Request For Proposals: Explorations | Deadline: April 30, 2026

India Foundation for the Arts (IFA) invites applications for
Explorations
Under its Arts Practice programme

Deadline: April 30, 2026

Click here to read the call in other Indian languages

The Arts Practice programme seeks to implement projects where artists expand their present range of practices in new directions. These could question accepted conventions, push new frontiers in content, form and medium, explore new modes of engagement with space, audience and communities, foregrounding a spirit of experimentation.

As artists, we sometimes stumble upon an idea or feel an urge to venture into a direction that is new and exciting. However, given the context and location of our practice, the foray into these ideas may seem tentative and uncertain. We might at the time know nothing about where it will lead us. Even so, we realise the necessity of following through. A little support at these times may be of help.

Under the Arts Practice programme, we invite proposals for such Explorations that seek to probe, test and play around with ideas nascent, risky or unprecedented. These may not necessarily lead to an outcome. Such explorations could include thumbnailing, scribbling, script-writing, location scouting, animatics, jamming, storyboarding, rehearsing, sampling, robotics, lab explorations and other forms of exploratory work that are used to examine ideas.

Duration of the project

Up to six months

Budget

Up to a maximum of Rs 1,00,000/-

Who can Apply?

We invite proposals from practitioners working within as well as across disciplines. These could include:

  • Performing artists working in music, sound, text, dance, movement, theatre, puppetry, storytelling, magic, circus and other performance arts
  • Visual artists working across all forms including film (documentary and fiction), animation, photography, installation, new media, Artificial Intelligence, robotics, interactive arts, gaming, painting, sculpture, printmaking, comic book, graphic narrative, artist book and other visual arts
  • Curators, especially those working outside of the gallery context
  • Poets, novelists, playwrights, creative non-fiction writers, working with literary arts
  • Practitioners engaged in interdisciplinary work

Submission Guidelines

You can write your proposal in any Indian language, including English. IFA encourages projects in Indian languages other than English.

Send us your proposal with the following:

  • Your existing arts practice, concerns and interests as a practitioner
  • Details of the Exploration you want to pursue and the reason why
  • Detailed timeline and budget
  • Examples of earlier work
  • Your CV with address, phone number and email ID
  • Send your final application in a single email to John Xaviers, Programme Officer, Arts Practice at john@indiaifa.org with the subject line: Project Proposal for Explorations (Arts Practice).
  • For any queries and clarifications regarding your proposal, please write to john@indiaifa.org

Eligibility

  • Only Indian nationals can apply. This does not include PIO (Persons of Indian Origin) and OCI (Overseas Citizen of India) Card Holders.
  • Applicants must have a PAN card and one of the following for proof of identity and citizenship – Indian Passport or Aadhar Card or Voter’s ID in India.
  • Only individuals can apply. Organisations of any kind cannot apply.
  • If there are collaborators in the projects, they must also be Indian nationals.
  • Persons who have a past history of financial delinquency with IFA are not eligible.
  • Persons who have failed to deposit at IFA agreed deliverables from an earlier IFA grant are not eligible.
  • Persons who have previously received a letter from IFA disallowing them from applying in the future for any reason are not eligible.
  • Persons currently working on a project implemented by IFA are not eligible to apply. 
  • More than one individual can apply if they have a joint account. If they do not, then only one among them should apply with the others as collaborators.

Selection Process

Shortlisted proposals will be evaluated by an external panel and applicants will be required to present their project ideas to the panel.

All selected projects will be implemented by IFA.

Key Dates

  • You can send us your queries and draft ideas in written, audio or video formats for response from IFA staff till April 20, 2026. 
  • Deadline for Final Proposal: April 30, 2026
  • Announcement of Selected Projects: August 2026

Please note that IFA is committed to creating a safe environment that supports, respects, and protects everyone, including children. The applicant must be aligned with this and must uphold it at all times.