Recently i saw a compiled list of Carnatic Nusic Violinists.the total number is around 100.They are all performers ie accompanists,Solo players.
In case all the persons - Vocalists,violinists,Percussion support players - Mridangam,Ghatam,khanjira the total number will be around 1000 players depending on Music concerts for living.This excludes musicians who are only teachers and not performers.
There are perhaps about 100 or so musicians who perform frequently and would be in top earning bracket.But whether all others who depend on this for living expenses adequately taken care off?In the absence of any support from government,They depend for living entirely thru concert earnings.Even concessional medical facility is not available.
What can be done by society,Government and rasikas to ensure better support for musicians?
List Of Musicians Full time
-
jinija
- Posts: 14
- Joined: 10 Jan 2016, 23:14
Re: List Of Musicians Full time
I am a trustee of Universe Art Foundation (UAF), Bangalore. We started this not-for-profit foundation in 2012 to address exactly the same concerns posed by Sri hnbhagavan. Artists of traditional Indian art forms, being an unorganized sector, do not have any benefits or support structure. Therefore, we formed our foundation with the following aims:
1. To ensure that Indian artists do not live in poverty after having dedicated their entire lives to Indian art forms,
2. To provide medical facilities to the artists and their families, in cases where they cannot afford them,
3. To provide education opportunities and funding for the children of Indian artists to pursue careers of their choice unfazed by financial circumstances,
4. To encourage young Indians to take up traditional Indian art forms as a career, by providing talented individuals necessary grants and funding to get excellent training by instituting art fellowships, and
5. To provide a platform for young artists to launch their career.
To this end, we have been providing free or highly subsidized medical insurance to artists and their families, as well as support for medical procedures. We have also been funding the education of the children of artists, as well as talented young artists who cannot afford university or school fees.
However, the key issue remains that any such initiative needs contributions from rasikas and well-wishers. The number of people willing to sponsor/contribute to these initiatives are not very many. We have an "Adopt an Artist" program, where one can, for example, bear the subsidized insurance cost of an artist for a year. But the number of takers for such initiatives are again very few in number. Even small contributions from the rasika community can go a long way to help musicians, as well as other performing artists. To bring about a more large-scale change, we will need more individuals, organizations and corporate sponsors who can contribute towards setting up an endowment fund, whose returns we can then use to sustainably support artists every year.
As far as government initiatives are concerned, there are various pension schemes. However they do not pay much and are difficult to obtain. It may be a good idea for the government to at least provide a stipend to all registered artists, based on their grading or some other suitable metric, to support their daily expenses.
If any rasikas in this forum are interested in contributing to our initiatives at UAF, volunteering for the cause, or providing any ideas, please contact me through the forum or the founder Mrs. Jeyalakshmi Venkatanarayanan directly at [email protected].
1. To ensure that Indian artists do not live in poverty after having dedicated their entire lives to Indian art forms,
2. To provide medical facilities to the artists and their families, in cases where they cannot afford them,
3. To provide education opportunities and funding for the children of Indian artists to pursue careers of their choice unfazed by financial circumstances,
4. To encourage young Indians to take up traditional Indian art forms as a career, by providing talented individuals necessary grants and funding to get excellent training by instituting art fellowships, and
5. To provide a platform for young artists to launch their career.
To this end, we have been providing free or highly subsidized medical insurance to artists and their families, as well as support for medical procedures. We have also been funding the education of the children of artists, as well as talented young artists who cannot afford university or school fees.
However, the key issue remains that any such initiative needs contributions from rasikas and well-wishers. The number of people willing to sponsor/contribute to these initiatives are not very many. We have an "Adopt an Artist" program, where one can, for example, bear the subsidized insurance cost of an artist for a year. But the number of takers for such initiatives are again very few in number. Even small contributions from the rasika community can go a long way to help musicians, as well as other performing artists. To bring about a more large-scale change, we will need more individuals, organizations and corporate sponsors who can contribute towards setting up an endowment fund, whose returns we can then use to sustainably support artists every year.
As far as government initiatives are concerned, there are various pension schemes. However they do not pay much and are difficult to obtain. It may be a good idea for the government to at least provide a stipend to all registered artists, based on their grading or some other suitable metric, to support their daily expenses.
If any rasikas in this forum are interested in contributing to our initiatives at UAF, volunteering for the cause, or providing any ideas, please contact me through the forum or the founder Mrs. Jeyalakshmi Venkatanarayanan directly at [email protected].
-
hnbhagavan
- Posts: 1664
- Joined: 21 Jun 2008, 22:06
Re: List Of Musicians Full time
Could you elaborate the assistance provided to musicians like criteria for identification,registration etc?How the deserving benefit and the number of years it is in existence.This is a noble cause you have undertaken and very challenging too.I observed there seems to be very little response from Rasikas so far.
hope rasikas give their point of view.
hope rasikas give their point of view.
