2024 was a pivotal year for Bangladesh. The July uprising sparked hope for a new era, a potential that has also resonated with us. As we close out the year, we reflect on a period of artistic activity, engaging dialogues, and significant challenges.

Art
Bengal Arts Programme presented six significant museum-style shows, spanning over 310 days of exhibition time, that explored the ways in which the language of art practice is connected to our history and lived context. There were also talks, workshops and presentations. Approximately 300,000 people visited the exhibitions in person, while digital content reached an impressive 2 million online users.

Music
The talent nurtured under the classical music training programme, the Bengal Parampara Sangeetalay, took centre stage this year with over 20 concerts. Furthermore, a two-day classical music festival, ‘Sunaad,’ exclusively featured the Sangeetalay’s students. This year, the programme enrolled a record 42 students, a testament to the growing public interest in classical music. Throughout the year, there were 18 Bengali music concerts that captivated audiences with diverse genres and styles.

Research and Outreach
In 2024, the Ganesh Haloi-Bengal Research Grant, a cornerstone of the Research and Outreach program, launched seminars and discussions on two concurrent research projects. We successfully showcased “Death Sentence,” a compelling exhibition curated by Jewel A Rob, a recipient of the Subir Choudhury Curatorial Practice Grant, which supports emerging curators. Our outreach activities encompassed a diverse array of events, from talks and film screenings to commemorative gatherings, awards presentations, and grant initiatives. Among the highlights are the WCC Craft Masters Award, Award of Excellence for Handicrafts and AFCP grant announcements.

2024 was a transformative year for the Bengal Foundation’s S.M. Sultan project, supported by the U.S. Ambassadors Fund for Cultural Preservation. Key achievements included establishing the S.M. Sultan Conservation Studio at Bengal Shilpalay, where five local conservators were trained by U.S. expert Kamila Korbela, blending local and international conservation skills. In-depth research, including interviews and collection of oral histories and publications, informed the culturally sensitive intervention. A visit from cultural heritage specialist Dr. Laura Tedesco further enriched the project. Through research, conservation, and collaboration, the project ensures Sultan’s legacy continues to inspire future generations.

Publications
Bengal Publications and Bengal Boi organised book fairs and discussions throughout the year, and launched several new titles, to foster a community of literary enthusiasts. The Bengali literary monthly Kali O Kalam celebrated its 20th anniversary of continuous publication with a three-day literary festival (Sahitto Sammelan) featuring talks, book launches, music, and workshops. Four promising writers were honored with the prestigious Kali O Kalam Young Poets and Writers Award in its 16th iteration.

Digital Expansion and Accessibility
In 2024, the IT and Archiving unit focused on completing prior infrastructure initiatives. This involved assessing IT asset allocation and usage, and maturing server infrastructure with new acquisitions for master data storage and backups. By integrating archiving into current and future audio-visual operations and engaging with management, we aim to address the backlog of unpublished event documentation and make it available on platforms like YouTube. This has enabled Bengal Foundation to develop its own cost-effective server infrastructure and implement a vetting process through data archiving, ensuring only valuable data is retained and published. Next year, we will continue archiving until it is fully established, then deploy more storage to accommodate future data growth.
In response to the evolving global landscape, Bengal Foundation amplified its digital presence, by making cultural content and resources more accessible to a wider audience. Our YouTube channel with 2779 annual content uploads, crossed the 400K subscriber mark in 2024. The content garnered an overwhelming total of 23 million views this year.

In 2024, Bangladesh suffered the loss of many cherished figures, individuals who enriched our culture and played crucial roles in shaping our society and beyond. We remember them with deep respect and gratitude.
As we look back on 2024, we believe that through careful research, documentation, historical detailing and programming at Bengal Foundation that overlaps art, music, crafts, literature and architecture, it has been possible to make small but meaningful shifts in how contemporary culture in Bangladesh understands itself. We extend our gratitude to all the artists, performers, scholars, and patrons who have been part of this remarkable journey.