Kochi Municipal Corporation has appointed artist and curator Bose Krishnamachari as the new Art, Design and Cultural Curator of Kochi city, with a formal ceremony, taking place on March 11, 2026 at the Mayor’s Chamber,
The civic body announced that Krishnamachari will work closely with the municipality to shape Kochi’s cultural vision, with a mandate that foregrounds art, design and culture as central to the city’s public life. The role positions him within the municipal framework rather than a single institution, indicating an effort to embed cultural programming into urban planning, public spaces and community-led initiatives.
About Bose Krishnamachari
Krishnamachari is best known as the co-founder and long-time president of the Kochi-Muziris Biennale, India’s leading platform for contemporary art, which has transformed Kochi into a major destination on the global biennial map since its inception in 2012. Under his leadership, the Biennale has drawn large local audiences and international recognition, catalysing new forms of public engagement with contemporary art in Kerala.
In January 2026, he stepped down as president of the Kochi Biennale Foundation citing “pressing family reasons,” ending a key chapter in his association with the festival even as the sixth edition, “For the Time Being,” continues through March 31, 2026. His new municipal role suggests a shift from festival-centric leadership to a broader civic and infrastructural engagement with culture in Kochi.
Significance for Kochi
The creation of an Art, Design and Cultural Curator position within Kochi Municipal Corporation aligns with global trends where cities formally integrate cultural curatorship into governance to coordinate festivals, heritage projects and public art. For Kochi, which already hosts South Asia’s most prominent contemporary art biennale, the move may consolidate its status as a leading cultural city while potentially bringing Biennale-era learnings—such as site-responsive projects and community outreach—into year-round urban programming. The announcement signals a renewed institutional commitment to culture as a public good in Kochi.
Athmaja Biju is the Editor at Abir Pothi. She is a Translator and Writer working on Visual Culture.
