed almost 8,500 visitors – and we look forward to welcoming even more in 2024.”

About the author

Adrian Gunning Adrian is based in Melbourne, Australia and has a huge passion for gaming, technology, and popular culture. He recently completed a Bachelor of Journalism and is currently focusing on games journalism. When he’s not writing or playing video games, Adrian can be found at Comics ‘R’ Us discussing the pros of the DC Universe and the cons of the Marvel Universe.