Pune's JM Road will transform into an open-air art gallery on November 16, 2025, hosting the inaugural Pune Street Art Festival 2025. Organized by the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) and Bharati Vidyapeeth College of Fine Arts, the one-day event will feature paintings, sculptures, pottery, ceramics, and mixed-media works from about 50 artists selected via the PMC Care app. The festival aims to make art accessible to the public, with no commission on sales and prices starting at ₹500, and includes live demonstrations and artist-audience dialogues.
The festival matters because it democratizes art by moving it beyond traditional galleries into everyday public spaces, fostering community engagement and supporting artists who struggled during the Covid-19 pandemic. Coinciding with PMC's 75th anniversary and Bharati Vidyapeeth College of Fine Arts' 25th anniversary, it also draws inspiration from Bengaluru's Chitra Santhe, aiming to build a sustained culture of public art in Pune. The event addresses digital saturation by encouraging creative activities for both children and adults.