Bengaluru’s annual Chitrasanthe is under way on Kumarakrupa Road today, drawing large crowds and promising a significant boost to local trade. Organised by the Karnataka Chitrakala Parishat, the 23rd edition of the fair carries the theme of nature and environment and is expected to attract hundreds of thousands of visitors, with organisers forecasting a turnover of around Rs 3 crore.
Bengaluru Chitrasanthe 2026: What to Know
More than 1,500 artists from 22 states and four union territories have been selected to participate, chosen from some 3,000 applications. Roughly half of the successful applicants will take part in person while the remainder will exhibit virtually through the end of January, offering wider access for artists unable to travel.
The fair opens with an exhibition inauguration by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar. Exhibitions will run daily from 8am to 8pm. The parishat has allocated 1,165 stalls for the general category, 186 for persons with disabilities, 87 for senior citizens and six for disabled senior citizens. Of the total stalls, 1,162 are reserved for professional artists and 225 for hobbyists. The parishat has also set a 67:33 male to female stall allocation ratio and reserved 50 per cent of stalls for local state artists.
Sales will be permitted without any commission charged by the parishat. The event is expected to attract artists from states including Meghalaya, West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Kerala, Jharkhand, Lakshadweep and Assam among others.
Traffic management has been coordinated with city police. Kumarakrupa Road will be closed to vehicle traffic on both sides between Windsor Manor Circle and Sivananda Circle for the duration of the fair. Motorists are advised to use designated alternative routes: vehicles approaching from Maurya Circle and Anandarao Circle should use Raceview Junction, proceed to Basaveshwara Circle and then take the left to Old Highgrounds Junction via Windsor Manor Junction. Vehicles on T. Chowdiah Road may enter Kumarakrupa Road via Windsor Manor Circle and proceed to Old Highgrounds Junction, then turn right near L & RDE to travel via Basaveshwara Circle and Race Course Road. Other specified diversions include access via RP Road and the steel bridge towards Trilight Junction.
Parking has been arranged on Railway Parallel Road, Crescent Road and the western side of the road stretching from Gururaj Kalyana Mantapa to Hotel Janardhana. Additional parking will be available along Race Course Road between Trilight Junction and Maurya Junction.
To ease movement, feeder bus services will run from Majestic Metro, Minister’s Mall Metro and Vidhana Soudha Metro stations to Sivananda Circle at ten minute intervals. The parishat has also arranged drinking water stations, food stalls, first aid and ambulance services and CCTV coverage for security. Selected stretches between Sivananda Circle and Windsor Manor Bridge will receive extra drinking water points, and electric buggies will be available for dignitaries, people with disabilities and senior citizens.
In a notable policy change, the Karnataka Chitrakala Parishat announced it will redirect funds previously used to confer annual awards on established artists towards a student stipend programme. Historically, the parishat presented several prizes of Rs 50,000 to eminent artists. From this year, the organisation will combine prize money with parking revenues and other funds to build an annual corpus of about Rs 22 lakh. Income from that corpus will be used to provide stipends to students at the evening and fine arts colleges, supporting their education and professional development.
Officials say the fair is designed both to celebrate artistic talent and to create tangible economic opportunities for artists and local vendors while promoting awareness about environmental themes through art.
Key Takeaways:
- Bengaluru Chitrasanthe 2026 expects hundreds of thousands of visitors and a projected turnover of around Rs 3 crore.
- Over 1,500 artists from 22 states and 4 union territories will participate, with both physical and virtual exhibitions.
- Traffic diversions and feeder bus services are in place to manage crowds; dedicated parking and water, medical and security arrangements provided.
- The Karnataka Chitrakala Parishat will reallocate award funds to create an annual corpus to support student stipends.
