Nita Mukesh Ambani Cultural Centre (NMACC), which opened its doors on March 31, 2023, has completed a year of spectacular firsts. In an inspiring journey filled with landmark moments, the first-of-its-kind multidisciplinary art & culture destination welcomed over one million visitors, hosted more than 700 shows across 5 world-class venues, spotlighted over 670 incredible artists, and showcased four landmark visual art exhibits! To celebrate the continual love and support of its diverse community of patrons, the Cultural Centre has conceived an exclusive anniversary programming featuring specially curated live performances and a unique visual art exhibit.
Speaking on the occasion, Founder & Chairperson Nita Ambani said, “It is with a deep sense of pride, joy, and gratitude that we celebrate the first anniversary of our Cultural Centre. In the past year at NMACC, over a million audiences have witnessed blockbuster Indian theatricals, breathtaking global performances, stunning artworks, and traditional handicrafts from all over India. We are grateful for the love and support of our audience, and the trust and enthusiasm of our artists. It’s been an extraordinary year of firsts, showcasing the best of India and the world. And our journey has only just begun!”
Mirroring its larger ethos, the Cultural Centre’s blockbuster opening (in 2023) was guided by Nita Ambani’s vision of showcasing the best of India and the world. Over three unforgettable days, art and culture enthusiasts gathered for the first glimpse of the Cultural Centre’s now-extensive legacy of India-inspired presentations, with India’s largest ever theatrical production, ‘The Great Indian Musical: Civilization to Nation’; ‘India in Fashion’, a one-of-a-kind costume art exhibit; and ‘Sangam/Confluence’, a unique visual art show that inaugurated the Art House.
Since then, the Cultural Centre has delighted audiences with a host of iconic international acts & exhibits, even initiating the much-anticipated debuts of Broadway and West End in the country. In keeping with Nita Ambani’s promise of preserving and promoting India’s cultural legacy for future generations, ‘SWADESH by Reliance Foundation’, the Centre’s unique art and craft exposition, has spotlighted close to 30 diverse art forms from across India.
A year and many milestones later, The Grand Theatre – the Cultural Centre’s 2000-seater performing arts marvel – has brought together the finest Indian talent for an array of exclusive anniversary programming. The milieu of artists comprises of the incredible Amit Trivedi, ace vocalist Kaushiki Chakraborty, musical icons Ajay-Atul and singer Aditya Gadhvi of ‘Khalasi’ fame. The Studio Theatre and The Cube too, have a host of intimate experiences lined up, with a captivating mix of shows across eclectic genres such as Classical, Sufi, and Indie music, contemporary dance, and theatre. Not limiting the celebratory atmosphere to ticketed events, live music acts and performances are expected to take over every corner of the Centre.
Coinciding with the anniversary, The Art House has opened the doors to ‘Liminal Gaps’ (March 31st – June 9th), an outstanding exhibition of immersive and interactive installations from the most compelling contemporary Indian artists today. In the show, Ayesha Singh, Raqs Media Collective, Asim Waqif and Afrah Shaqif present some of the large-scale projects of their careers. Curated by Mafalda Millies Kahane and Roya Sachs with executive production by Elizabeth Edelman Sachs of TRIADIC, it is the Centre’s first exhibition to exclusively showcase the works of Indian artists.
Beyond anniversary celebrations, the future of NMACC’s programming brims with endless possibilities. Summer at the Centre starts with The Royal Shakespeare Company’s ‘Matilda the Musical’, to be showcased for the very first time in India at The Grand Theatre (opening on May 16th). In yet another instance of exploring new horizons, Bharatanatyam exponent Padma Shri Shobana and her troupe of dancers are set to perform their spectacular choreography ‘Celebrating the Supreme by Shobana and Ensemble’ in Mumbai for the first time, bringing to the audience a grand fusion of traditional and contemporary elements in the art form.
With a rich repository of firsts to draw from, the Nita Mukesh Ambani Cultural Centre is set to continue its incredible journey – changing how people engage with art and culture.
The Nita Mukesh Ambani Cultural Centre is a first-of-its-kind, multi-disciplinary space in the sphere of arts, within the Jio World Centre, located in the heart of Mumbai’s Bandra Kurla Complex.
The Cultural Centre is home to three performing arts spaces: the majestic 2,000-seater Grand Theatre, the technologically advanced 250-seater Studio Theatre, and the dynamic 125-seater Cube. The Cultural Centre also features the Art House, a four-storey dedicated visual arts space built as per global museum standards with the aim of housing an array of exhibits and installations from the finest artistic talent across India and the world.
Spread across its concourses is a captivating mix of public art by renowned Indian and global artists, including ‘Kamal Kunj’ – one of the largest Pichwai paintings in India.
Nita Ambani further said, “It feels just like yesterday that we inaugurated NMACC. Memories of that opening night are still so fresh and vivid that I can recall every moment of excitement, uncertainty, and nervousness. I remember standing here backstage and waiting anxiously for the first reactions. Thee overwhelming response and thunderous applause from all of you, our dear audience, will remain etched in my heart, as a beautiful memory for a lifetime. It was the moment I knew that we all had embarked on something truly special, something important, something noble, something that we hoped would make our nation proud and our culture shine. I stand before you with a heart full of joy and a deep sense of gratitude.”
“In the last 366 days, we have hosted 670 artists, 700 shows, and over ONE MILLION audiences at NMACC. Our Art House has had several cutting-edge exhibitions that the world has ever seen. Through Swadesh, we have given a global platform to artisans from the remotest villages and smallest towns of our nation. It has been an absolute joy for us at NMACC to become a welcoming home to thee arts, to thee artists, and to you, our dear audience,” she added.
Nita Ambani also said, “Mukesh and I have always believed that India’s priceless artistic heritage is our Intangible national wealth. In all humility, I can say that no country in the world can match the sheer diversity and depth of India’s cultural legacy. And it has been our honour to do our bit for India to preserve and present this heritage, to Indians and to the world, here at NMACC.”
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