Sunaparanta-Goa Centre for the Arts is a non-profit arts education initiative of Dattaraj V. Salgaocar. It has the following broad aims and objectives: to preserve the artistic and cultural legacies of Goa through collections and archives as well as public art projects; to encourage, sponsor, and promote innovative work in the visual arts to serve as a bridge between the Goan art community and the national and international art communities; and, most importantly, to provide mentoring and resource support to art students and others, including children and adults with special needs..

Sunaparanta is conveniently located in the picturesque Altinho hills of Panjim, where residents and visitors to Goa can benefit from a year-long schedule of arts activities and exhibitions. We maintain a full-time administration office. At the moment, regular weekly programmes that run throughout the year, starting in February of 2009, include the Art Lounge, with weekly interactive sessions open to the public; Film for Thought, which presents documentary and art films; a Sketch Club headed by Harshada Kerkar; The Mango Tree, an art school for children conceived by Deviprasad C Rao is open from Monday through Friday, and includes the Devamitra Project, a programme for children with special needs. Sunaparanta is also the primary funding agency for Blue Shores Silent, a prison art programme conceived and conducted by Swatee Kotwal Nair, which in addition to training in technique and application, offers training in art history, theory and allied arts.

The centre now houses several exhibition galleries, a large multi-functional space for workshops and lectures, studios, two residency rooms for visiting scholars, artists or faculty, and an open courtyard that houses the Café Al Fresco. We are also building up an art resource library to support the development of emerging artists and art students.

Sunaparanta intends to be a strong advocate for Goa arts funding and support. It will serve as an umbrella venue for various groups by promoting understanding and appreciation of the arts. It will provide working and exhibition space, assistance with exchange and grant funding initiatives, financial and creative support for special co-operative projects, and networking with state, national and international organizations.