The Foundation for Indian Contemporary Art, in collaboration with Royal Enfield, announces the second edition of The Himalayan Fellowship for Creative Practitioners. The platform invites applications from creative practitioners working across mediums at the intersection of ecology and cultural knowledge, located in the Western and Eastern Himalayan regions, including the eight Northeastern states. 

To access the open call in Hindi, click here.

To access FAQs about the Fellowship, click here.

Outlining the scope of the fellowship

The Western and Eastern Himalayan regions are incredibly rich terrains in terms of their topography, ecology, demographics, and cultural heritage. Much like other climate zones in the subcontinent, these areas are facing challenges owing to fragile ecosystems, their vulnerability to climate change, large-scale deforestation, unsustainable tourism, cultural displacement, and a lack of sensitive approaches to conserving the diversity that exists across these landscapes.

The Himalayan Fellowship invites creative practitioners to respond to the cultural and ecological urgencies in the Himalayan region, with a particular focus on themes of traditional cultural and knowledge systems, heritage and identity, questions of ecology and biodiversity, environmental justice, sustainability, climate change and natural resources. The Fellowship is outlined as an attempt to extend systems of support to creative practitioners who are working in these regions, responding to such urgencies, developing critical methodologies and highlighting alternative conservation efforts directed at awareness building, advocacy, documentation and community engagement.

The Fellowship is open to artists and creative practitioners—individuals and collectives—from the Indian Himalayan Region. Through the aegis of this Fellowship, we are keen to work with and foreground sustainable and ecologically-grounded practices and methodologies that espouse long-term modes of collaboration with people and landscapes that are site-specific, community-oriented, and have strong creative and pedagogic outcomes that can be further activated and disseminated. 

Himalayan-specific models of sustainable and ecologically grounded practices are the need of the hour, whether within industries such as tourism or within methods of sustaining local resources and livelihoods. As a platform encouraging innovative and experimental approaches to artmaking, this Fellowship seeks to spotlight issues related to ecology and intangible cultural heritage, forming closer associations and deep understanding of local cultural and natural resources. Pushing the boundaries of how community engagement can be construed, the Fellowship will also be an opportunity for creative practitioners from the region to present their collaborations with local communities and organisations on a more expanded stage, mapping new ways of responding to the needs and concerns of these stakeholders. It hopes to facilitate the exchange of ideas and practices between artists, resource persons, conservationists, and communities, in order to foster, build and strengthen collaborations between these groups and networks, marking a greater investment in the conservation and preservation of resources in and across the Himalayas. 

Outlined below are some themes that fall under the scope of this Fellowship, listed to help clarify the ambit of the Fellowship. Please note that these are not watertight categories; rather, they serve as freely overlapping areas of focus for applicants to expand on further in their proposal. Proposed projects can extend across any/all the following themes. 

1. Traditional knowledge, cultural heritage and identity: Exploring the themes of traditional knowledge and practices in the Himalayas, including the ways in which these practices are interconnected with local ecosystems and landscapes, and the challenges faced by these communities in maintaining their cultural heritage in the face of environmental change. This could include projects undertaking documentation of indigenous knowledge systems, traditional cultural practices and their respective communities, highlighting Traditional Ecological Knowledge, sacred landscapes, oral histories and material cultures. 

2. Sustainability, regeneration and resilience: Focusing on the ways in which communities are building regenerative and resilient systems through local livelihoods and infrastructures, the systems and structures that uphold and ensure continuities of certain ways of life, while creating space for adaptation and change. This could include projects that look at contemporary realities of sustainability, the role of cultural practices in the context of environmental change and equitable futures. It could also entail enquiries into efforts foregrounding responsible tourism and waste management, countering the impacts of mass production on traditional craftsmanship, as well as a focus on how collective/community-led initiatives are mapping and revitalising regenerative ways of living. 

3. Climate change and adaptability: This theme looks at cultural and social impacts of climate change on ecosystems, and how projects and practitioners are developing creative alternate pedagogies of awareness-building around land and water use. It can include questions of environmental justice and advocacy for marginalised groups; how traditional cultural practices are being transformed in response to changing environmental conditions; and the role of community-led initiatives in mitigating the effects of climate change. 

4. Ecosystems, urbanisation and biodiversity: Looking at relationships between humans and the natural environment, with a focus on the role of traditional practices in promoting biodiversity and ecological conservation, landscape ecology and the impacts of urbanisation in these regions; the role of creative practice in bridging the gap between different landscapes and communities. Projects could look at modes of safeguarding in the context of rapid urbanisation and encroachment, the cultural and environmental consequences of large-scale migration, the relationship between industrialisation and environmental change. 

5. Gender, caste, community, and environmental stewardship: Exploring the role of gender and caste in environmental stewardship and community resilience in the Himalayan region. This theme could highlight the contributions of women and other marginalised groups in conserving ecosystems and cultural practices, leading community-based initiatives towards regenerative systems of awareness-building, preservation and development. Projects could focus on the intersection of gender, caste, ecology, and cultural identity, and how creative practices can amplify the voices and experiences of these groups in the context of environmental and social change.

6. Pastoralism, migration and transhumance: Exploring practices of pastoralism, migration, and transhumance in the Himalayan region by delving into the intricate relationships between communities and their environments, this theme invites examinations of the seasonal movements of pastoralist groups, the cultural and ecological significance of these practices, and the challenges they face due to climate change, changing land use patterns, and socio-political pressures. Projects could include documentation and research into the ways in which these communities navigate and adapt to shifting landscapes, the impact of migration on cultural identity, and how forms of movement shape the interactions between people, animals, and the environment. This theme might also explore the resilience of pastoralist cultures in maintaining sustainable practices, the role of traditional knowledge in resource management, and how these communities contribute to the conservation of biodiversity and cultural heritage across the Himalayan region.

