It’s an exciting time for artists across India, as biennales and other art exhibitions take centre stage on the nation’s cultural calendar. These prestigious exhibitions aim to promote art by making it more accessible to an ever-growing audience and to feature as a platform for art practitioners to exchange ideas, both scholarly and creative. However, their purpose is to facilitate business within the industry that is growing in spades, with increased sales and a rising presence in the global art market. The 2024 Hurun India Art List reported that sales by the country’s top 50 artists reached a record-breaking Rs 301 crore last year, which marks a 19 per cent increase from 2023 — a significant growth fuelled by India’s economic strength, a rise in disposable income and art being increasingly considered a valuable investment, a safeguard against inflation.
- Serendipity Arts Festival
When: December 12 to 21, 2025
Where: Panjim, Goa
The Serendipity Arts Festival (SAF), regarded as one of South Asia’s most prominent multi-disciplinary arts gatherings, is all set to return this December for its 10th edition. The long 10-day event will bring together over 40 curators to showcase a rich blend of art forms—including visual arts, performing arts, literature, culinary experiences, and interdisciplinary expressions. From celebrated musicians such as Bickram Ghosh and Ranjit Barot to theatre veterans like Anuradha Kapur and Lillete Dubey, the festival promises an exciting lineup of performances. While Panjim’s vibrant venues will remain the festival’s heart, this year’s edition comes with an expanded footprint, with cultural events scheduled throughout the year in 10 cities—including Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore, Jaipur, Hyderabad, Lucknow, Ahmedabad, and even international locations like Birmingham and Dubai—before returning to Goa for its grand finale.
- Non-Residency
When: August 9 to September 8, 2025
Where: Jaipur Centre for Art, City Palace, Jaipur
Non-Residency, which has been put together by LA-based gallerist Rajiv Menon, is the first exhibition hosted at the stunning City palace that’s been curated by a singular gallery. This exhibition aim to explore cultural, aesthetic, and psychological dynamics of the Indian diaspora, and to reframe the idea of ‘non-residency’ as an aesthetic space that bridges India and the world, the exhibit showcases the works of 16 influential artists like Rajni Perera, Chitra Ganesh, Baseera Khan, and Shyama Golden.
- Voir Dire – Part II
When: June 12 to July 11, 2025
Where: Anupa Mehta Contemporary Art, Colaba, Mumbai
Voir Dire Part II, a thought-provoking group exhibition which explores the intersection of truth, perception, and artistic expression, is going to take place with a special focus on materiality and nature. Curated by gallerist, curator, and author Anupa Mehta, this second edition invites viewers to examine how truth is constructed, perceived, revealed, and shaped by diverse perspectives through the compelling works of contemporary artists like Madhvi Subrahmanian, Sumakshi Singh, Deepak Kumar, Vibha Galhotra, Priyanka Shah, and Chandrashekhar Koteshwar.
- Baarish
When: July 26, August 23
Where: Travancore Palace, Delhi
The historic Travancore Palace is hosting a unique multi-sensory exhibit — a three-part experience that celebrates the magic of monsoon. The first among these took place on June 21, and included an illustrated art talk titled ‘Moods of Megh – Monsoon in Indian Art’, where itihāsology’s Eric Chopra took the audience through various paintings of medieval India that evoke the chequered ways in which the rains were imagined. The next two, on July 26 and August 23, will similarly host a series of cultural programmes that will encourage visitors to reconnect with the season through music, art, performance, and cuisine.
- Cities: Built, Broken by Sudhir Patwardhan
When: September 6 to September 30, 2025
Where: Durbar Hall Art Centre, Ernakulum, Kochi
Many call Sudhir Patwardhan a documentarian of his (inhabited) city. The 76-year old’s creative vision stems from his hyper-focused observance of people, especially the working classes labouring through the buzzing metropolis of Mumbai. Social justice stands out as a central theme in the body of work by the seasoned artist, influenced largely by his compassionate experiences during his time at Pune’s Armed Forces Medical College and his later profession in radiology. In his latest exhibition, titled Cities: Built, Broken, the Indian contemporary painter presents over 75 recent pieces, featuring a mix of large and small-scale canvases and drawings. The show explores the stark contrasts within Mumbai — from the pressures of capitalist development encroaching on nature, to the everyday struggles and resilience of its people. After being displayed at Vadehra Art Gallery in Delhi and Tri Art and Culture in Kolkata, the exhibition is now set to be showcased at Durbar Hall Art Centre in Ernakulam, Kochi, running from September 6 to 30, 2025
- Art Mumbai
When: November 13 to November 16, 2025
Where: Mahalaxmi Race Course, Mumbai
This is the third edition of Art Mumbai, one of the city’s largest art gatherings, is going to return this November. Last year, over 70 galleries from across the world, including Galleria Continua, Ben Brown Fine Arts, and Aicon Gallery, participated in the buzzy fair, displaying works by legendary artists like Pablo Picasso and Andy Warhol. It also hosted a ‘Sculpture Walk’, which featured over 20 carvings, including Sea of Poppies by Wolf and Devi by Ravinder Reddy.
- Kochi-Muziris Biennale
When: December 12, 2025 to March 31, 2026 (Kochi)
Where: Fort Kochi, Mattancherry, and Ernakulam, Kochi
This is the sixth edition of the Kochi-Muziris Biennale, India’s largest art exhibition and the biggest contemporary art festival in Asia, will be curated by Goa-based performance artist Nikhil Chopra and his collective, HH Art Spaces. This mega event will include a variety of performances including drawings, paintings, photography, sculptures and installations around the themes of identity, politics, history and the body, is set to feature 60 artists and artistic practices from the country, and across the world.
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