We are Artsforward
Artsforward (AF) imagines compelling artistic and environmentally sustainable experiences for communities, while using solution-driven thought, communication and methodologies towards building an ecosystem for the arts. In the last 15 years AF has designed, curated, created and led fellowships, youth projects, corporate engagements, public art projects and socially-engaged art. Through crowd-funded, self-funded, brand-funded creative platforms, AF has worked on audience development for the arts, nurtured and supported emerging artists, fostered artistic ability in the youth, in addition to curating, creating and designing creative projects for a wide variety of organisations across India. Artsforward was founded in 2010 and is co-directed by Paramita Saha (Kolkata-based) and Subhrojyoti Sen (Bangalore -based).
Meet the Team
Paramita Saha
Director - Creative and Execution
Paramita is a performer, curator, and arts manager, based in Kolkata. For more than 10 years, she has designed strategic programs and partnerships that intersect between the worlds of art, business and social entrepreneurship. She has worked tirelessly to integrate art, movement and dance into social change processes, especially education, rights of artists and environmental sustainability. Paramita co-founded ArtsForward, a unique organisation that has engaged in the field of creative advocacy for environmental sustainability, audience development for the arts, nurturing and supporting emerging artists and fostering artistic ability in the youth. She also runs At the Still Point, India’s only crowd-funded dance platform. Paramita is an ArtThinkSouthAsia 2016 Fellow and a Global Fellow of International Society of Performing Arts 2018 and 2021. She has founded ArtAloneTogether, India’s first and only am-pm, mixed arts online festival featuring artists across disciplines and borders; a Continued Learning Program in Dance called Continew operating in both online and offline formats; she co-founded www.unmute.help, an online resource centre to safeguard the rights of performing artists!
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Subhrojyoti Sen
Director - Sales
Subhrojyoti Sen is an accomplished, senior marketing professional with almost three decades years in the field - a catalyst who can seamlessly weave through diverse aspects of consulting, process management and business planning. His ability to multi-task and enable solutions during crises is his signature. He comes with broad retail marketing experience, his skills encompassing strategic planning, qualitative & quantitative research, interactive marketing, consulting, direct marketing, e-commerce, sales promotion and visual merchandising. As a marketeer and brand consultant Sen provides creative, innovative, enthusiastic and forward-thinking leadership in a growth environment. Focused on achieving continuous, improved business performance and taking brands to the next level. In short the guy you can talk to about anything entrepreneurial. Sen is Co-Founder-Director Artsforward Ideas and Events Pvt Ltd, Handykraft Pictures UAE , Ekore India Pvt Ltd and Xplor Global Solutions. He is advisor to Bubble Networks, Quirksmith and consultant to HOFC(House of Fine Chocolates).
We work with
We're committed to a safe and brave space!
Sexual Harassment Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal at Artsforward Ideas and Events Pvt Ltd (Artsforward)
Artsforward has a strict no-tolerance policy against sexual harassment and any contracted temporary team member, collaborator or artist found involved in sexual harassment shall face the consequences under the Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act, 2013 which could include strict disciplinary action if found guilty.
The organization, hereby, constitutes an Internal Committee (IC) comprising of the following members as per Section 4(1) of Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act, 2013 to receive complaints on sexual harassment, investigate and conduct an inquiry or conciliation on such complaints.
1. Ms Urmi Basu – Chairperson, +91-9831123976, basu.urmi@gmail.com
2. Ms Madhushree Basu – Member, +91-7595997568, pupai.madhusree@gmail.com
3. Ms Titas Dutta – Member, +91-8452059383, titas.posh@gmail.com
4. Dr Somabha Bandopadhay – Member, +91 93300 81480, somabhaphd2019@nujs.edu
5. Mr Sangram Mukhopadhyay – Member, +91-9051459747, findthewritesangram@gmail.com
6. Ms Asiya Shervani – External Member, +91-9000448893, asiya.shervani@gmail.com
The IC will perform the duties and responsibilities and exercise the powers conferred to the IC under the Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act, 2013 and applicable Rules as notified under the Act. In addition to the role listed in the Act, the IC will
investigate complaints from aggrieved persons of all genders.
The IC shall also perform a preventative function and is authorized to initiate suo moto action in case they detect abuse, harassment or red flags. All matters being addressed by the IC will be kept strictly confidential.
It is your right as well as duty to report any matter which may qualify as harassment, abuse, hostility or discrimination to the IC.
Urmi Basu
IC - Chairperson
Urmi Basu is the founder of New Light: a non-profit community development project and charitable trust based in Kalighat, Kolkata — one of the oldest red-light districts of the city. Since 2000, New Light has provided shelter, educational opportunities, recreational facilities, healthcare, and legal aid for the children, girls and women in the Kalighat community. Urmi is a gender rights activist and a Nari Shakti Purashkar 2019 Awardee.
Asiya Shervani
IC - External Member
Asiya Shervani is an organizational effectiveness, workplace culture and change management professional with deep experience in design and implementation of diversity, inclusion, leadership and gender equality policies and practices in various industries. She is an established expert in workplace equity, a trusted advisor and leadership coach, with substantial experience in conflict resolution, attracting talent, building social competence and thought leadership.
Madhushree Basu
IC - Member
Madhushree Basu is an illustrator, performer and occasionally a teacher / facilitator, primarily based in Chennai but also working in Gurgaon, Kolkata and other parts of West Bengal. Her primary form of visual art-making is comics and performance-making is dance-drama.
Dr Somabha Bandopadhay
IC - Member
Dr Somabha Bandhopadhay teaches at The West Bengal National University for Juridical Sciences (WBNUJS), Kolkata where she also completed her doctoral work. An awardee of the Indo-Canadian Shastri Mitacs Scholarship she pursued research on victimization of transgender persons at the School of Criminology, University of Montreal, Canada. She pursued BA.LLB (International Law Honors) from School of Law, KIIT University, Bhubaneswar and pursued LLM (Human Rights Law) at National Law School of India University (NLSIU), Bangalore. She also volunteers for the Global Alliance for Rights of Nature (GARN) and facilitates the Asia-Pacific Hub and Youth Hub. Apart from her law career, she is a classical Manipuri dance artist and has been awarded two Government of India scholarships.
Titas Dutta
IC - Member
Titas Dutta has been a practicing theatre-maker and performer for almost two decades, working for national and international theatre companies. Identifying as a queer- female theatre maker and arts manager from Kolkata, Titas is the artistic director of Birati Samuho Performers Collective - queer and female centric theatre collective that specialises in exploring unheard and unseen narratives from and for marginalised communities. She/they advocate for inclusive content and practice, accessibility of theatre for all, safe space for actors/ performers and self-sustenance of creative organisations in her/their creative practice. She/they are a certified consultant for POSH 2013. Titas has been a fellow of the International Future Leaders Program of Australian Council for the Arts for 2022-2023.
