42 Best Performing Arts in India

This buzzy venue is where you will find works of award-winning contemporary artists from around the world. Bani Abidi, Nadia Kaabi-Linke, and Ayesha Sultana have all shown here. Experimental films and video art are also shown from time to time.

This center of art and creative discourse was established in 1933 by Lady Ranu Mookerji, a close associate of Tagore who was known for her beauty and her patronage of the arts and beauty. In addition to the permanent collection of paintings and Tagore manuscripts, the Academy hosts live acts and theater festivals throughout the year. It's a popular meeting ground for the city's intellectuals, especially in winter.

At one of the newer galleries in the city, you can view works of both young and legendary artists. Exhibits are innovatively curated, and their display is top-notch.

Part of a cultural institute with several galleries and performing spaces, Art Heritage has some of the finest exhibits in town.

Art Konsult hangs some accomplished contemporary work.

The nondescript venue has some art on display, but the main draw is the auditorium, where some very talented musicians and dancers perform. Winters are especially favored for classical concerts.

English-language plays are regularly staged by the British Council. The library is also well stocked.

The popularity of stand-up comedy has been on the rise in Mumbai ever since India received its own version of Comedy Central on cable back in 2011. Located in a luxury mall, this theater is a great place to catch local comics tuning up their act.

The Centre for International Modern Art displays works by Indian and international artists.

Kathakali performances in the air-conditioned room of the Cochin Cultural Centre start daily at 6 pm, though you should arrive an hour before the show to see makeup being applied.

A substantial collection of paintings by old masters and contemporary artists can be seen here; it often hosts comprehensive historical art exhibitions.

The Devi Art Foundation, with its sprawling exhibition area, is out of the way for the typical visitor—and the walk from the Metro station is unpleasant—but it's worth a visit for art enthusiasts. Shows on various themes are usually curated out of the permanent collection, which consists of long-time collector Lekha Poddar's folk art and historically significant acquisitions, as well as her son Anupam's trove of more cutting-edge contemporary works (he's a high-end hotelier).

It's a bit chaotic but this gallery that focuses on older contemporary artists is centrally located and large.

Works by modern Indian artists are on view here.

A small but remarkable space featuring both new and canonical artists, sometimes mixed together in edgy theme shows.

The various exhibition spaces here showcase painting, sculpture, Indian craft, and creativity of every kind. The main Visual Arts Gallery is just inside Gate 2.

Several cultural events, from classical Indian dance performances to local stand-up comedy acts, take place here every evening. It's also a regular venue for local theater troupes.

This is an established performance space near the Habitat Centre. From poetry readings to documentary film festivals, this is the place to witness the capital's famed love of high art.

A good place to catch a Bollywood film, or the latest English one, is the upscale Inox.

Theatrical and musical events are often staged here.

This is a long-standing venue for Indian classical music and dance. It's also a good place to sample Delhi's vibrant student-theater scene.

The former home of the Parishith Thampuran Museum now houses the Kerala Lalita Kala Akademi Gallery. There's not much here by way of explanation, but the traditional tile-roof building is cool and airy, and the interesting collection features contemporary works by Indian artists.

This government-run gallery in a large 1950s building shows several exhibits at once, usually of varying quality.

This is an old theater venue with performances by local and student groups. The performances are mostly free, so just show up a little in advance to get tickets.

Throughout the year, this fort hosts festivals and exhibits, such as Sufi music festivals and the Rajasthan International Folk festival in October. Inquire at your hotel or check the fort's website to see if anything is going on while you're here.

Music and dance performances during November's Ganga Mahotsav festival are held here. Concerts of some of Varanasi's—and India's—best musicians are also infrequently hosted here throughout the year. Ask your hotel to check the local Hindi newspaper, Aj, for events while you're in town, or check the English-language papers and websites yourself.

Popular with intellectuals and artsy young people, Nandan, the state-run theater in the Rabindra Sadan complex, shows art-house and independent films.

The Godrej Dance Academy Theater, a main venue for classical Indian dance performances as well as workshops and master classes, is in this huge complex, along with the Drama Opera Arts Complex, a 1,000-seat auditorium that is Mumbai's ballet and opera theater. There are also several theaters, including the Tata Theatre, a grand 1,000-seat auditorium that regularly hosts plays, often in English, and classical concerts by major Indian and international musicians. It also boasts a spacious and well-regarded Mediterranean restaurant, Amadeus, that occasionally holds wedding functions. Note that some NCPA performances are open to members only; a year's membership is Rs. 2,500.

This is one of the most cutting-edge art and photography galleries in town.