The city Corporation is all set to be one of the first local bodies to implement the Culture department’s programme to provide free training in classical arts to the public.

Thirteen young artistes who have won the department’s diamond jubilee fellowship will begin the training sessions in the city from next month.

The training classes will be in Koodiyattam, Mohiniyattam, Carnatic music, instrumental music (violin), drama, applied arts, and other arts. Fifteen locations have been chosen across the city – Kazhakuttam, Shanghumukham art museum, Vattiyoorkavu cultural centre, Nemom wedding auditorium, Vizhinjam, Peroorkada, Attipra, Powdikonam Neshamani hall, Nalanchira cultural centre, Kalippankulam Samadarshini, Elippodu community hall, Palayam St. Joseph’s hall, Arannur government quarters hall, Muttathara, and YMCA Hall Chakka.

Organise classes

The Culture department had in March 3 this year issued an order regarding the appointment of young artistes, who have won the department’s fellowship, in local bodies to organise training classes.

The government provides each of the artistes an amount of ₹10,000 per month.

On Wednesday, Corporation Mayor V.K. Prasanth met the artistes to decide on the timing of the programme’s inauguration. Since no other local body has yet begun taking steps to implement the programme, the Corporation is also exploring the possibility of having the State-level inauguration here.

“We will soon draw up the detailed schedules for each of the centres. Classes on all of the disciplines cannot be organised in all the centres. No age limit has been fixed,” says a Corporation official.