Art & Literature
Festival 2023

ALF 2023 - Art & Literature Festival 2023 is a celebration of Kerala’s vibrant artistic and literary culture in North America. Organized by the cultural collective ALA - Art Lovers of America in two locations across the United States, ALF 2023 features an ensemble of leading artists, writers & performers such as Paul Zacharia , Benyamin, Dona Mayoora & Rajni Menon.

In its inaugural edition, ALF 2023 is an earnest attempt to feature the plurality of Kerala’s progressive and secular ethos as India celebrates 75 years of independence from colonial rule. Join this conversation in person or virtually in a city near you.

  • New Jersey

    20, May

  • Chicago

    27, May

Artists & Speakers

Speaker

Benyamin

Malayalam Novelist and short story writer shot to prominence with his best seller “AaduJeevitham (Goat Days)” with hard hitting story about an abused migrant worker in Saudi Arabia.

Speaker

Paul Zacharia

Zacharia is an eminent Malayalam fiction writer and essayist. He is considered as one of the most important socially and politically committed and engaged Indian writers living today.Recipient of the Sahitya Akademi Award and Katha Award.

Speaker

Dona Mayoora

Dona is a bilingual, visual and experimental poet from Kerala, residing in the USA. Ice Cubukal the Malayalam poetry and the visual experimental poetries Listening to Red & Echoes from Sweden are outstanding works.

Speaker

Rajni Menon

Rajni has trained in Kathakali under Gurus Sri Late Kalamandalam Gopalakrishnan, Padmashri Kizhpadam Kumaran Nair and Padmabhooshan Kalamandalam Ramankutty Nair. Recipient of “Pattikamthodi smaraka” award in 1987, currently living in the USA.

Speaker

Ethiran Kathiravan

He writes on popular science, art, sociopolitical issues and cinema. He had been honored with many awards including Sahithya Akkademy award & Film Critics award

Speaker

Priya Joseph

Priya is a Malayalam short story writer. Two time recipient of Grihalakshmi Award and winner of Samskriti CV Sreeraman Award for the year 2022.

Speaker

Anilal Sreenivasan

Anilal writes short stories, travelogues, and memoirs. Two short stories collections to his credit - ‘Plaque’ (2011), ‘Sabrina’ (2020). Won the TA Razak award for Short Stories (2021).

Speaker

Ardra Manasi

Ardra is a development practitioner & poet based in New York City. Her poems have been featured in journals and anthologies in US, UK and India, including the Sahitya Akademi.

Speaker

Keerthik Sasidharan

Keerthik essays, columns, & interviews have appeared in various publications & venues—including The Hindu newspaper, Aeon & the Jaipur Literary Festival. His 1'st novel, The Dharma Forest (Penguin India, 2020), volume-1 of a trilogy, was long-listed for ‘The JCB Prize in Literature’ in 2021.

Speaker

Nazeer Hussein K

Nazeer is a software engineer by profession, and social media content creator by passion. One of the most influential Malayalam blogger from North America, He had his writings featured in most of the Malayalam publications including Mathrubhumi daily, True Copy Think and many more.

Event Schedule

  • New Jersey

    20, May 2023

  • Chicago

    27, May 2023

05/27/2023
Venue: Buffalo Grove Community Arts Center, 225 McHenry Rd, Buffalo Grove, IL 60089

10:30 am

Inauguration

11.00 am - 4.00 pm

Aksharam അക്ഷരം

  • Paul Zacharia

    11.00 am - 11.45 am

  • Benyamin

    12.00 pm - 12.45 pm

  • Dona Mayoora

    2.00 pm - 2.45 pm

  • Combined Interactive Session

    3.00 pm - 4.00 pm

Break 4.00 pm - 4.30 pm

4.30 pm - 6.30 pm

Mandapam മണ്ഡപം

  • Kathakali

    4.30 pm - 5.15 pm

  • Cultural performances

    5.30 pm - 6.30 pm

Festival Market അങ്ങാടി

  • Book Fair
    പുസ്തക പീടിക

  • Basheer’s Corner
    ബഷീറിന്റെ ലോകം

  • Food Stall
    ചായപീടിക




05/20/2023
Venue: Randolph HS Performance Art Auditorium ,511 Millbrook Ave ,Randolph, NJ 07869

10:30 am

Inauguration

11.00 am - 4.00 pm

Aksharam അക്ഷരം

  • Paul Zacharia

    11.00 am - 11.45 am

  • Benyamin

    12.00 pm - 12.45 pm

  • Dona Mayoora

    2.00 pm - 2.45 pm

  • Combined Interactive Session

    3.00 pm - 4.00 pm

Break 4.00 pm - 4.30 pm

4.30 pm - 6.30 pm

Mandapam മണ്ഡപം

  • Kathakali

    4.30 pm - 5.15 pm

  • Cultural performances

    5.30 pm - 6.30 pm

Festival Market അങ്ങാടി

  • Book Fair
    പുസ്തക പീടിക

  • Basheer’s Corner
    ബഷീറിന്റെ ലോകം

  • Food Stall
    ചായപീടിക




Day 01 - 01 October 2022
Venue: Performing arts center at Menlo-Atherton High School, 555 Middlefield Rd, Atherton, CA 94027

