NAZARIA
ARTS COLLECTIVE
Nazaria is a grassroots arts collective working at the intersection of digital arts education, media democratisation, and community activism within low-income, informal settlements in Mumbai. We believe that if creatively-inclined youth and women from marginalised identities are equipped with the tools, platforms, and creative agency to tell their own stories, in their own voice, and on their own terms, what they share with the word can transform our ways of understanding and responding to critical social and environmental issues. Employing the practice of participatory art-making and critical feminist pedagogies, we operate from a Kahani Lab in Shankarwadi - a safe and joyful space for participants to leam, experiment, and create multimodal art exploring themes relevance to them and their community. To that end, our collective aims to address the lack of freedoms, spaces, and platforms for marginalised youth and women to advocate for themselves and their community.
To that end, our collective aims to address the lack of freedoms, spaces, and platforms for marginalised youth and women to advocate for themselves and their community.To that end, our collective aims to address the lack of freedoms, spaces, and platforms for marginalised youth and women to advocate for themselves and their community.
OUR MISSION
At Nazaria, we aim to equip marginalized youth in India with social justice ideas and digital art tools so they can build creative expression, greater agency, and social advocacy skills.
OUR VISION
We dream of an India where young storytellers from marginalized identities are redefining narratives of their communities in mainstream media.
OUR PROGRAMS
A New Kahani Lab
In June 2023, Nazaria launched a new community multimedia Kahani Labin the heart of Shankarwadi,tomake roomfor our growing cohort of youth and women artists, and partners in the community. With a small, but evolving community library, a weekly roster of workshops and programming, and an open space for participatory art-making - we see our Kahani Lab as a safe and joyful community-led space where youth and women gather to converse, create art, watch films, and share stories A safe space, and a storytelling lab; in community, and withcommunity
For more information about Nazaria, please refer to this PDF:
Community Artist Residencies
Our Community Artist Residencies empower marginalized youth and women through art and activism.
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In Shankarwadi, young artists explored Artivism, creating upcycled tote bags from discarded fabrics that tell their community stories. Female artists focused on sustainability and care in textiles.
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In Mohili Village, storytellers produced "Ghuspus," a short film about gossip's impact, taking on all filmmaking roles and participating in the Straight 8 2023 film festival, supported by Harkat Studios.
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In Dharavi Transit Camp, activists engaged in zine-making, photography, and critical thinking workshops, documenting overlooked aspects of their community. Supported by Teach For India Fellow '21, Sanket Sabnis, they created a unique photo collection showcasing Dharavi.
Support Nazaria Arts Collective:
Empowering Mumbai’s Youth and Women through Arts and Storytelling
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Save the Child Foundation is launching a campaign to support Nazaria Arts Collective in empowering marginalized youth and women in Mumbai. This initiative includes the Flagship Filmmaking Program, the Travelling Kahani Lab, and Community Media Labs. These projects aim to equip participants with skills in filmmaking, photography, and critical thinking, enabling them to tell their own stories and advocate for social justice. By providing essential tools and resources, this campaign will foster creative expression and empower individuals to drive positive change in their communities.
Support our campaign to help amplify these voices and transform lives through the power of art!
Nazaria Visual Stories
