Abstract:
Growing up in the City of Flowers, we saw more bombs than festivities. A city that was once
abuzz with stories and tang takor could only hear cries and wails. Even under such
circumstances, performance arts (music) flourished where it found the space too. Many artists
grew in such times and have found a place for themselves in the industry, but they did not find it
safe to practice and perform here. The situation worsened and they were either forced to stop
making music or move to other cities. The absence of any formal space in Peshawar for
musicians and other creative individuals to practice their art form and the absence of any formal
training institutions for Pashto folk music or the likes of it makes such a space a necessity.
For this reason, I am to provide a space for regional musicians to create, preserve and teach
music via my project. It is aimed towards the people of this city, whether they want to create or
experience an art form that is too resilient to die out.
The facility will cater to the older generation of musicians who have been forced to stop
performing and also to the newer generation, the ones struggling to find a space to practice and
learn. The building will have spaces for visitors to explore and understand different forms of music and
how pashto music has been influenced by the change in time and socio-political environment of
the region.
The site chosen is linked with the under-development heritage trail project in Peshawar, this will
make it a place that attracts tourists as well as the local population of the region.
