'Kala Ghoda Arts Festival Had To Be Experienced On The Street': Brinda Miller On Winning WOW Award Asia
The WOW Awards Asia are known for honoring excellence in experiential marketing, live entertainment, and event management across Asia.
For India, this recognition is immensely impactful as it spotlights how deeply rooted Indian festivals can stand shoulder-to-shoulder with Asia's best in terms of production, artistic quality, and audience engagement, inspiring the nation's cultural celebrations. This year, one of the oldest cultural festival of Mumbai - Kala Ghoda Arts Festival (KFGAF) was one of the awardees of this prestigious WOW award.
“Winning an award is an incentive to do better. It makes the team genuinely happy. The team works for little money, they’re driven by passion, so this kind of win helps in bringing the team together,” expresses Brinda Miller, the festival director of Kala Ghoda Arts Fesival.
The benefits of this award extend far beyond the immediate team, directly impacting the local artists, artisans, and performers who are integral to KGAF's success. It provides them with enhanced visibility, increased credibility, and a more prominent platform for their work.
“Various stakeholders and participants consider it a platform that enhances their professional profile or CV. It feels good when they say they participated in the Kala Ghoda Arts Festival. Therefore, it’s all connected,” Miller states. From interactive workshops for children to thought-provoking discussions, the festival truly embodies the spirit of a holistic cultural occurrence.
For over two decades, the Kala Ghoda Arts Festival has transformed the historic Kala Ghoda district into a dynamic cultural space. It's an annual nine-day event showcasing a breathtaking array of disciplines, including visual arts, dance, music, theatre, cinema, literature, workshops, heritage walks, urban design, and architecture. This ability to seamlessly weave together these elements, creating an immersive and inclusive experience for all ages and backgrounds, undoubtedly played a crucial role in its success at the WOW Awards.
"As the festival director, I’ve been around for so many years solely because of the love I have for this city. Artists aren’t known for their management skills, but it’s something that I’ve learnt over the years. I like to call it creative management. As an artist, I lead a quiet life, but directing a festival is the opposite," says Miller. "I enjoy both aspects of my life," she adds.
KGAF's commitment to offering largely free access to its events is crucial to its success and cultural impact, ensuring art is accessible to everyone. “Access to the festival was always free of charge. That's our USP. So this award category is fit for us as it’s done by people who’d like to get better visibility. It’s good to have the two meet because it creates awareness on all sides,” says Miller.
This award powerfully validates that inclusive approach, proving that accessibility enhances reach and engagement without compromising quality.
Beyond the electric exhibition of art, the fest works for a deeper purpose — preservation of the exquisite heritage buildings within the Kala Ghoda precinct. “We spend our money on restoration work — the David Sassoon Library, the Synagogue, and the Elphinstone College — old monuments have been restored, thanks to the Kala Ghoda Association,” said Miller.
This unique model of cultural patronage has seen numerous architectural marvels regain their former glory, solidifying the festival's legacy far beyond its nine-day run. This award further strengthens that mission by raising the festival's profile, thereby attracting more support for these crucial conservation efforts.
This annual festival proves that in an increasingly digital world, the hunger for authentic, communal experiences endures. It maintains its core focus on tangible artistic experiences in shared public spaces.
“The digital world cannot compare to a physical world, especially in the case of festivals. When you see performances live, there's nothing like it. The Kala Ghoda Arts Festival has to be experienced on the street,” shares Miller.
For aspiring creators of arts and cultural events, Miller adds, “It requires a lot of bandwidth. It requires passion, and if you have few people like that on your team, then that's good enough.”
This bronze win at the WOW Awards Asia serves as a powerful affirmation of the Kala Ghoda Arts Festival's enduring impact and its pivotal role in Mumbai's cultural fabric. As the festival looks towards its future editions, this recognition will undoubtedly strengthen its position as a beacon of art, culture, and community.
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