Academy of Fine Arts

The Academy of Fine Arts is one of India's oldest fine arts societies, located on Cathedral Road in central Kolkata, West Bengal. Established in 1933, it is a prominent cultural institution housing art galleries, a museum and an auditorium. It is known for its collection of paintings, textiles and carpets, including works by Rabindranath Tagore, Jamini Roy and other Bengal School artists, and for hosting regular art exhibitions and theatre performances.

Visitors can expect a heritage cultural complex with multiple gallery spaces displaying paintings, prints, textiles and decorative arts, a small museum with carpets and archival collections, and a well-known auditorium hosting theatre, music and cultural programs. The building is located in Kolkata's cultural hub opposite Rabindra Sadan and near Nandan, with quiet gallery halls, exhibition spaces and corridors displaying rotating contemporary and historical artworks.

Founded in 1933 by Lady Ranu Mukherjee with support from Rabindranath Tagore and other prominent artists and patrons, the Academy was established to promote fine arts in Bengal. It played a key role in nurturing the Bengal School of Art and has since served as a major centre for visual arts, exhibitions and performing arts in Kolkata for over nine decades.

The Academy is a leading cultural institution in West Bengal, known for preserving and promoting Indian modern and contemporary art, particularly the Bengal School. It serves as a venue for artists, art students and theatre groups, hosting exhibitions, workshops and performances that contribute to Kolkata's cultural life.