“At Kala Ghoda, Original And Folk Music Is Central, Not Peripheral”-Rakesh Nigam,CEO IPRS

Rakesh Nigam, CEO of the Indian Performing Right Society (IPRS), has been at the forefront of strengthening India’s music rights ecosystem, advocating for fair compensation and sustainable frameworks for creators across genres.

As the Kala Ghoda Arts Festival continues to spotlight India’s rich tapestry of original and folk music, Nigam’s voice underscores the growing intersection of cultural celebration and the business of music,where visibility, rights, and long-term sustainability must move forward together.

In this exclusive interview with Loudest.in, he discusses how Kala Ghoda bridges culture and commerce while enabling sustainable creator revenues.

Here are edited excerpts:

Festivals and public cultural platforms are often where audiences encounter folk and original music most authentically. How crucial are these spaces in giving creators visibility beyond mainstream commercial ecosystems?

Festivals and public cultural platforms play a foundational role in shaping how audiences discover and engage with music that exists beyond mainstream commercial circuits. For many folk, regional, and independent creators, these platforms are not just performance venues; they are gateways to visibility, validation, and long-term audience connection. Unlike algorithm-driven discovery, festivals allow music to be experienced in its cultural and social context, where sound, storytelling, and heritage come together organically.

Platforms like Kala Ghoda create an environment where original and folk music is not positioned as niche or peripheral, but as central to India’s cultural narrative. They bring together culturally engaged audiences, curators, policymakers, and creators in one space, enabling music to travel beyond its place of origin and find new listeners. For creators, this visibility is often the starting point of broader recognition leading to collaborations, touring opportunities, and sustained engagement with audiences who value authenticity over trends.

Events like Kala Ghoda attract culturally engaged audiences; how can such festivals help educate the public about music rights and the importance of fair compensation for creators?

Cultural festivals offer a unique opportunity to build awareness around music rights in a manner that feels natural, inclusive, and rooted in appreciation rather than instruction. When audiences attend festivals like Kala Ghoda, they come with an inherent respect for art, culture, and creativity. This makes such spaces ideal for introducing conversations around the value of music, the people behind it, and the systems that sustain creative work.

By integrating creator narratives, panel discussions, and transparent performance practices, festivals can help audiences understand that music is not just an expression but also a profession. When listeners recognise that fair compensation enables creators to continue producing meaningful work, respect for music rights becomes intuitive. Education in these settings strengthens the cultural contract between audiences and creators, reinforcing the idea that enjoying music and supporting its creators are part of the same ecosystem.

From IPRS’ perspective, why is licensing at festivals and public events essential to sustaining regional, folk, and devotional music traditions in the long term?

Licensing is fundamental to ensuring that cultural celebration is matched with economic sustainability. Regional, folk, and devotional music traditions are living art forms carried forward by creators who depend on consistent recognition and remuneration. Licensing ensures that when music is performed publicly and generates value, that value flows back to the creators who sustain these traditions.

At IPRS, this responsibility is supported by robust vigilance and compliance systems. Over the past year, IPRS has strengthened its nationwide monitoring of public performances, issuing several hundred notices and securing court-backed orders across key cities to reinforce lawful usage. This vigilance is not punitive; it is structural. It ensures that festivals, venues, and events operate within a fair and transparent framework, allowing cultural platforms to grow responsibly while safeguarding the livelihoods of creators.

Independent and folk artists frequently struggle to monetise their work. What structural challenges do they face, and how can festivals play a role in creating more equitable revenue pathways?

Independent and folk artists often work within informal ecosystems where awareness of rights, access to organised revenue streams, and institutional support are still developing. Many creators focus primarily on preserving their craft, with limited exposure to the legal and commercial structures that govern today’s music economy.

Festivals can play a transformative role by formalising participation through compliant and transparent practices. When festivals ensure licensed performances and collaborate with rights organisations, they create equitable revenue pathways that recognise creators as professional rights-holders. Combined with education initiatives and outreach by organisations like IPRS, this approach helps creators build confidence, understand their entitlements, and participate more fully in a sustainable music economy.

At the heart of a sustainable music economy lies metadata, the invisible infrastructure that ensures creators are discovered, credited, and fairly compensated. Through My Music My Rights, IPRS has taken metadata and rights education deep into regional and grassroots ecosystems, empowering creators to participate confidently in the formal music economy.

As India celebrates its cultural heritage more visibly, why is respecting music rights just as important as showcasing tradition, and what risks do we face if rights are overlooked?

Celebrating cultural heritage and respecting music rights are not separate objectives they are deeply interconnected. Visibility without protection is fragile. When music is widely showcased without corresponding systems of recognition and compensation, creators are celebrated in the moment but unsupported in the long term. Respecting rights ensures that cultural heritage is not only preserved symbolically but sustained economically.

As India’s cultural calendar peaks during festive and celebratory moments, IPRS’s nationwide vigilance underscores a foundational truth: celebration and creativity must be aligned with lawful and responsible practices. Through decisive legal action across Mumbai, Bengaluru, Delhi, and Calcutta, IPRS has reinforced the statutory obligation under Sections 13, 14 and 51 of the Copyright Act, 1957, which mandate that any public performance or communication of musical and literary works requires prior authorisation from the rightful copyright society.

The recent orders of the Hon’ble High Courts restraining unlicensed New Year’s Eve performances unless a valid licence is obtained affirm that copyright protection is not optional, seasonal, or negotiable. These court backed interventions reflect a broader institutional responsibility: ensuring that as music generates commercial and experiential value for venues, hotels, and events, the economic value flows back to the creators who form the foundation of India’s music ecosystem. By coupling awareness with lawful enforcement, IPRS is reinforcing a mature, credible, and future-ready framework where cultural celebration, compliance, and creator dignity move forward together.