Mumbai: The Other Circle (TOC) has been appointed as the communications and public relations partner for the fourth edition of CultureCon 2026, India’s flagship multidisciplinary conference for the creative sector, scheduled to be held on August 6 and 7 at the National Centre for the Performing Arts (NCPA) in Mumbai.
Presented by Art X Company and Festivals from India in partnership with NCPA, CultureCon 2026 will focus on the theme, “Creative Economy: Culture, Capital, Commerce and Careers,” bringing together artists, entrepreneurs, investors, employers, policymakers and cultural practitioners to discuss the future of India’s creative economy.
The partnership comes amid growing recognition of cultural and creative industries as key contributors to employment, entrepreneurship and economic growth. According to UNESCO, the creative economy accounts for approximately 3.1% of global GDP and 6.2% of global employment, while employing more people aged 15 to 29 than any other industry.
Under the mandate, TOC will lead strategic communications, media relations, narrative development and thought leadership for CultureCon 2026, with the objective of positioning the conference at the centre of conversations around India’s evolving creative economy across business, policy, education, trade and cultural media.
Commenting on the partnership, Aakanksha Gupta, Founder & CEO, The Other Circle, said, “CultureCon is asking one of the most important questions facing India’s creative sector today: what does it take to build sustainable creative careers? That is a conversation worth amplifying. At TOC, we believe the creative economy deserves the same strategic storytelling that technology, finance and startups have benefited from over the past decade. Our role is to ensure these ideas reach the policymakers, institutions, businesses and creative communities shaping the future of the industry.”
Rashmi Dhanwani, Founder-Director, Art X Company & Festivals from India, said, “CultureCon has always been about strengthening the ecosystem behind India’s creative sector – not only by bringing people together, but by creating conversations that lead to action. As we continue building a platform that examines the future of creative work in India, it is important to partner with a communications agency that understands both culture and strategy. TOC brings that rare combination, helping these conversations reach the audiences that matter most.”
The organisers said the collaboration brings together a platform focused on shaping the future of India’s creative economy and a communications consultancy with experience in building narratives across culture, business and public policy. Together, CultureCon and TOC aim to elevate the discourse around creativity as both a cultural and economic driver of India’s future.
