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Volunteer in India as Cultural Activity Planner

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Passionate about music...here's your opportunity to spread the word!

If you are into arts and music and everything that speaks of history and identity of a place, spend your gap year at this project. This organisation aims to highlight and promote art, craft, architecture and folk performing arts of the four southern states of India. These aspects of Indian life are sadly fast disappearing and there is a particular emphasis at the project of educating school children about their heritage and how it can be carried on even in this modern world.

The project space is fascinating as it has taken the format of a model village spread over 10 acres. Indian artisans bring their wares, teach arts to children, there are live dance and cultural performances in the amphitheatre and an extensive library to name a few.

There are several opportunities at this project for Gap Year volunteers, so if you have an interest in culture and heritage take a look at what they need.

Gap Projects: Cultural Activity Planner

Your role: There are a variety of volunteer opportunities at this project and depending upon your background skills and experience you could be involved with any of the areas below:

Assisting and taking part in Art & Craft Workshops & Demonstrations: Currently there are two regular workshops within the village, one for pottery another for lathe turned soft-stone. A workshop for granite workers has also been held and glass blowing is always a popular attraction. Alongside these crafts there is design development work going on with textiles and embroidery with workshops held for block printing, glass etching and painting, embroidery and weaving.

Acting as tour guides for school & tourist visits: With over 65,000 tourists a year and up to 300 children visiting the project daily there is always a need for volunteers to help guide around this 10 acre site. You would be inducted into the project and given training as to what is required.

You will need an interest in the subject matter, lots of enthusiasm and a love for children to enjoy and be good in this role.

Event Organising & Management: The project organises several large scale events throughout the year. These vary from international seminars and courses. Also 'Melas' or craft markets are often held with local artisans produce for sale. There is a need for a volunteer who can help with arranging the events and administration as there are never enough people to cope with all the work!

You will need to have some administrative experience to take on this role and previous event management would be preferable.

Library Archiving: Since opening over 10 years ago, the project has started and developed an extensive library in relation to South Indian culture, arts, folk performance, architecture etc., There is an ongoing job here to help catalogue and archive the library which is made up of all media, not just books.

You will need to be a graduate with some experience of administration, archiving or cataloging as you will be working on your own initiative in the library.

What you gain: This is the perfect gap year opportunity if you are interested in the arts, architecture or heritage. This is a world renowned organization working to save and promote one of the most ancient cultures and civilizations in the world. It would give you a unique insight into the very complex and ritualistic communities of South India.

The organization also runs special workshops throughout the year that you would be able to attend and has developed Diploma course in Vernacular Architecture that you would be able to undertake, subject to places being available.

You also get a chance to work alongside the local community & artisans and get an insight into how these lovely people manage to still make a living in a quickly modernizing India.

As the village is just south of Chennai, you will be ideally placed to visit the World Heritage site of Mahabilapuram and the former French colony of Pondicherry. There are also numerous trains that can take you overnight to Kerala, hill stations or Bangalore amongst other places