Fellowship Ambit & Funding

The Fellowship will support the Fellows with the development of their proposed projects through aspects of research, production, dissemination and other routes of mobilisation as required. It will entail financial support supplemented by a strong mentorship programme, connecting them to larger networks in the region. The Fellowship will facilitate interactions for the participants with mentors and resource persons as required by the projects, separate to the provided budget.

The Fellowship period will be one year, with an amount of up to Rs. Three Lakh made available to each project.

Eligibility Criteria

1. The Himalayan Fellowship is open to creative practitioners working across any and all mediums: painting, drawing, printmaking, sculpture, ceramics, photography, video, filmmaking, architecture, design, crafts, installations, performance, literature and oral history.

2. Open to individuals and collectives who are from and located in the Indian Himalayan Region, spread across 13 Indian States/Union Territories (namely Jammu and Kashmir, Ladakh, Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Sikkim, Tripura, Assam, and parts of West Bengal). If applying as a collective, members may include individuals from outside the region.

3. Projects should be specifically inclined towards exploring intersections between intangible cultural heritage and questions relating to ecology and the environment in any of these regions mentioned above.

4. We invite interested applicants to propose projects whose creative outcomes could take various forms: From video works and photobooks to experimental online archives, from public art installations, site-specific and traveling exhibitions to performative interventions, from forays into alternative pedagogies and interactive design projects, to list a few.

5. The Fellowship will entail hybrid forms of engagement through a two-week long on-site workshop, mentored sessions, and regular online check-ins. Selected applicants will be expected to be present for the same, and good internet access will be a requirement

Submitting your application

Application Requirements:

One PDF containing:

1. An updated portfolio of your individual or collective practice with not more than 15 ongoing and older projects. Please include images and links to video files or other supporting material within this PDF itself.

2. A detailed project proposal with the following:

   a) Outline of proposed area of work/research and how it relates to the aegis of the Fellowship.

   b) Details on community involvement, stakeholders and collaborators (if any)

   c) Images and videos wherever applicable (Videos to be included within the PDF as links)

One PDF of:

1. Updated CV and bio. If applying as a collective, please include CVs and bios for all members of the collective.

Submission Procedure

Please fill the Google Form linked below, and upload the PDF to the same.

DEADLINE FOR APPLICATIONS: 10 JANUARY 2025

(Please note that applications are to be submitted only via the Google Form. Applications sent via email or courier will not be considered.)

About our collaborator: 

The oldest motorcycle brand in continuous production, Royal Enfield has created beautifully crafted motorcycles since 1901. Paying tribute to the Himalayas, which Royal Enfield has always called as its ‘spiritual home’, the brand is looking to partner 100 Himalayan communities by 2030, with the objective to build resilience in the face of climate change. Alongside, Royal Enfield will encourage one million riders globally to join a movement of driving deep, long-lasting and systemic change in how humans and nature interact and thrive. This commitment is exemplified by the unique partnership with UNESCO, where riders explore the Himalayas, documenting and promoting the rich Intangible Cultural Heritage of local communities. Currently, Royal Enfield supports more than 40 projects across the Indian Himalayan region and is expanding its initiatives.

Fellowship Consultants

Dr Monisha Ahmed is the Co-founder and Executive Director of Ladakh Arts and Media Organisation, Leh. She is an independent researcher, writer and curator whose work focuses on art practices and material culture in Ladakh, as well as other areas of the Himalayan world. Her doctoral degree from Oxford University developed into the book Living Fabric: Weaving among the Nomads of Ladakh Himalaya (2002), and received the Textile Society of America’s R L Shep award in 2003 for best book in the field of ethnic textile studies. She has co-edited Ladakh – Culture at the Crossroads (2005), and collaborated on Pashmina – The Kashmir Shawl and Beyond (2009 and 2017), and published several articles on textile arts of the Himalayan Buddhist world, as well as other parts of India, including four in The Encyclopedia of World Dress and Fashion (2010), a chapter for The Arts and Interiors of Rashtrapati Bhavan – Lutyens and Beyond (2016), and the catalogue Woven Treasures – Textiles from the Jasleen Dhamija Collection (2016). More recently she was advisor for the Bhau Daji Lad Museum’s online exhibit We wear Culture for the Google Cultural Institute. She has curated exhibitions ‘thread by thread’ (2015), ‘Between Land and Sky – Woven Gold from the Gyaser Tradition’ (2019) and ‘Classic Miniature Costumes: 1850 to 1950’ (2019). From 2010 to 2016 she was Associate Editor of Marg Publications.

Mary Therese Kurkalang is a cultural curator and social researcher with three decades of experience working in publishing, art & culture and the social sector; across India and internationally. An independent consultant since 2012, she has worked intensely in the North eastern states of India on social research, creative practices and peace & conflict dialogue forums. Since 2010, she has been part of various advisory boards on Culture, Art, Literature and the Social Sector. A certified Art Management Trainer, she regularly conducts training sessions and lectures on literature, culture, tribal identity and politics. In 2022 she co-curated a programme and exhibition focussing on the Intangible Cultural Heritage of the Himalayan Region in a partnership with Royal Enfield and UNESCO. She was Festival Director of the Shillong Literary Festival (editions 2021, 2022, 2023). She is the co-founder of the Rachna Books Writers Residency launched in 2023. She has consulted with The Himalayan Fellowship since inception.