Natural Streets for Performing Arts

The Natural Streets for Performing Arts (NSPA Foundation) is a non-profit initiative dedicated to bringing the culture of street performances to urban India, and supporting the livelihoods of independent artists - and helping the common man rediscover public spaces and "stuff their eyes with wonder". The world of performing arts - music, dance, theatre - has always been about just two entities - the performer and the audience. By re-imagining spaces like railway stations, park and gardens, seaside promenades, street markets and bazaars, schools, libraries and cafes, the NSPA attempts to give the street performer and the community a platform to express themselves and celebrate one another. Treating the community to performances and to workshops (as part of our Art Literacy mission) will, we hope, result in an increased appreciation for the arts. The organisation was founded in the October of 2012 in Mumbai, and we enjoyed our debut performance at Churchgate Station with folk street musicians, who received the astonishment and accolades of the commuters and pedestrians! We now perform at over a dozen public venues in Mumbai - including the Carter Road Amphi theatre, Mumbai Metro stations, and several parks and organic farmers' markets - for more than 50 hours a week!