With two major halls closed, cultural activists on the lookout for suitable venues in Kozhikode

Cultural activists in Kozhikode struggle to find affordable venues as major auditoriums Town Hall and Tagore Centenary Hall close.

The simultaneous shutdown of two major auditoriums in the city has put cultural activists in a fix as they are desperate to find affordable alternatives sooner than later.

The Town Hall, which was closed down for renovation has been the nerve centre of most cultural activities in the city, be it musical evenings, theatrical performances, literary discussions or commemorations. The rent of the Town Hall has been notably lower than other halls of similar size and facilities in the city, especially due to subsidised rates for cultural programmes, making it popular among cultural activists.

The Tagore Centenary Hall, a much larger facility, has been the next favoured venue, for larger programmes such as live shows and dance performances. However, the hall has been closed for over a year, and the Corporation plans to rebuild it with modern architecture and enhanced facilities. The ₹55-crore rebuilding project is however expected to take a few years to be completed.

The Mohammed Abdurahiman Memorial Jubilee Hall at Tali, the S.K. Pottekkatt Hall at Puthiyara, the Corporation Cultural Centre at Anakkulam and the Community Hall at Kovoor are some of the other similar facilities under the Kozhikode Corporation. While the Cultural centre was opened less than a decade ago, the other three were recently renovated. The Jubilee Hall is an air-conditioned hall with state-of-the-art facilities and is often rented out for weddings, much to the chargin of the cultural activists. The high rent of the hall post renovation is another matter of contention.

“The Corporation should cut down the rent of the Jubilee Hall as well as the Anakkulam Cultural Centre. It is necessary to ensure that the cultural activities in the city are carried out without any glitches,” said T.P.M. Hashir Ali, Founder Secretary of the Mohammed Rafi Foundation, who has been conducting musical programmes in the city on a regular basis for decades.

Noted musician and theatre activist Wilson Samuel questioned the timing of closing down both the halls, as the months between October and May are peak season for cultural programmes in the city. “The Corporation should have made some alternate arrangements before closing down the Town Hall,” he said, and demanded the civic body to provide the open stage in the Mananchira Square free of cost for cultural programmes.

The renovation works of the Town Hall may begin on September 23 (Monday) and may take three months or more to be completed, while the tendering process for the re-building of the Tagore Centenary Hall is in progress.