Neither my children nor my relatives study in a graphic design institute, yet I feel compelled to write about my recent visit to one. I have been to engineering institutes, medical colleges, and community colleges before, but I have never experienced something like I did during my recent visit to a graphic design institute.

Discovering the Campus

Little did I know there is a graphic design institute near me, a campus nestled amidst the hustle and bustle of city life. I hadn’t received any special invitation to the campus. It happened by chance while I was taking a stroll near my residential area and came across some teenage students dressed in fancy outfits. To my surprise, I checked the calendar to see if it was Halloween or a national festival like Children’s Day. It wasn’t, and my curiosity led me to ask one of the students about the occasion.

They informed me that their college, Graphic Era College, was organizing a two-day fest called ‘Chakor’ in memory of the great Gujarati artist and illustrator, the late Shri Bansilal ji Verma.

The Fest Experience

I went out for a stroll only to refresh my mind from the stress and stagnation of the last two months. However, this fest and those delightful kids seemed like a promising opportunity to explore the event at a type of institute I had never had the chance to explore before – the best graphic design institute in Rajkot. Though I was nervous about not being dressed for the occasion, the sweet kids offered me a floral tiara and wrapped a superman-like cape around me as a welcome gesture, then escorted me to the pretty fest area.

A Unique Campus

The college did not have a sprawling campus with huge buildings. However, at first glance, it was clearly different from any IIT or medical college. It felt like a campus where budding artists would study. It sensed like an artistic haven that would inspire and invoke the creativity of young talents. The campus was lush green like any other campus, but there was an artistic essence even in the greenery.

The shrubs and trees were planted in symmetry and grouped by colors, types, and families. The flowers were planted and named in color schemes and handmade nameplates. The small roads or lanes were not cemented but paved with stones and soil. There was graffiti all over the walls, but none of them felt loud or out of place. None looked politically charged but seemed inspired by the artistic landscape of our country and Gujarat.

Celebrating Art and Culture

The first day of the fest was dedicated to commemorating the great artists of Gujarat who have made priceless contributions to Gujarati literature, cinema, visual arts, and theatre. Of course, how could I not attend the next day? The second day was dedicated to the farewell projects of the final year undergraduate and postgraduate students, along with a farewell

ceremony full of speeches, fun activities, and student interactions to pass down the inspiration and ethics of arts and culture as a graphic design institute should.

Curiosity turns to Learning

By the second day, my sense of refreshment had transformed into curiosity and meaningful exploration. I wanted to understand the state-of-the-art facilities, the alumni circles, and the faculty driving such an aspirational young artist’s brigade.

I had the wonderful chance to interact with students and learn about their experiences at the graphic design institute. I reviewed their curriculums, the courses they offered, and the specializations they facilitated. I wanted to understand how feasible it is for a financially underprivileged talent to pursue a course here. Was there any scope for scholarships or fee relaxations for bright, deserving candidates?

And most importantly, the major questions that bother every parent who cannot convince themselves about sending their children to a graphic design institute to pursue art as a profession: questions about career security, income potential, and the scope of art as a profession. What would be the career path and choices for a student graduating from such a graphic design college? All of this, I wish to address separately in a series of blogs to provide deeper clarity on graphic design and the industries it caters to.

A World Promising Creativity and Ambitions

For now, I wish to confess that my visit to this graphic design institute near me was nothing less than a surprise, nothing less than a secret unveiled. I could never believe that this graphic design institute nestled in the hustle and bustle of city life would be a completely different world of awe and beauty.

I did not know that there was a graphic design institute near me that has cultivated a sense of cultural pride in young generations who find it difficult to connect with the glory of the past and inspiration for the future. I didn’t even know how an ideal graphic design institute feels, how it imbibes the values of beauty, aesthetics, and a sense of security in students in this loud job market congested with hard professions like IT Software, Banking and lifeless Corporates.

Through this first blog, my sole purpose was to cheer up kids and parents about the bright possibilities lying ahead in their kids’ lives if they have a passion for arts and design. They must be assured that the opportunities in this career path are not only exciting and ample but also lucrative and impactful