South Zone Cultural Center (SZCC), one of the seven Cultural Centers in the country, was established in 1986, at
Tiruvaiyaru in
Thanjavur district. The center was later shifted to
Thanjavur town. Its main operation areas include the states of
Andhra Pradesh,
Karnataka,
Kerala and
Tamil Nadu and union territories of
Pondicherry,
Andaman and Nicobar Islands and Lakshadweep.
The center is dedicated to the promotion of fine arts, dance, drama, music, theater and crafts related forms. It also promotes and preserves the art forms by improving opportunities for the artists, documenting dying art forms and ensuring the participation of the youth in cultural activities.
In addition to pre-decided programs, the center organizes special programs and collaborative programs with the Lalit Kala Akademi, Sangeet Natak Academi, Sahitya Akademi and National School of Drama.
The nearest airport is at Tiruchirapalli, about 58 km from the city. The closest railway station is the Thanjavur Railway Station.
