Digital Desk, New Delhi. Delhi College of Art's 20th 'College International Art Carnival (CIAC) 2026' is going to be a big platform for art, creation and cultural dialogue. This prestigious art festival will be organized from 13 January to 18 January 2026 at Lalit Kala Akademi, Mandi House, New Delhi. With this event, Delhi College of Art is going to celebrate its two decades of continuous cultural journey.
The carnival, founded and curated by Ashwani Kumar Prithivasi, founder and director of Delhi College of Art, will begin with the inauguration on January 13 at 4 pm. The guest of honor of the program will be Nand Lal Thakur, Vice President of Lalit Kala Academy. On this occasion, Sanjeev Kishore Gautam (Director General, National Gallery of Modern Art), Sanjeev Kumar (Principal, College of Art) and Bindulik Sharma (Dean, Department of Fine Arts, Jamia Millia Islamia) will be honored with the prestigious BC Sanyal Award.
The central theme of this year's carnival is 'Collective Energy', which underlines cooperation, solidarity and shared cultural responsibility in contemporary times. The exhibition will witness a strong dialogue between traditional classical art and contemporary expression. Oil painting, watercolour, charcoal, acrylic, installation and works on multiple surfaces will bring this dialogue to life.
CIAC 2026 will showcase painting, sculpture, graphics, photography, digital art, video art, film, documentary, new media and interdisciplinary art. Live art demonstrations, performances, academic talks, discussions and interactive sessions will also be a part of the festival. There will be a special focus on digital and time-based art through large LED screens and projection systems. The artworks displayed will be available at affordable prices.
More than 800 artists and students from India and abroad are participating in this international art carnival. There will be participation of many major institutions including College of Art (Delhi University), Jamia Millia Islamia, Triveni Kala Sangam, National Gallery of Modern Art, Sahitya Kala Parishad. At the same time, reputed private galleries like Nature Morte, Dhumimal Art Gallery, Vadhera Art Gallery will also be included in it.
Regarding the carnival, Ashwani Kumar Prithivasi said that this event is not just an exhibition but a collective cultural movement. He informed that under CIAC 2026, more than 50 scholarships will be given to needy and underprivileged students, which strengthens the resolve for equitable access to arts education.
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