October 2018 Archives

Public Statement

The Aradhana Committee is committed to creating a safe and welcoming environment for everyone attending the Cleveland Thyagaraja Festival, based on our values of respect, support and inclusion. We support the MeToo movement in amplifying voices that previously did not receive the attention they should have, and recognize the need for change in our global society.

We have always followed and continue to evolve our policies around misconduct reported to us by members of the Festival community, whether they took place at the Festival or elsewhere. We will continue to do so and, and continue to encourage anyone who is affected to come forward.

In a recent personal Facebook post, Mr. V.V. Sundaram referenced incidents of misconduct that were reported first-hand to the Aradhana Committee. None of the reported incidents took place in Cleveland or at the Festival. However, when we heard these first-hand reports about misconduct by artists that occurred outside of the the festival, even though they took place far away from Cleveland, we suspended their participation at the festival to ensure the safety and well-being of all our participants.

In addition, we would like to share some highlights about our organization and the Cleveland Thyagaraja Festival:

Indian classical arts are part of our shared global culture, and it is our mission to bring the best of that to Cleveland — our city which has grown to become the home for these arts in the US. We look forward to continued dialogue with the broader community to advance Indian classical arts in North America.

posted on October 29, 2018 | Categories: Announcements