Mumbai stands at a critical point in its history. Our rich ecosystems and unique biodiversity are under threat from unsustainable planning and rapidly growing emissions. Without them, we cannot survive. That’s why Ministry of Mumbai’s Magic (MMM), in association with DeadAnt, are proud to announce #BiodiversityByTheBay, a three week digital arts festival that celebrates the Maximum City’s precious flora and fauna. Starting 5 October, the free festival will feature some of the most exciting figures in the worlds of music, comedy and design, with a new artist in the spotlight every day.  

The festival is being hosted across Instagram and YouTube between 5-25 October, split into three weeks of music, art, and comedy.

In music, we have lined up performances by bespoke suit-wearing dream-pop duo Parekh and Singh, alongside acoustic troubadour Nikhil Dsouza and singer-songwriter Tejas. Also on the lineup are contemporary pop/rap star Anushka Manchanda, veteran live electronica act BLOT!, and rapper and Desi Hip Hop editor Dee MC.

The design part of the festival will feature artistic interventions by some of India’s most promising young visual artists, including Shilo Shiv Suleman, Priyanka Paul, Pia Alize Hazarika, and Aaquib Wani. They’ll be joined by Aaron Pinto, Smish Design, Mehek, Osheen Siva, Shweta Malhotra and Vinu Joseph. The artists will each launch a new work which responds to Mumbai’s ecosystem.

And if there’s anything we all need in 2020, it’s a little bit of laughter. Everyone’s favourite comedy podcasters The Internet Said So will kick off the week of comedy, which will also include performances by Kunal Rao, Jose Covaco, Prashasti Singh, Daniel Fernandes and Anu Menon. 

This festival is part of MMM’s campaign to use digital and social action to help protect what makes Mumbai special. Key demands and call to actions for the campaign include protection of the Lesser Flamingo, declaring certain wetlands and mangroves as well as the Aarey forest as no development protected areas, supporting and sustaining the livelihoods of Koli communities in the city, and acknowledging the need to protect Mumbai’s marine ecosystems.

You can sign the petition to protect our legacy of biodiversity in Mumbai and have you voice heard here. For more details on this and other campaign by the Ministry of Mumbai’s Magic, visit their website here.