Bengaluru: The city is set to get a dedicated busking platform for singers, musicians, and performers, with UnboxingBLR Foundation hoping the initiative will strengthen Bengaluru’s creative ecosystem while bringing public spaces to life.Called The Music Scene, the initiative will be launched on July 24 at the open space outside Sobha Mall on Church Street, with curated performances every Saturday from 5pm to 8pm. Supported by city police, it will provide emerging artists with a structured, permission-backed platform to perform.The launch comes more than a year after British singer Ed Sheeran’s surprise street performance on Church Street on Feb 9, 2025 was halted by police, triggering a wider debate on busking in Bengaluru. While Sheeran’s team claimed they had permission, police maintained no approval had been granted.“Many global musicians started out as buskers. The idea is to create a democratised platform where talented performers don’t need to know somebody to get an opportunity,” said Malini Goyal, CEO of UnboxingBLR Foundation.According to Goyal, the initiative aims to provide opportunities for emerging performers, activate public spaces through live music, and enrich the citizen experience. “We also want to nurture Bengaluru’s creative and cultural landscape. Many musicians move to cities like Mumbai because they offer more opportunities. This is a small beginning,” she said.Artists will be selected through an application and curation process.Museum projectIn a separate development, Karnataka govt and UnboxingBLR Foundation have selected Dublin-based Heneghan Peng Architects Consortium as the design and technical agency for Bengaluru’s proposed Museum of Innovation, Startup & Technology (MIST). The consortium, which includes Bengaluru-based Cadence Architects, was chosen from 13 global entrants.Heneghan Peng is known for projects including the Grand Egyptian Museum in Giza, the National Gallery of Ireland, Fulham Town Hall in London, and Germany’s Salt Works Complex.The first phase of the public-private partnership project, coming up at the repurposed Switchgear Factory Shed in NGEF Layout, is expected to open in 2028.MIST, registered as the Karnataka Technology Innovation Museum Foundation (KTIMF), is a partnership between UnboxingBLR Foundation and the state’s department of electronics, information technology and biotechnology. The museum aims to chronicle India’s journey in innovation, startups, and technology.
