Creating a welcoming platform for artists and audiences alike has been a passion project of Mrs Nita Mukesh Ambani, an indomitable multi-hyphenate, businesswoman and philanthropist. A long-time patron of the arts, Mrs Ambani is the first Indian to be elected an Honorary Trustee on the Board of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, NYC. The Nita Mukesh Ambani Cultural Centre (NMACC) is her testimonial to the arts by way of providing a world-class cultural infrastructure to the country, and offering to its citizens a space for experimentation, exploration and nurturing creativity.

Design vanguard

For a modern space to become a timeless legacy, it must present that rare alchemy of craft and culture, which draws from centuries of tradition but appeals to global tastes. NMACC’s design is as ambitious as its programming, integrating state-of-the-art technology while honouring India’s rich cultural and artistic heritage. Housed within the 7.7 million sq ft Jio World Centre at Bandra-Kurla Complex (home to the country’s largest convention centre, retail and hospitality outlets), the Centre is spread over more than 0.45 million sq ft of purpose-built exhibition space and three theatres.

Take the sophisticated 2,000-seater Grand Theatre created by global consulting firm, Theatre Projects Consultants, which is equipped with the world’s most advanced acoustic system and an orchestra pit that can accommodate up to 80 musicians. Look above and you will be dazzled by a constellation of ceiling lights in a lotus petal formation, which are made of 8,400 Swarovski crystals lit by LED bulbs and feature programmable displays.

The other two theatres-The Studio Theatre and The Cube-are also built with cutting-edge technology and cater to a wide range of experiences, from intimate screenings and stimulating conversations to multilingual programming and international productions. If your tastes lean towards the visual arts, head over to the four-storey Art House that is dedicated to spotlighting leading Indian and international artists. The NMACC premises is powered by 5G infrastructure, which enhances the Centre’s hybrid programming and inventive curatorial approach, by making it a dynamic platform for multi-dimensional cultural and artistic experiences.

Art for all

Democratising the arts is an important tenet of the NMACC. The Cultural Centre, which aims to be an incubator of arts, will play a developmental role in spotting and supporting new talent. It will engage with art institutions across India on outreach programmes that foster a connection with emerging artists and provide them a platform to showcase their work.

Designed as a multi-disciplinary space, NMACC caters to different demographics with varying interests in art, theatre, dance, music and beyond. Its extensive programming adopts an age-agnostic approach giving the entire family an opportunity to together experience the wealth of offerings in the visual and performance art scene in India.

Regional programming is another focus area for the Centre. NMACC will spotlight multilingual content for non-English speaking audiences, while an accessible ticket pricing will ensure inclusivity for a larger audience. In addition, the Centre is designed keeping in mind guests with limited mobility ensuring that the events and amenities are accessible to all. NMACC will also host a line-up of online and offline workshops, which can be accessed by patrons, not just across India but around the world.

A cultural icon

In keeping with Mrs Ambani’s vision to preserve India’s greatest cultural treasures and pass them on to the next generation, NMACC is a pioneering project that spotlights modern India’s dynamic culture while celebrating the country’s vibrant multicultural heritage. The Centre launches with three grand events.

It opens with ‘Civilization to Nation: The Journey of Our Nation’, a grand spectacle that offers a sensory narrative of Indian culture through music, dance and puppetry with the help of 700 performers. Envisioned by renowned playwright and director Feroz Abbas Khan, the breath-taking production brings together a narrative of Indian culture, traversing the epics of Ramayana and Mahabharata, and the principles of the Vedas and the Natya Shastra (ancient treatise on the performing arts) all the way to the national struggle for freedom and India’s present state—a civilisation expressed itself as a constitutional democracy.

Next up is ‘India in Fashion: The Impact of Indian Dress and Textiles on the Fashionable Imagination’, an exhibit curated by costume expert and author Hamish Bowles, tracing the widespread influence of India’s sartorial traditions in textiles, jewellery and surface ornamentation on global fashion spanning the 18th to the 21st century.

The launch culminates with ‘Sangam/Confluence’, a group art show curated by cultural theorist Ranjit Hoskote, and American art dealer and curator Jeffrey Deitch, featuring works by celebrated Indian and international artists exploring the theme of multilingualism.

“The NMACC is an ode to the creative forces that shape culture. With this space, I hope to spotlight the mavericks who elevate the arts and crafts, and I can only hope it will become a home to nurture and inspire talent for years to come,” says Mrs Ambani.