1.30 pm

Inauguration

2.15 pm

Aksharam അക്ഷരം

  • Dr. Sunil P Ilayidom

    2.15 pm - 3.00 pm

  • Balachandran Chullikkad

    3.10 pm - 3.45 pm

  • Benyamin

    4.00 pm - 4.30 pm

  • Combined Interactive Session

    5.00 pm - 6.30

Break 6.30 pm - 7.30 pm

7.30 pm

Mandapam മണ്ഡപം

  • Mohiniyattam (Dr. Methil Devika)

    7.30 pm - 8.30 pm

  • Kathakali ( Roshni Pillai )

    8.30 pm - 9.30 pm

  • Book Fair

  • Food Vendors




Dance workshop by

Dr. Methil Devika

TOPIC : Esoteric Adaptations in Indian Classical Dance

  • Demystifying Mudras - a look into Vedic and Tantric influences
  • Maneuvering ritualistic rhythms in performance
  • Stillness & Expression

The workshop is conducted by National Awardee, State Awardee and Oscar Contender Dancer and Cultural Interpreter Dr. Methil Devika. It is open to all those interested in the topic irrespective of the physical form they practice. Methil Devika is a renowned Mohiniyattam exponent who is also trained in some of Kerala's ritualistic knowledge systems which she adapts and disseminates across cultures and forms

Day 01 - 08 October 2022
Venue: Renton Ikea performance center 400 S 2nd St, Renton, WA 98057

1.30 pm

Inauguration

2.15 pm

Aksharam അക്ഷരം

  • Dr. Sunil P Ilayidom

    2.15 pm - 3.00 pm

  • Balachandran Chullikkad

    3.10 pm - 3.45 pm

  • Benyamin

    4.00 pm - 4.30 pm

  • Combined Interactive Session

    5.00 pm - 6.30

Break 6.30 pm - 7.30 pm

7.30 pm

Mandapam മണ്ഡപം

  • Mohiniyattam (Dr. Methil Devika)

    7.30 pm - 8.30 pm

  • Kathakali ( Roshni Pillai )

    8.30 pm - 9.30 pm

  • Book Fair

  • Food Vendors




Dance workshop by

Dr. Methil Devika

TOPIC : Esoteric Adaptations in Indian Classical Dance

  • Demystifying Mudras - a look into Vedic and Tantric influences
  • Maneuvering ritualistic rhythms in performance
  • Stillness & Expression

The workshop is conducted by National Awardee, State Awardee and Oscar Contender Dancer and Cultural Interpreter Dr. Methil Devika. It is open to all those interested in the topic irrespective of the physical form they practice. Methil Devika is a renowned Mohiniyattam exponent who is also trained in some of Kerala's ritualistic knowledge systems which she adapts and disseminates across cultures and forms

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FAQ

  1. Who is our target audience? Any age limit ?
  2. Are there any prerequisites to join the workshop?
  3. What would be the duration of the workshop?
  4. What syllabus would be covered during the workshop ? What are the breakdowns of theory sessions? ( adavu, abhinaya, taala, choreo )
  5. Does the audience get to learn a dance piece? If so, what discipline?
  6. What can be expected by the end of the session?
  7. Is recording videos allowed during the workshop?
  8. What policy should we ensure regarding attendees taking a picture with you? Can all take individual pictures or should we make sure all take group pics? This also applies to performance day as well after the event.
  9. If any dance school or organization wants to invite you privately, to their premises what policies do we need to ensure? Are you open for such if they are in compliance with Ala’s policies?
  10. Are you open to giving lectures in universities provided we get the opportunity?
  11. Do you have any dietary restrictions?
  12. Do you need make up artists/helpers to get ready?
  13. If so how many?

Sponsors


Inviting Sponsorships

Please contact alf2023s@ala-usa.org / +1 (703) 203-6785

Support the Festival

Become a Festival Fellow or Festival Friend!

Festival Friend

Donate $100 and receive recognition on our website and a special shout out during the event.

Festival Fellow

Donate $500 and receive all benefits of a Festival Friend plus exclusive access to curated sessions and special mentions in our printed materials.

Your contribution will help us bring more diverse voices to the stage and continue our work of weaving Kerala’s vibrant art and literature into the global narrative.

If you're interested in sponsorship opportunities, please reach out to us at sponsor@ala.events

About the Organiser

About

Art Lovers of America

ALA is a collective of the Kerala diaspora in the United States that aims to nurture and promote Kerala’s diverse culture and progressive values.

ALA seeks to provide a platform that stimulates thoughtful, critical dialogue in the global Malayali community and supports far ranging projects in areas like culture, education, disaster relief and development in support of underprivileged and marginalized communities in Kerala.

ALA’s projects includes Malayalam Language Learning program in partnership with Government of Kerala’s Malayalam Mission, Scholarship program for the students from tribal community in Kerala & ALA Care to coordinate charity and other social support needed for people in US and Kerala

Please reach out to secretary@ala-usa.org to learn more about ALA.