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#ComplexCity: What to expect from the urban festival this February

By February 9, 2020December 24th, 2023No Comments

Read on to find out what the third instalment of the festival offers and why you should definitely not give it a miss!

What is ComplexCity?

Do we really know our city — beyond our favourite parks and gardens, theatres and cafes? Are we searching for ways to carve better spaces but unable to drive a concrete action plan? Do we act together or alone in trying to shape the space we all call home?

ComplexCity is our celebration of urban diversity and plurality. It is a tribute to the city and its people. An invitation to every urban inhabitant to share their experiences of the city with one another. An acknowledgement and appreciation of and respect for every effort towards city building, and a commitment to continue to co-create the city with one another.

ComplexCity offers multiple platforms for engagement among the people, so that they can freely engage with one another, and agree to disagree, to help co-create more inclusive, sustainable and just cities of the future.

A Short Background on ComplexCity

The festival draws from YUVA’s 35+ years of experience of working with people across age groups and backgrounds in urban areas. By encouraging more interaction and engagement between different urban inhabitants — from members of indigenous communities to newly-arrived working professionals, marginalised populations to middle-class citizens, people of different age groups, interests, etc — ComplexCity visions the co-creation of democratic, participatory and inclusive urban spaces.

ComplexCity aims to further the dialogue on urban values, history, culture, socio-economic realities, and much more, which began with the first edition of the festival in 2018 and strengthened in its second instalment in 2019, with the direct participation of 5,500+ individuals across the two years. In its third instalment, the festival will continue to uncover and better understand a range of urban narratives, especially those that often run the risk of being unheard, helping preserve and give life to the city’s myriad perspectives.

(From left to right) PhotoExhibition at Jehangir Art Gallery, Crowd cheers at Making Mumbai 2019, Cultural Performance at Bombay Stock Exchange Convention in 2019

The Schedule

ComplexCity will be held at different spaces across Mumbai and Navi Mumbai, from 11–23 February 2020. The line-up of events include:

Equipolis: An interactive exhibition on urban realities

Living Mumbai: A film festival with stories that relate to the world of the urban

Bolti Bombay: Photography, street play and debate competitions that promote critical thinking on urban issues among the youth

Making Mumbai: A youth convention to showcase youth action across city spaces

Culture Kaun: Cultural programmes presenting indigenous traditions, performances, etc.

City walks: An exploration of urban localities through the eyes of its everyday inhabitants

Who Is It For?

ComplexCity is for every inhabitant of the city, across age groups, backgrounds, interest areas, etc. Events are curated creatively, with space for people’s participation in different ways. The festival is open to every inhabitant of the city, keen to engage more on urban spaces with one another.

Team ComplexCity 3.0, YUVA

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