Written by Intern Swara Bodke || Team Allycaral
Goa Open Arts Foundation has announced the third edition of the Goa Open Arts Festival 2026, scheduled from 20–25 February at the Old GMC Complex in Panjim. The biennial festival will once again transform the capital city into a vibrant hub of visual art, music, performance, film screenings and hands-on workshops open to audiences of all ages.
Building on the success of its previous editions, the festival continues its vision of creating a collaborative space for Goa’s creative community to exchange ideas and showcase new work. Conceived as an artist-led initiative, Goa Open Arts offers opportunities for practitioners to present both curated and independently developed projects.
Among the highlights of the 2026 edition are two special exhibitions. ‘Threads Through Time: Textile Art from Goa’, curated by Sitara Chowfla, will present traditional and contemporary textile practices from across the state. ‘What Remains: Lens Based Work’, a photography exhibition conceived in collaboration with Museo Camera, will explore storytelling through visual narratives.
The festival will also showcase a special exhibition by Iranian-French artist Christine Khonjie, whose practice draws upon themes of ancient history, mythology and shamanism, reflecting her deep-rooted connection to Goa. The main exhibition will feature works by Bhisaji Gadekar, Kaamna Patel, Mrinal Bahukhandi, Owl House Art Collective, Ragini Deshpande and several others.
Three new programmes add further dimension to this year’s edition. The LiveBox performance space will host theatre, music, poetry and a specially curated evening of Queer Performance Art. Expanding its engagement with younger audiences, the festival introduces a SkatePark and a Children’s Pavilion, offering interactive workshops and creative activities for children and young adults.
The weekend segment of the festival will feature nine music acts by Goa-based artists, including Goa Jazz Academy, JazzMaTazz, Lojal and Mannequin Disorder, alongside over 15 feature-length and short films curated as part of the film programme.
The 2026 edition is shaped by four curators: Nariyal Paani (Music), Anveer Mehta (Skatepark), Sachin Chatte (Film) and Avril Stormy Unger (Queer Programme).
The foundation also announced its key sponsors for the 2026 programme. IFB Spice Secrets returns as the main sponsor for the second time, supporting the festival’s culinary offerings. RMZ Foundation joins as a key sponsor, enabling the Children’s Pavilion and Skate Park. The Entertainment Society of Goa returns as the primary venue partner.
Founded in 2019 by Prashant Panjiar, Gopika Chowfla, Sitara Chowfla and Diptej Vernekar, Goa Open Arts is a not-for-profit, artist-led foundation dedicated to nurturing creative practices across the state through grants, exhibitions, mentorship and public programmes.
As its flagship initiative, the Goa Open Arts Festival continues to celebrate Goa’s evolving artistic landscape while fostering dialogue, collaboration and community engagement.
The festival invites art lovers, families, and visitors to join in Panjim this February for a homegrown celebration of creativity and possibility.
