From the pols (linear and adjoining heritage settlements) of its old city, intricately designed chabutaras (birdhouses) and multi-storeyed vavs (stepwells) to initiatives by Ahmedabad Mill Owners’ Association (ATMA) and several landmarks by renowned architects such as B.V. Doshi and Louis Kahn, the city of Ahmedabad in Gujarat, India, becomes an architectural ecosystem for everyday encounters with history, craft and art. Ahmedabad’s creative ethos is rooted in its institutions—notably National Institute of Design (NID) and Centre for Environmental Planning and Technology (CEPT), whose pedagogy, workshops and studios nurture the local galleries and practices with practitioners trained in cross-disciplinary design thinking—as much as the character of its streets and buildings. The reciprocal flows between its architectural heritage, design education and civic initiatives have created an infrastructure where learning, experimentation and practice of architecture, design and art intersect and create a flourishing culture for creative expression. “It is this existing infrastructure that fosters the nature of the audience that experiences Ahmedabad Cultural Week (ACW), while giving it a natural identity,” Shristi Sainani, curator of the recently concluded ACW, told STIR.

“Ahmedabad is already deemed a UNESCO World Heritage Site because of its rich history, cultural heritage and preserves of exquisite handicrafts and culinary traditions. It also has a lineage of patronage with important families that form the cultural foundation and has witnessed tracks of brilliant minds— architects, artists, performers of all sorts and filmmakers. Through ACW, we aim to add another layer to the cultural scape through contemporaneity, while also revealing and celebrating histories that were often overlooked or are being forgotten,” said Sainani. Running from October 3-13, 2025, across 15 venues, all institutions that are already established in the city and have a distinct identity, the event simultaneously reactivated them as cultural nodes for the visitors to experience a diverse range of creative practice and an opportunity to look at them, collectively, as part of a vibrant urban culture.

Art galleries such as 079 | STORIES, Iram, Archer and Samara regularly showcase the work of established and upcoming artists, while institutions like Arthshila Ahmedabad are a platform for immersive experiences in architecture, cinema, design, literature, performing arts and visual arts. Additionally, venues such as Basera, Conflictorium and Mehnat Manzil bring contemporary issues to life and give voices to underrepresented communities. The Conflictorium has a permanent exhibition of the political history of India, particularly Gujarat, whereby it insists on the importance of abiding by the constitution for the betterment of citizens. While Basera trains women to secure jobs for their financial independence, Mehnat Manzil highlights the struggles of those who work in the informal sector, which constitutes a hefty portion of jobs in the country.

“We wanted to be inclusive and diverse, as we balanced the genres of art spaces, some that showcased traditional realms of art, had commercial considerations and a few which unveiled socially charged issues,” said Sainani. In an attempt to reflect what she termed an “honest image” of urban culture, traditional practices met textile and product design at the Shreyas Foundation’s Lokayatan Museum and the Shifting Identities exhibition at Arthshila Ahmedabad, curated by Archi Banerjee. Art installations such as Soul by artists Barsha and Amar Dutta, the Sacred Cipher exhibition by Rakesh Patel, Sonal Ambani’s metal sculptures at Samara Art Gallery and Archer Art Gallery’s Amdavad thi exhibition of local artists were moored in the contemporary art landscape. These events showcase an Ahmedabad that is multi-layered and multi-cultural.

While acknowledging its limitations as an inaugural edition, the ACW looks toward broader representation and new collaborations in future editions. “For instance, in the editions to come it would be a dream to invite contemporary art into a heritage site [like] Rani ni Vav, or perhaps have one of the reputed design schools bring to this city an exhibition of the work of Louis Kahn or Alexander Calder - who already have history with the city of Ahmedabad,” said Sainani on the vision for the event. By synchronising the city’s many artistic and institutional voices, the Ahmedabad Cultural Week makes visible an ecosystem that has long existed beneath the surface, revealing the city as a living, ever-changing canvas.

STIR is a media partner with Ahmedabad Cultural Week, which was held from October 3 - 13, 2025.