Kommune Kolkata’s open mic celebrates the emerging voices of Bengal at Kolkata Centre for Creativity

Setting aside their plans for Sunday outings, budding poets and singers from across West Bengal gathered at Anandapur’s Kolkata Centre for Creativity for an open mic event organised by Kommune Kolkata on July 21. Titled ‘Art Showcase’, the event aimed to make art readily accessible, bringing together 10 aspiring artists from distant parts of the state to share their stories.

British author and YouTuber John Butler once said, “Art changes people and people change the world.” The afternoon kicked off with this idea at the heart of proceedings, as artists took centre stage to share their joy, love and vulnerabilities through the power of the spoken word.

‘If you write for an audience, you should be able to perform somewhere’

As a poet, creative editor, engineer and published writer, Aishwarya Roy, who also hosted and organised the open-mic, opened the afternoon with her poignant poem called Journey of a Poem. In her recital, Aishwarya delved into a frequently asked question — why is art political? “My poem is lactose intolerant/ My poem is an undefeated irony,” emphasised Aishwarya, as an auditorium with over 30 poetry lovers snapped their fingers in unison to cheer for her. “Art should not be restricted to those with following or status. If you write for an audience, you should be able to perform somewhere. That’s why I wanted to create the stage for Kolkata,” she said, navigating the journey of creating Kommune Kolkata a year ago.

With the support of Ankit Dey, a senior content writer and artist, Aishwarya started Kommune’s branch in Kolkata last July. “The vision at Kommune Kolkata is to encourage small independent artists from all over Bengal to come and speak their mind,” said Ankit.

Among the invited participants, the first to take the mic was Ayesha Khalid, a content writer who has been writing poetry since 2018. Ayesha’s poem was centred around how a mother’s words give strength to a daughter who is trying to survive in a hostile world. “I always try to end my poems with positivity,” said Ayesha, whose line, “A woman is not a woman/ She is a warm-hearted wildflower,” resonated with the audience.

For Surya Sundar, who performed a song of hope, it is “fun not to give up”. Asking the audience to never surrender in the face of life’s cruelties, Surya strummed his guitar on stage and sang the words “I’m tired…not defeated yet.” A fan of Rupam Islam, Surya said: “I’m still looking for myself… I don’t know who I am, but I want to find myself in a place where I can create, inspire, be happy and keep others happy.”

‘I draw a lot from people around me… Art is everywhere around us’

Amidst the search for self came Shristi Agarwal’s poem, When Home Moves to a New City, a raw portrayal of the painful longing in long-distance relationships. A corporate lawyer by day and a poet by night, Shristi has been writing since she was a child and began performing at open mic events in Mumbai where she studied law. “I draw a lot from people around me. One of my first pieces is about a friend undergoing depression. That was something that I observed very closely. It wasn’t something personal for me but it was a bond I saw being shared which was so beautiful… Art is everywhere around us,” she said.

Aishwarya’s parents, Sekhar and Kumkum Roy, were next, jointly performing a poem called Ekta Bari Ar Onek Gulo Ghor, as an Elvis Presley song played in the background.

Soon after that, Debasree Maity’s story highlighted an innocence which is fading day by day. “Sunflowers, because they follow the light, just like I follow you, Baba,” read the concluding line of her poem.

Shraddha Agrawal enacted an original skit on stage which aimed to shed light on how the pain of periods often goes unnoticed in our day-to-day lives.

Seema Jain, hailing from Kharagpur, performed a powerful heart-to-heart poem titled Suno Betiyon to empower girls.

‘Communities like Kommune are trying to bring art back into the hands of the people’

Journalist-turned-poet Debasmita Chatterjee tugged at the heartstrings with her song Chole Jawar Gaan and a poem which she described as “a letter that she couldn’t drop at the post box”.

Snigdha Debnath enthralled everyone with her poem about Kolkata: “My city shapeshifts into a snake/ Sliding, slipping, slithering through the lanes.”

The event came to a close with a powerful poem by Danish Salim and a Rabindrasangeet performance by ex-police officer, Shiboprasad Chakraborty, who retired in 2017.

“KCC is actively involved in Kolkata’s artistic community by organising and hosting events that showcase both established and emerging artists. We also arrange talks, workshops and masterclasses led by renowned artists, providing valuable learning opportunities. Open mics and similar gatherings are part of our efforts to connect with the community and showcase emerging talent. If you enjoyed this open mic, there’s a good chance we will have more in the future,” shared Richa Agarwal, chairperson, KCC.

“Communities like Kommune are trying to bring art back into the hands of the people. By giving power back to the people so that they can showcase their talent without depending on other institutions to express themselves,” concluded Ankit.