The Kappa CULTR, an initiative by the Mathrubhumi Group, is a three-day event aiming to unite India’s music, art forms, cultures, fashion, food, and adventure. The festival, set at Bolgatty Palace, Kochi from March 8th to 10th, features a diverse musical lineup, immersive zones, culinary experiences, fashion discoveries, and interactive art installations.
Mayura Shreyams Kumar, Director of Digital Business at Mathrubhumi Group, emphasized the festival’s goal of celebrating and respecting diverse cultures in a conversation with medianews4u.
While predominantly a music festival, Kappa CULTR extends beyond music, encompassing art, fashion, food, and activities like skateboarding and BMXing. The tagline, “Same Same, but different,” reflects the festival’s ethos of accepting diverse perspectives. Kumar highlighted the festival’s positive impact on audience engagement and brand association, aiming for participation of over 2000 people.
“There is a saying that everybody should exist as one in this world. For us, it is not about existing as one, but celebrating, appreciating, and respecting the differences that everybody has. It is about bringing different types of cultures in one place and interacting with those cultures. It is also about being proud of the place an individual is in. Hence, it is not about being in one happy world, but about being in different universes, coexisting and respecting each other’s way of life – that’s when the name CULTR came up,” Kumar explained.
She emphasizes that Kappa CULTR is predominantly a music festival but aims to go beyond music.
Kumar stated, “Kappa TV, owned by Mathrubhumi Group, has always been a brand promoting independent music in Kerala and South India. We realized the need for an on-ground space where artists can perform, and people can interact with them. Another reason is that we believe Kappa has a valuable role in the music space in South India. We didn’t want to limit it to music; hence, we have art, fashion, food, board games, skateboarding, BMXing, and skimboarding, etc. The fest’s logo is written in braille – it is about inclusivity.”
“In terms of brands associated with the fest, we want to showcase who they are. We want the association to go beyond logo placements and connect with the audiences on a much deeper level. Also, I believe that it is high time for Kerala to get activated with these kinds of events. We have a huge number of working populations; there are things happening here, but it will always be good to have more events of this sort. The acceptance of new ideas in Kerala is huge and wide,” she added.
The fest’s tagline is “Same Same, but different.”
“We all have different perceptions towards different things; that doesn’t mean that anyone is wrong. It is all about accepting those perspectives. It is about not being black and white about things; it is finding good in everything others are doing; hence, the tagline,” Kumar said.
“The Kappa CULTR has helped in adding a new set of audience for us. Our social engagement after the fest’s announcement has also increased. We have been getting a good response and feedback from other cities in India, which is good for us and the brands associated. We have collaborated with influencers for the event; digital plays a huge part. OOH is also used for fest promotion. We have also partnered with other music spaces, and there have been interest-based requests for event promotion. We expect participation of over 2000 people, and our plan is to make The Kappa CULTR an annual event,” Kumar concluded.
