A Glimpse into the 11th Edition of Serendipity Arts Festival
South Asia’s largest multidisciplinary arts festival returns to Panaji from December 13 to 20 for its 11th edition, with over 150 programmes across 12 locations. As Serendipity Arts Festival enters its second decade, highlights include Karan Kapoor’s first public exhibition of photographs documenting Goa between 1976 and 1996, a Kathakali adaptation of Hemingway’s The Old Man and the Sea, an international dance production featuring 3 international dancers and 4 Indian dancers, alongside Goya’s Anisha Rachel Oommen’s exploration of how climate change, pollution and overfishing are reshaping seafood and marine ecosystems. Guests recently got a preview of the December programme at Tataki, Panaji.
Panaji, November 2026 – From Karan Kapoor’s photographs capturing Goa between 1976 and 1996, to examining the impact of climate change, pollution and overfishing on marine life and seafood, the upcoming 11th edition of the Serendipity Arts Festival promises several encounters with the state’s cultural past and present.
South Asia’s largest multidisciplinary arts festival returns to Panaji from December 13 to 20, with over 150 programmes across 12 locations, including exhibitions, performances, culinary workshops and music. A preview of the December edition was recently held at Tataki, Panaji, where guests were offered a glimpse of the exhibitions, performances and workshops planned for the latest edition of the festival.
One of the key highlights is My Goa 1976-1996, an exhibition curated by Ram Rahman. It will present photographs taken by Karan Kapoor, a London-based photographer of Indian and British descent, between 1976 and 1996, documenting Goa during that period. This documentation began when he first visited Goa with his parents, Shashi Kapoor and Jennifer Kendal. The collection will be shown publicly for the first time.
Food will also have a significant place in this year’s festival. The culinary programme, curated by Anisha Rachel Oommen of Goya, will feature Inheriting the Ocean: What Seafood Can Teach Us About Our Changing Coastlines. The session will not only explore how pollution, overfishing, ocean acidification and climate change affect marine ecosystems and seafood, but also explores practical ways forward for our oceans and the communities that depend on them
Under the interdiscipline of theatre, we will witness a Kathakali adaptation of Ernest Hemingway’s The Old Man and the Sea. Dance curator Ashley Lobo will present Unframed, featuring 3 international dancers and 4 Indian dancers who will spend 3 weeks in a residency working together before presenting their performance. The music programme is curated by Ankur Tewari, a singer-songwriter and composer that has contributed to films such as Kho Gaye Hum Kahaan, Gully Boy, and The Archies and has also had a career in independent music. The programme includes a variety of paid and free to attend shows, spanning from Taba Chake, a prominent multi-instrumentalist, and multilingual singer-songwriter associated with the Nyishi tribe in Arunachal Pradesh to Swarathma, an iconic folk-rock band from Bengaluru. The programme will also feature Ankur Tewari’s independent band Ghalat Family.
The festival will also feature Criptonite, curated by Salil Chaturvedi. Bringing together five disabled artists, the programme explores how perceived weakness can become strength.
The London Natural History Museum will participate for the first time, bringing wildlife photography projects, biodiversity walks and workshops with photographers.
Younger visitors will have their own space at the Arts Park, which will feature a life-sized board game along with activities and workshops. Food stalls will also be part of the festival experience.
The programme preview also prompted guests to reflect on their experiences of previous editions.
Alisha Fernandes, an attendee, spoke about how the festival has grown over the years and how audiences have become more appreciative of its approach to art. She particularly enjoys how it introduces people to forms of art beyond traditional paintings, including sound, light and food. She also appreciated the variety of experiences and the conversations they create between people from different fields.
Aaron Monteiro, another attendee, said he looks forward to experiencing this year’s different curations and programmes. He particularly enjoys the Arts Park performances and music, including the international acts, and returns to the festival each December.
With its 11th edition, Serendipity Arts Festival continues to bring different art forms to audiences across Goa, while offering returning visitors new experiences to explore.
Photo caption : A glimpse of the photos that will be featured at My Goa 1976-1996, a photo exhibition by Karan Kapoor.
Photo caption : Salil Chaturvedi, the Accessibility Programme Curator at the Serendipity Arts Festival 2026
Photo caption : A jazz and alternative music performance titled ‘Light Star Guiding’ at the Serendipity Arts Festival 2025
Photo caption : A group of people interacting with ‘What Does Loss Taste Like’ curated by Chef Thomas Zacharias and The Locavore at the Serendipity Arts Festival 2025
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