PESHAWAR: The Khyber Pukhtunkhwa government has approved Rs200 million to establish an art gallery and artisan market in Peshawar.

“The art gallery would be first of its kind in the province. It is a step forward to reclaim cultural space, which has shrunk since last decade or so,” said Shahbaz Khan, the director of culture directorate.

The province, having no purpose-built visual art gallery, has many artists, who have been forced to take their artwork to other cities for display. It was a demand of the artists for long.

“It would be a modern facility that would help to display the work of our artists as well as help them to earn,” said Mr Khan.

The art pieces of contemporary artists as well as work of Nasiruddin Mohmand and Arbab Sardar that was lying at their homes unprotected would be put on display at the gallery.

Official says govt wants to engage youth in meaningful activities

The provincial government has approved an Annual Development Programme scheme worth Rs200 million for establishment of art gallery and artisan market.

The official said that the purpose of setting up the gallery was not only to showcase the talent of visual artists of the province but to provide an opportunity to them to earn livelihood and find buyers for their works through exhibitions.

Imran Khan, a known painter from Peshawar, said that it was a good news that province would be soon having an art gallery of its own.

He said that he didn’t have financial resources and often had trouble in taking his work to Lahore and other cities for exhibitions.

“The exhibitions here at the art gallery would show our work to national and international art lovers. We would be able to sell our paintings better if we show it more and better here,” he said.

Ihtesham Turo, an art critic, also lauded the decision to set up province’s first ever visual art gallery to promote local artists. He said that many artists, who could not access such a facility, kept their works at home and often got wasted due to weather conditions and lack of care.

The artisan bazaar would be a platform to engage the artisans in transferring their knowledge to the next generation.

The official said that government wanted to create an environment that could lessen the effects of fundamentalism on youth by encouraging creative activities.

The government has a plan to improve the infrastructure for cultural activities in the province to curb radical tendencies and engage the society, especially youth, in productive and meaningful activities.

The art gallery would be constructed on the premises of Nishtar Hall, which is also one of the cultural spots of the province. “Technical and procedural formalities have been initiated,” said the official.

Published in Dawn, November 20th, 2018