Lalit Kala Akademi Launches 64th National Art Show

The Lalit Kala Akademi’s 64th National Exhibition of Art, inaugurated on August 5, 2025, celebrates India’s diverse visual heritage while introducing, for the first time, the sale of award-winning artworks—aiming to empower artists, foster cultural ownership, and strengthen India’s creative economy

Highlights:

• Inaugurated by Union Minister for Culture & Tourism Gajendra Singh Shekhawat.
• First NEA edition to offer award-winning artworks for sale.
• A total of 283 artworks, spanning diverse mediums, were chosen from more than 5,900 submissions nationwide.
• 20 Lalit Kala Akademi Awardees felicitated; veteran artists honoured.
• Two key publications launched, including “Printmaker for All Seasons.”
• The exhibition will be open for public viewing from August 6 to September 15, 2025, at the Lalit Kala Akademi Galleries in New Delhi.

The 64th National Exhibition of Art (NEA), organised by Lalit Kala Akademi—India’s National Academy of Art—was inaugurated on August 5, 2025, at the Lalit Kala Akademi Galleries, Rabindra Bhavan, New Delhi. The ceremony was led by Shri Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, Union Minister for Culture and Tourism, with senior officials from the Ministry of Culture and Lalit Kala Akademi in attendance.

In a historic move, this year’s NEA will offer award-winning artworks for sale, a step aligned with the Government’s National Mission on Cultural Mapping. The initiative aims to directly benefit artists and promote art acquisition in India. Speaking at the event, Shri Shekhawat hailed the exhibition as a platform that unites contemporary, traditional, folk, and tribal art while driving economic self-reliance for artists.

The 2025 NEA showcases 283 curated artworks across painting, sculpture, graphics, installation, and photography—meticulously chosen from over 5,900 entries via a two-tier jury process. Twenty Lalit Kala Akademi Awardees were honoured for excellence, and lifetime achievement awards were presented to veterans Shri Krishen Khanna, Shri Ram V. Sutar, and Smt. Ira Chaudhari.

Two significant publications were launched—the official 64th NEA Catalogue and “Printmaker for All Seasons”, honoring Padma Shri Shyam Sharma. The event culminated with a ceremonial ribbon-cutting and lamp-lighting, followed by a guided tour of the exhibition led by the dignitaries.

The exhibition is open to the public from August 6 to September 15, 2025, daily from 11:00 AM to 7:00 PM, offering a rare opportunity to experience—and own—a piece of India’s evolving creative narrative.