Trinity Laban and Shiv Nadar University Announce Satyam Kalon: A Global Arts Collaboration

Trinity Laban (London) and Shiv Nadar University (New Delhi) jointly announce the launch of Satyam Kalon, a transcultural arts research and education project uniting leading institutions spanning India, the United Kingdom and the United States, launching in Autumn 2025. 

Satyam Kalon aims to bring together the finest creatives and academics across the globe in the pursuit of excellence, new thinking and performance. It provides scholarships, research grants and senior-level teaching support to a select group of dancers, musicians, visual artists, art historians and art philosophers based at leading higher education institutions. This group will collaborate to produce dance, music, visual art and research that will leave a tangible legacy for the global creative and arts education communities.

Driven by philanthropic support, and with the endorsement of globally renowned figures including Trinity Laban’s Honorary President AR Rahman, the initiative offers scholarships, research grants, and senior-level teaching to a select cohort of artists and scholars. Together, they will shape a legacy of interdisciplinary creation and thought leadership that redefines the future of global arts education.  

A Vision Rooted in Excellence

Satyam Kalon brings together students and faculty from Trinity Laban, Shiv Nadar University, Attakkalari Centre for Movement Arts (Bangalore), and KM Music Conservatory (Chennai), institutions recognised for their leadership in contemporary practice, research, and pedagogy. The programme is further enriched by  the participation of students from Columbia University (New York) and visiting academics and professors from Bonn University (Germany), Columbia University (New York) and The Courtauld Institute of Art (London).

This international collective will convene through seminars, workshops, and jointly curated events in London and Delhi, fostering a dynamic exchange of ideas and practices across disciplines and cultures.

A Name That Speaks to Universal Ideals

The name Satyam Kalon unites the Sanskrit word Satyam (Truth) and the Greek word Kalon (Beauty)—an East-West convergence of ancient philosophical ideals encompassing aesthetics, ethics, and metaphysics. These ideals are universal, non-theistic, and deeply resonant with the programme’s ethos.

Transcending Silos, Cultivating Legacy

At its core, Satyam Kalon is a commitment to transcultural academic and creative rigour. Artists will gain deep insight into the history and philosophy of their artforms, while theorists will see their research brought to life through collaborative creation. The programme’s interdisciplinary nature ensures that participants will produce groundbreaking artworks and thought-leading scholarship that challenge conventional boundaries. 

The holistic training, opportunities and profile of the project will provide a springboard for its students to succeed in whichever career that they wish to pursue, whether as artist, curator, educator or in an industry setting.  

Professor Aleksander Szram, Artistic Director of Trinity Laban, says: “Forming Satyam Kalon with our partners is an important step as we develop our vision for excellence beyond tradition. It is a commitment to push boundaries and explore creativity across art forms, making space for deep thought through a rigorous, research-led process. At Trinity Laban we believe that forging new cultural languages across continents is fundamental to our mission, as we develop artists who will lead the future sense of global community and society”

Dr. Aadya Kaktikar, Associate Professor, Head of the Department of Art, Media and Performance at Shiv Nadar University says: “Participation in the Satyam Kalon Project will support and expand the unique interdisciplinary space that the Department of Art, Media and Performance holds in Indian higher education. Bridging the binaries between artistic practice and research, thinking and making, and between tradition and contemporaneity, the Satyam Kalon project is a much-needed interdisciplinary intervention for the arts.”

Philanthropy with Purpose and Measurable Outcomes

The programme is made possible through philanthropic support, enabling access to world-class teaching and resources for emerging talent as well as the creation of a unique corpus of artwork and research. While the initial donor prefers to remain unnamed, their vision and generosity have been instrumental in shaping the project’s scope and ambition.

Satyam Kalon’s founder says: “Growing up in London in the eighties and early nineties, the South Asian music and films that my parents loved, and the Western artists that I was more used to appeared miles apart, even though they seemed to touch the soul in the same way. The Satyam Kalon Programme provides a platform for a diverse group of talented students and researchers, guided by leading academics and artists, to explore the confluence of cultures and artforms in a dynamic creative environment. The programme presents a compelling opportunity for philanthropists to fund the pursuit of global artistic excellence in a focussed way.”  

Endorsements from Global Icons

AR Rahman has lent his support to the programme, recognising its potential to transform the landscape of arts education. His involvement signals the calibre and credibility of the initiative, and his voice will be central to future fundraising and outreach efforts.

International composer and performer, Founder of KM Music Conservatory and Honorary President of Trinity Laban, AR Rahman, says: “My whole life has been dedicated to finding new ways of reaching out across the globe to connect people and cultures through music and art. These new networks and initiatives created through Satyam Kalon exemplify this at the highest level, and I am very proud to see esteemed international organisations and experts forging new collaborations to build a stronger creative future.”