Kerala plans talks on academy dedicated to calligraphy
Kerala Chief Minister V.D. Satheesan says the government will begin discussions on establishing an academy devoted to calligraphy. The proposal was announced at the International Calligraphy Festival in Kochi, which features Indian and overseas artists, workshops, demonstrations and performances.
The Kerala government will begin discussions on establishing an academy dedicated to calligraphy, Chief Minister V.D. Satheesan said at the opening of the International Calligraphy Festival of Keralam 2026 in Kochi. Satheesan said the proposed institution would help popularise the art and support its preservation.
It would be developed in collaboration with calligraphy artist Narayana Bhattathiri, the festival’s founder and the honorary director of the World Calligraphy Association. The three-day festival began on October 2 at Durbar Hall Art Gallery and Rajendra Maidan. It features work by more than 24 Indian artists and three international artists from Sri Lanka, Bhutan and France.
The exhibition includes scripts from southern Indian languages, Devanagari, Bangla, ancient Indian writing systems and English. The works use different forms and styles to present letters as visual art. Bhattathiri said people did not need to understand a language to appreciate the beauty of its calligraphy.
He said the festival aimed to bring the public closer to the art of writing and move it beyond galleries. The programme includes workshops, art performances, live demonstrations and a calli-fashion event featuring calligraphy on clothing. Bhattathiri said presenting the art on objects such as umbrellas could help take it to wider audiences.
The festival is scheduled to conclude on October 5. Bhattathiri, who has practised calligraphy for more than four decades, also runs a gallery in Thiruvananthapuram showcasing Malayalam calligraphy.
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