Most people stumble into theatre. They help with lights, adjust a mic, take a small role. Some start in school, some through chance. There is no clear path, no structured training, no guarantee that skills will lead to a career. Those who can afford it go abroad to train. The rest learn on the job, moving between roles, piecing together knowledge wherever they can.
The Art of the Possible Research Study is the first in India to examine this reality. Commissioned by the NCPA and conducted by Art X Company in 2021, with support from the British Council, it maps the gaps in training, the barriers to entry, and the missing support for professionals in live entertainment and the performing arts. Through interviews, focus groups, and roundtable discussions with professionals across India, the study maps training gaps, barriers to entry, and the urgent need for structured learning. Based on the conversations with those working in the field, it identifies what is needed to create a stronger, more accessible industry. These insights will inform a new training programme designed to equip cultural professionals with the skills to sustain a career, filling the gaps where formal education has long been absent.
Download the report here.
