Art of the Possible (AOTP) is a development program launched by the National Centre for the Performing Arts (NCPA), Mumbai, for technicians, designers, managers, and the entire workforce that makes all the magic happen backstage. It is a free, community-driven resource for professionals in the performing arts and live events industry.

In this episode of the AOTP Podcast, we are joined by Rashi Jain, Director West India and National Business Development Lead at the British Council. Rashi plays a key role in shaping the Council’s work across the education and arts sector, with a focus on building sustainable and meaningful collaborations in India.

Introducing her role, Rashi explained:
“I look at arts, education, and English collaborations between India and the UK, across four Indian states, and the four devolved administrations in the UK: Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland, and England.”

The British Council, she added, is the UK’s international organization for cultural relations. Its aim is to bring people, especially young people from India and the UK, together, fostering trust, peace, and opportunities in arts, culture, and education.

“We’ve been in India for quite some time, headquartered in Delhi, but our work spans pan-India. We try to be the catalyst that brings the best of minds together, solving global problems by finding solutions designed and delivered by young people.”

Universal Problems: Climate Change and Sustainability

When asked about the gaps AOTP could help bridge, Rashi pointed to lessons from the India-UK Together Season of Culture, which connected 51 organizations, 2,000 artists, and 21 cities.

“What we learned is that some problems are universal. Climate change, for example. Everybody is talking about it, but not everyone knows how to act. Some have strong voices but no agency.”

For her, both the British Council and AOTP can step in here. “In theatre and live events, can we create structured, creative solutions for sustainability? Can we reduce carbon emissions, minimize waste, and promote recycling or upcycling? This is one of the urgent challenges we need to address.”

The Skilling Gap: Training That’s Missing

Another pressing issue Rashi highlighted is the lack of structured training in production arts.

“There is a lot of on-the-job training available, but very few structured courses,” she explained. The British Council runs a Global Partnership Grant that funds collaborations between Indian and UK universities, alongside industry partners, to design relevant courses.

“Over 100 collaborations have happened in the last two to three years. But not a single university, from either India or the UK, has said they want a course in theatre backstage design. That is shocking. There’s certainly no lack of demand, so the problem is structural.”

AOTP, she believes, can help address this by creating structured modules blended with live industry exposure.

Finding the Sweet Spot: Blending Theory and Practice

Rashi emphasized that the absence of structured training creates challenges for both graduates and practitioners.

“A graduate comes out of theatre school thinking they know everything, but when they land at a venue, they don’t know how to implement it. On the other hand, people from unstructured workshops know the practice but not the theory. Something as simple as paperwork—like handovers or navigating funding and reporting—is often missing.”

The solution, she argued, is a blend. “Practical skills and live industry training combined with structured learning in theory and systems. That’s what AOTP is aiming for, to find that sweet spot.”

Public vs. Private Institutions: Bridging the Divide

Rashi also discussed the gap between public and private institutions in India’s production arts and live entertainment sectors.

“This divide exists across industries, not just the arts. Public institutions are more inclusive, reaching diverse audiences, but they face challenges of scale. Private institutions often have better infrastructure, corporate support, and funding.”

AOTP’s approach, she said, is to focus on equipping individuals with core technical and interpersonal skills, making them adaptable across both environments.

“With government support, growing interest in the arts, and India’s strength in technology, I believe this divide will reduce drastically in the next decade. Until then, professionals must be trained to handle any kind of infrastructure—whether ideal or not.”

Despite the challenges, Rashi is optimistic.

“The future is definitely bright. If professionals are trained to handle both well-resourced and resource-strapped environments, then they’re prepared for the worst, and nothing can stop them.”

If you found this conversation inspiring, you can also listen to the full podcast episode with Rashi Jain, here. Subscribe, rate, and share the AOTP Podcast!

Art of the Possible is supported by the British Council and Godrej Agrovet.