Arts and Entertainment For the Budget-Minded Aficionado

During a recession, people tend to cut back on their arts and entertainment spending. But the arts are life-enriching, and entertainment is crucial during difficult financial times. Here are some inexpensive ideas for cultural pursuits.

Films look best on the big screen. If you crave a theatrical release when it’s actually released, go to matinees. Seniors can get a big discount on tickets.

More tips:

-Single-screen theaters and theaters on the edge of cities tend to charge less for tickets.

-Check out your Park & Recreation Department during the summer. Many fund free outdoor movie nights.

-If you or someone you know has projection equipment, hold a movie night in your back yard. Throw a potluck dinner and borrow some classic films from the library.

If live theater is on your list, try volunteering as an on-call usher. Training is minimal and most ushers get to see the show for free. The longer you usher, the more likely you’ll get your pick of shows.

More tips:

-Local repertory companies generally charge less than bigger theatrical productions.

-Matinees and week nights are less expensive than weekends.

-Look for local theater groups that perform for free in public parks.

-Check your neighborhood library for free children’s programs that include puppet shows, storytelling, and musical performances.

Large museum shows can be pricey but most every museum offers corporate-sponsored free days at least once a month. Check Web sites and do some research-it’s not always readily available information. You can always call and find out, then mark every free day in your calendar and plan accordingly. This goes for children’s museums and science museums too.

More tips:

-Small galleries hold openings for new artists’ work and group shows. Get on their email lists.

-Street fairs will have on average, at least two booths full of decent art, and free craft demonstrations, which are entertaining.

-Volunteer as a docent in your favorite gallery or museum. You’ll learn about art, the local art scene, and possibly get invitations to museum events.

Architectural Divines of Indian Arts and Entertainment

Arts and entertainment refers to the values which an individual or a nation bears in terms of architecture, painting, sculpture, trends of fashion and cinema. Historic world of Indian Architecture resembles to be into heavens. The old monuments and carved stones tell the stores on their own. The monuments always bears the influence of the rulers and his respective religion, their life style, types of weapons they used for war and much more.

The archeological surveys starts story from the Indus Valley Civilization and prove us of a civilized city of Mohanjodaro long back ago at 7000 B.C. which is now a days a part of Pakistan. The surveys corresponds to a well developed city with all facilities relate regarding water, sevage, entertainment, clothing and the estates. The Caves of Ajanta and Ellora represent great ‘fine arts’ flourished under the patronage of various rules. The rulers spend a lot for the entertainment. There were great musicians and singers who enlighten the big domes and palaces with their arts.

The stone carvings and paintings at various temples and worship places show the great impact of religion within the minds of rulers. Some of them bear the complete religious books carved at the boundaries of temples. Southern India is full of such examples. We can find a presence of a great scientific knowledge at that time if we go for Jantar Mantar at New Delhi. It goes over the mind when we see 1600 years old iron towers standing open-air without getting rusted.

Before English, the latest Indian Rulers were the Mughals, and hence we can visualize a big impact of their architecture. The Big tomb of Emperor is in itself a big great monument. The Taj Mahal, in Agra (Uttar Pradesh), which is amongst the seven wonders of world, was build up of pure white marble in more than 15 years, in memory of her late queen Mumtaj Mahal. It is a great example of architecture of those times. At those times, the rulers get immense entertaining happiness and joy building great architectures using best of there engineering and fine arts.

After Mughals, next were the British. The British monuments give a resemblance to the roman Architecture. Apart from the regions which were in completely hold of English, the left areas were ‘Princely States’ which were ruled by respective rulers with partial influence of British. These princely states hold within the special arts and entertainment but still remain affected by the new culture.

The Princes are educated along the Englishmen and get into the European Culture and introduced to west which put an impact over the architecture of these states too. The places of these states got a change of western style furniture and few moved into western dancing and singing trends. The big dining rooms of the paces were introduced with the fireplaces and fountains.

To develop a new India and to keep a hold on the long established powers, the princes always remain into good relations with British. Some of them were really were found successful. The good examples are new towns of Jaipur, Beekaner and Mysore which are among the most fortunate in getting rid of this divide.