Call for Entries: Kala Ghoda Arts Festival 2026 - Theatre Section
September 1, 2025 14:55:01 IST MTG editorial
The Kala Ghoda Arts Festival (KGAF) is Mumbai's most celebrated cultural extravaganza, bringing together creators and audiences from across India and beyond. Over the years, it has become a hub for diversity and innovation, showcasing music, dance, cinema, literature, and visual arts. Among its most anticipated highlights is the Theatre Section, curated for the past four years by Bhavikk Shah of Mumbai Theatre Guide and Ravi Mishra of Astitva. Their vision has made it a space for both established and emerging theatre-makers, ensuring audiences encounter performances that are thought-provoking, inclusive, and artistically bold.
For 2026, the curators are steering the section toward an ambitious theme: "Avant-Garde." Known for its experimental approach, avant-garde theatre breaks away from conventional storytelling and stagecraft, offering innovative forms that provoke, question, and challenge audiences. This year's theme promises theatre that goes beyond entertainment, encouraging spectators to reflect on new ideas, forms, and boundaries.
The Kala Ghoda Arts Festival 2026 will run from 31st January to 8th February 2026. In preparation, organisers have announced a call for entries for theatre performances under the Avant-Garde theme. Theatre groups, independent artists, and production houses are invited to apply, with selection criteria focused on quality, originality, and alignment with the theme, while ensuring linguistic and cultural diversity. The last date for submitting applications is 9th November 2025. For theatre practitioners, this is not just an opportunity to perform but to be part of a cultural movement that redefines Indian theatre on one of the Asia's most prestigious platforms.
For theatre practitioners, this is more than just a chance to perform - it is an opportunity to be part of a cultural movement that redefines the boundaries of Indian theatre. As the festival gears up for its 27th edition, the stage is set for groundbreaking work that embodies the spirit of Avant-Garde.
