In this episode of the AOTP Podcast, we sit down with Rashmi Dhanwani, founder of Art X Company and co-founder of Festivals From India, to explore how data, collaboration, and cultural infrastructure are shaping the future of India’s creative ecosystem. As a strategist and researcher, Rashmi has been instrumental in building frameworks that help artists, institutions, and policymakers understand the value of the arts — and act on it.

Building Systems for a Creative Nation

Rashmi describes Art X Company as a “McKinsey for the arts” — a consultancy that advises cultural organisations on research, strategy, and sustainable growth. From CSR impact assessments to recruitment and capacity building, her focus lies in helping creative teams scale thoughtfully.

Her second venture, Festivals From India, is an aggregator platform that lists over 300 arts and culture festivals across 14 genres, creating a central space for discovery, learning, and opportunity. “At its heart,” she explains, “the idea is to build a home for the sector — where professionals can meet, learn, and grow their careers.”

When Data Meets the Human Experience

Rashmi was also one of the key minds behind the original Art of the Possible (AOTP) report, developed in partnership with the National Centre for the Performing Arts (NCPA) and released in 2022. Conducted in the middle of the pandemic, the research faced unique challenges — from access issues to the emotional weight of the times.

“When we started collecting data in early 2021, India was in the midst of the second COVID wave,” she recalls. “It felt almost irrelevant to ask people about careers and growth when they were struggling to find oxygen cylinders. So we paused for a while — because sometimes your work isn’t the most important thing in the room.”

Despite the uncertainty, the team persisted. The final report became a foundational step for what AOTP is today — an open-access knowledge hub that connects backstage professionals, technicians, and arts managers to opportunities and training. “Our job as researchers,” she says, “was to turn questions into insights that could be acted upon. The data had to lead to something real.”

The Sector Reawakens

From then to now, Rashmi has seen India’s live events and performing arts sectors surge back stronger than ever. “2023 saw the highest ticket sales India has ever recorded,” she notes. “From massive concerts to independent theatre, the appetite for live experiences has exploded.”

She points to a shift in both infrastructure and mindset. “Younger artists are far more confident today. The value system has evolved — there’s a sense of you only live once, so do what you love. That’s translating into more risk-taking and creativity.”

Yet, with this growth comes responsibility. Rashmi emphasizes the need for a more equitable, diverse, and data-driven cultural ecosystem — one that is nurtured not only by artists and private institutions, but by governments as well.

Data as Infrastructure

At the heart of Rashmi’s argument is a clear insight: data is not just information — it’s cultural infrastructure.

“For a sector to grow, you first have to see it clearly,” she says. “That’s what data does. It tells you who’s out there, what’s happening, and what’s missing.”

She believes AOTP and institutions like NCPA have a critical role to play in building and maintaining shared databases — living, user-driven systems where artists, venues, and technicians can update their own profiles. “Think of it as a LinkedIn for creative professionals,” she suggests. “Ownership should come from the community itself.”

Beyond infrastructure, she advocates for partnerships with associations that can push for policy-level change and sectoral advocacy. “NCPA can be a thought leader,” she says, “not necessarily as an advocacy body, but as an anchor institution that holds space for collaboration and learning.”

From Data to Policy

Rashmi also highlights the importance of turning data into actionable insights. “Imagine if every two years, NCPA or a similar body released a city-level mapping — how many theatre companies exist, how many audiences attend, who’s creating what. That kind of transparency not only builds thought leadership, but gives us evidence to engage policymakers.”

India, she points out, still lacks robust cultural policy frameworks at city and state levels. “Most of our cultural policy is tied to language or heritage. What we need is a holistic, art-centric approach that makes our cities more liveable and creative.”

Building Careers Through Access

The conversation also touches on how data can empower individuals. Rashmi’s platform, Festivals From India, is introducing a new jobs and opportunities feature that allows organisations to list roles and salary ranges — creating transparency that the creative sector has long lacked.

“When you start listing data like pay scales, job types, and experience levels, you formalize the ecosystem,” she explains. “It gives young professionals a clearer sense of what’s possible and helps the industry hold itself accountable.”

The platform will also expand into mentorship programs, workshops, and the annual CultureCon, which brings together creators, producers, and policymakers to build stronger pathways for careers in the arts. CultureCon has some exciting collaborations coming up! On 5–6 November, they’re teaming up with the British Council for a special showcase, followed by a culinary arts pop-up in Pune with the Goethe-Institut on 22 November. Keep an eye on their socials for all the updates!

Shared Ownership, Shared Future

Rashmi’s perspective is pragmatic yet deeply hopeful. “There’s more opportunity than ever before,” she says. “If the right people are driving growth — inclusively and sustainably — good things will happen.”

For her, the real power of AOTP lies in collective ownership: artists, institutions, and governments working together to map and strengthen the cultural ecosystem through shared data and shared purpose.

If you enjoyed this conversation, you can listen to the full podcast episode with Mark Dakin on the AOTP Podcast. Subscribe, rate, and share the episode, and to learn more, visit aotp.in/.

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