-
jinija
- Posts: 14
- Joined: 10 Jan 2016, 23:14
Re: List Of Musicians Full time
hnbhagavan sir, Thank you for your response.
We have been carrying out these activities for almost 4 years now. The criteria to qualify for assistance vary on a case-to-case basis but typically require some proof that the artist has taken up the art form as a profession (i.e., does not have any other career and relies solely on the performance and/or teaching of the art for sustenance). Documentation submitted may include proof of concerts performed, AIR/DD/ICCR grading etc. depending on the individual case. We have a core committee comprising of senior artists and donors who help us with this decision.
For medical insurance subsidy and other medical procedures, any artist can approach us. Due to limited availability of funds, we give preference to artists with lower income. In such cases, we also try to work with the artist in the long term to make the artist aware of teaching positions in music schools in the area and and help them apply for the same or start their own classes, as a more sustainable means of income. For assistance pertaining to education, we require a proof of enrollment in an appropriate program at an accredited university and/or a letter from the guru regarding fees and other expenses. Most recently, this assistance was provided to some students from Kalakshetra. We have also had talks with certain housing communities to provide lower rent housing for artists - we have been able to do this for one or two cases so far.
We typically seek out artists through registries and directories maintained by various sabhas as well as through our concerts and events. We then register these artists and add them to region-wise Whatsapp and mailing groups that we maintain. They can interact with each other about events, assistance required and collaborate through these groups. With dancers in particular, these groups have had excellent response over the last 2 years, but not so much with musicians. We also help performing artists increase their visibility by helping them create websites and a social media presence.
Yes, it is indeed a very challenging task! We hope that rasikas and well-wishers will come forward to help make this mission more sustainable in the long term.
We have been carrying out these activities for almost 4 years now. The criteria to qualify for assistance vary on a case-to-case basis but typically require some proof that the artist has taken up the art form as a profession (i.e., does not have any other career and relies solely on the performance and/or teaching of the art for sustenance). Documentation submitted may include proof of concerts performed, AIR/DD/ICCR grading etc. depending on the individual case. We have a core committee comprising of senior artists and donors who help us with this decision.
For medical insurance subsidy and other medical procedures, any artist can approach us. Due to limited availability of funds, we give preference to artists with lower income. In such cases, we also try to work with the artist in the long term to make the artist aware of teaching positions in music schools in the area and and help them apply for the same or start their own classes, as a more sustainable means of income. For assistance pertaining to education, we require a proof of enrollment in an appropriate program at an accredited university and/or a letter from the guru regarding fees and other expenses. Most recently, this assistance was provided to some students from Kalakshetra. We have also had talks with certain housing communities to provide lower rent housing for artists - we have been able to do this for one or two cases so far.
We typically seek out artists through registries and directories maintained by various sabhas as well as through our concerts and events. We then register these artists and add them to region-wise Whatsapp and mailing groups that we maintain. They can interact with each other about events, assistance required and collaborate through these groups. With dancers in particular, these groups have had excellent response over the last 2 years, but not so much with musicians. We also help performing artists increase their visibility by helping them create websites and a social media presence.
Yes, it is indeed a very challenging task! We hope that rasikas and well-wishers will come forward to help make this mission more sustainable in the long term.
-
rajeshnat
- Posts: 10144
- Joined: 03 Feb 2010, 08:04
Re: List Of Musicians Full time
Excellent Mrs. Jeyalakshmi Venkatanarayanan ,the action that you taken is very laudable . I am just curious is there a minimum age that you consider as an entry point for the artists to be helped.
-
hnbhagavan
- Posts: 1664
- Joined: 21 Jun 2008, 22:06
Re: List Of Musicians Full time
Please share the contact address,phone number and website if any.
-
jinija
- Posts: 14
- Joined: 10 Jan 2016, 23:14
Re: List Of Musicians Full time
Thanks rajeshnat! We do not have any minimum age as such - it is determined on a case-to-case basis, such as bright young artists who wish to train under very eminent gurus and require assistance for fees.
The contact address is 421, "Shambhavi", 1st Cross, Church Road, New Thippasandra, Bangalore-75. The phone number is +91-9845896565, and email is [email protected]. The website is universeart.in but is currently down. Updates are posted on our Facebook page (search term "Universe Art Foundation").
The contact address is 421, "Shambhavi", 1st Cross, Church Road, New Thippasandra, Bangalore-75. The phone number is +91-9845896565, and email is [email protected]. The website is universeart.in but is currently down. Updates are posted on our Facebook page (search term "Universe Art Foundation").