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| Art
writing and credits
- Leela Venkataraman, Delhi e-mail: leelakaveri@hotmail.com July 16, 2010 |
As a writer on dance,
I have long been facing a problem when it comes to mentioning the name/names
of institutions helping in various ways in presenting a particular programme.
Credit should be given where credit is due, is my belief. Very often, the
scissoring at the editor's desk cuts out names of personalities or institutions
providing crucial support in presenting a particular dance event. One understands
that editors operate under severe constraints of space and that there is
invariably too much to be accommodated in too little space. But can we
justify leaving out names of organizations, but for whose help, the mounting
of a certain event would have been well nigh impossible? Apart from several instances when the SNA seems to be at the receiving end of omissions made in my writings, for whatever reasons, I cannot help recollecting one particularly noticeable non-mention. This was when a week long, star spangled "Stirring Odissi" festival was held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, last year under the aegis of Sutra Foundation with considerable financial and organizational support from the Sangeet Natak Akademi, whose mention occurred in no place in the edited version of my review. In an informal exchange with the person presiding over the arts page about the omission of an important name, the response I got was that sponsors' names are usually not mentioned, for the concern of the page is only with the performance. I can understand a long list of business enterprises, who provide sponsorship with funds for a programme not being mentioned for that would be tantamount to the journal aiding public relations of the said companies. But surely an organization like the SNA, a government body which provides the thrust for a whole lot of events, can and should be mentioned. Support given by an apex organization like SNA is important. Often I have been found fault with by persons and organizations for not mentioning specific help crucial to mounting certain events. Just as any organization can be criticized, due recognition and credit for work done is also important. I would like to know how readers feel about this. Leela Venkataraman is the dance critic for The Hindu, Delhi edition. |
