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Goa Open Arts Festival 2026

20 - 25 Feb, 2026

Old GMC Complex, Panjim, Goa

The third edition of Goa Open Arts Festival returned to Old GMC, Panjim with a bang!  A celebration of art, culture, music, dance, performance and film, it was a vibrant convergence of the creative community of Goa. The diverse talent that was on show reaffirmed the fact that Goa's artistic soul is thriving. With workshops for all ages and an exciting  Food 'n' Flea, the festival was a buzzing hive of activity that brought family and friends together to discover the creative energy of Goa!

Glimpses of the Festival

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Threads Through Time

This show of textile art from Goa curated by Sitara Chowfla. brought together archival references, traditional techniques, and contemporary textile practices - to explore how cloth carries meaning, preserves memory, and invites reinvention.

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Cinema on View

Featuring screenings in Konkani, English, Hindi, Tamil, and Gujarati, Sachin Chatte's curation showcased  both emerging and established voices from across India. Many of these films are deeply rooted in Goan life and culture, offering quiet portraits of people and places  

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Goa Rapped Up!

From Konkani Rap belted out by Bongisio to cool blues by the students of Goa Jazz Academy or the haunting rhythm of Shivam and the Gypsies, the evenings at the Festival literally rocked with the sound of original music.

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Christine Khonjie

Visitor's were treated to a unique exhibition of Iranian-French artist Christine Khonjie's work. Christine spent 20 of her 70 years in Goa, making art. Her multifaceted practice looks at themes of ancient history, mythology and shamanism.

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Queer As In...

A continuous four-hour showcase of video, performance, sound, and drag by a diverse group of Goa-based queer artists. Curated by Avril Stormy Unger the performances invited multiple interpretations gesturing to queerness as open-ended and uncontainable.

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Skate Art!

Curated by SkateLife Goa, the art of Skateboarding was on display for pros and novices to find their groove! With artwork created by Dattaraj Naik and the students of College of Art the SkatePark was a huge draw at the Festival.

Participating Artists 2026  

Visual Arts

Ambika Shirodkar

Anish Nogar Araujo

Ansh Kumar

Bhisaji Gadekar

Children’s Art Studio, MOG

Christine Khonjie

Dattaraj Naik

Deepa George

Deepak Shirodkar

Diptej Vernekar

Divya Balivada

Dway Lunkad X Neela Venkatraman

Kaamna Patel

Kalidas Mhamal

Katharina Kakar

La Faust

Lighthouse Academy

Mahija Mandalika

Miriam Koshy & Ragini Deshpande

Mohith Rai Srivastav

Mrinal Bahukhandi

Niharika Chauhan

Nishtha Manchanda

Pablo Chaterji

Prashant Panjiar

Pradeep Naik

Prajeesh AD

Pratik Naik

Project Reconstitution

Rahul Chauhan

Rajendra Mardolkar

Ridham Janve

Sanika Dhakephalkar

Satyam Acharya

Shilpa Mayenkar Naik

Shyam Pahapalkar

Sidhan Kundaikar

Stitch for Goa

Studio Button

Swapnesh Vaigankar

The Owl House Art Collective

Catalyst & Engage Grants
Dnyanesh Moghe
Rajaram Naik
Rini Joseph
Ritika Singh
Soham Bhende
ThinkArts
Music
Anika Bharwani
Bongisio ft. Goanbyblood
GJA Collective
Jazzmatazz
Mannequin Disorder
Sanjay Divecha
Sheldon Fonseca
Shivam & the Gypsies
The Banjara Trio
The Lojal Experience
Threads Through Time
Afrah Shafiq
Gopika Chowfla
Juliette Ravel Roychowdhury
Medha Khosla
Miriam Koshy & Ragini Deshpande
MODA Goa Museum
People Tree
Poonam Pandit
Savia Viegas
Shilpa Nayudu
Shriharsh Chari
Wendell Rodricks
Performance
Aashurachana School of Improv
Asavari Gurav
Debi K
Dhaee Aakhar
La Faust
Runal Kolkankar
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Queer As In...
AleXela
Asher
Axar N
Brahma
Fursat FM
Jay Kshirsagar
oysh
Sachi
Slackertendency
Sumedh
Curators
Anveer Mehta
Avril Stormy Unger
Nariyal Paani
Sachin Chatte
Siddhi Arsekar
Sitara Chowfla
What Remains
Ankit George
Diana Linda
Gopika Chowfla
Khanjan Purohit
Natalie Lycops
Poonam Patel
Prabhakar Duwarah
Prashant Panjiar
Shivam Harmalkar
Soham Bhende
Film
Akhil Lotlikar
Arjun Talwar
Bani Singh
Darshan Bhagat
Divya Cowasji & Jall Cowasji
Glen Cardozo
Leo Paapam
Lighthouse Academy
Manguirish Bandodkar
Navdeep Singh
Raam Reddy & Priyanka Bose
Rishi Chandna
Sainath S Uskaikar
Saujas Shetye
Shruti Ranavade
Sobita Kudtarkar
Studio Button
Taira Malaney
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MASTERCLASS

Workshop on composition and improvisation by Sanjay Divecha

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YOU MAKE IT POSSIBLE

Register as a donor and support the festival 

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FESTIVAL 2026

Playscape - Skatepark and Kids' Pavilion

Spotlight

About us

Goa Open Arts is a not-for-profit foundation, with the belief that the arts play a vital role in a healthy and vibrant society. Our focus is to support, invigorate and bring together the diverse and ever-growing creative talent that is resident in Goa through our biennial art festival, exhibitions, artist grants, and community centred projects. The Team >

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Goa Open Arts is a platform initiated by artists for artists to support and invigorate creative practice in Goa with the belief that creative thinking and discourse are vital for a healthy society. This initiative is supported and funded by people who acknowledge the role that art plays in community. You can support the initiative in your own way - from making a financial donation, contributing in kind, commissioning and buying artworks or bringing on board your expertise. Read more about ways to support >
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Partners & Supporters

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