South Asia's emerging art foundation

Discovering talent,
empowering dreams

An independent foundation dedicated to supporting contemporary and emerging artists across South Asia — through grants, residencies, mentorship, and platforms for visibility.

5+
Years Active
30+
Artists Supported
1,000
Annual Applications
3
Residencies
Inception Grant
Plaksha Residency
Living Heritage
Dungarpur
Inception Grant 2025 · Plaksha Residency · Living Heritage Project · Dungarpur Residency · 30+ Fellows Supported · South Asia's Emerging Art Foundation · Discovering Talent, Empowering Dreams · Inception Grant 2025 · Plaksha Residency · Living Heritage Project · Dungarpur Residency · 30+ Fellows Supported · South Asia's Emerging Art Foundation · Discovering Talent, Empowering Dreams ·

Structured support
for unheard voices

To identify and nurture promising artistic talent through financial assistance, mentorship, ecosystem-building, and platforms for visibility and growth.

Empower South Asian Voices

Championing artists whose stories reflect the realities of our time.

Democratic Learning Spaces

Open calls, transparent processes, and sustained support for all.

Sustainable Structures

Building durable creative infrastructure for the next generation.

Honest Storytelling

Raw, fearless perspectives that document our shared human experience.

How we
support artists

The art world supports what is already known. We exist to ensure the artists of tomorrow don't remain unseen today — through structured, transparent, and sustained programmes.

01

The Inception Grant

Our flagship annual grant, receiving ~1,000 applications from across South Asia. Open to contemporary artists aged 21–35 with no institutional backing. Offers financial aid, mentorship, visibility, exhibitions, and digital amplification.

Apply Now →
02

Artist Residencies

Three distinct residency programmes: Plaksha (art meets technology), Living Heritage at Juna Mahal, and the Dungarpur Residency — set in a century-old heritage home in Rajasthan.

Learn More →
03

Partnerships & CSR

Collaborative exhibitions, interdisciplinary research, documentation projects, and cross-cultural exchanges with institutions, corporations, and cultural partners.

Partner With Us →
2021
Ghanashyam Latua
Badush Babu
Debajit Paul
Riya Chandwani
Rohan & Roshan Anvekar
Rajat Kumar
2022
Nishchay Thakur
Saadia Batool
Olivia Saha
Abhishek Chakraborty
Sanal Pt
2023
Antara Paul
Agwma Basumatari
Ayushi Ojha
Nilanjan Das
Asif Imran
Ariba Akhlaque
2024
Aditya Puthur
Md. Zobayer Hossain
Prithwish Daw
Yashwant Singh
Abin Sreedharan
Ciby Samuel
2025
Arindam Manna
Shubham Kumar
Ankur Yadav
Nayanjyoti Barman
Kumar Misal

From open call
to grantee

01

Open Call

Applications open annually to South Asian contemporary artists aged 21–35 with no gallery or institutional support.

02

Internal Jury Review

Our curatorial team reviews all applications against FCEA's practice and values criteria.

03

Interviews with Shortlisted Artists

Shortlisted applicants participate in conversations with the jury to present their practice.

04

Finalist Showcase

Finalists present work at a curated public exhibition attended by collectors, institutions, and critics.

05

External Jury Review

An independent jury of senior artists, curators, and practitioners makes the final selection.

06

Financial Aid & Ongoing Support

Grantees receive financial assistance, mentorship, solo show opportunities, and digital amplification.

Eligibility Criteria

  • South Asian artists between 21–35 years of age
  • Contemporary practice (painting, sculpture, drawing, printmaking, mixed media)
  • Excludes illustration, design, AI-generated work, and video art
  • No existing support from a gallery or institution
  • Open to citizens of India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Bhutan, Myanmar

The Inception Grant 2026 applications will open in early 2026. Register your interest now.

Register Interest

Voices that
matter

30+
Artists Supported
7
South Asian Countries
5
Cohorts
G
Ghanashyam Latua
Inception Grant 2021
N
Nishchay Thakur
Inception Grant 2022
A
Antara Paul
Inception Grant 2023
A
Aditya Puthur
Inception Grant 2024
A
Arindam Manna
Inception Grant 2025
O
Olivia Saha
Amarnath Sehgal Grant 2022
S
Saadia Batool
Amarnath Sehgal Grant 2022
P
Prithwish Daw
Tacita Dean Award 2024
Y
Yashwant Singh
Solo Show 2024
A
Agwma Basumatari
Inception Grant 2023

Where artists
find their practice

Technology & Art

Plaksha Residency

Where Art Meets Technology

An innovative residency bringing artists and tech students together to explore the intersection of art, science, and innovation. Artists explore new media and emerging technologies; students learn creative thinking and material storytelling. A two-way dialogue essential for innovation.

Heritage Documentation

Living Heritage Project

Juna Mahal, Dungarpur

Contemporary artists engage with the 750-year-old frescoes of Juna Mahal — one of India's oldest lived-in palaces. Documentation of 7 floors of wall art. Creating a unique cultural lens that bridges India's past, present, and emerging future.

Craft & Heritage

Dungarpur Residency

Where Roots Meet the Contemporary

Set in a century-old heritage home, focused on craft, research, heritage, and contemporary practice. Documentation of palace frescoes over 700 years old. By inviting artists back to their roots, we keep heritage alive — not as nostalgia, but as inspiration for the future.

Shaped by
extraordinary minds

A distinguished jury of senior artists, curators, architects, and cultural practitioners guide each cohort.

S
Subodh Gupta
Senior Artist
T
Tacita Dean
British Visual Artist
R
Ranbir Kaleka
Senior Artist
R
Roobina Karode
Director & Chief Curator, KNMA
V
Vibha Galhotra
Senior Artist
J
Jagannath Panda
Senior Artist
A
Amit Gupta
Founder, STIR
G
Gautam Bhatia
Architect, Writer & Artist
A
Aparna Bijapukar
MD & Partner, BCG
M
Manisha Parekh
Senior Artist
S
Sudarshan Shetty
Senior Artist
W
Waswo X. Waswo
Senior Artist

Built with
institutional confidence

FCEA is a registered Section 8 not-for-profit institution. Donations from Indian companies qualify as CSR expenditure under Schedule VII of the Companies Act. Learn about partnership opportunities →

Invest in the
future of art

Your support directly enables emerging artists to sustain and grow their practice. Every contribution creates lasting cultural impact across South Asia.

Patronage & donor programmes
Sponsor artist grants & residencies
Host talks & public programmes
Support publications & archives
Cultural advocacy & community engagement
Total Funding Requirement 2026
INR 72 Lacs
Supporting 8 grant recipients and 10 resident artists across three programmes.
INR 24L
Inception Grant 2026
INR 48L
Art Residency Programme
GS

Gayatri Singh

Founder, FCEA & Art Incept

Gayatri Singh transitioned from a successful corporate career at Arthur Andersen and the Economist Intelligence Unit India to pursue her passion for art. Coming from a family of collectors and art patrons, she grew up surrounded by creativity — her mother has collected modern Indian art for over three decades, and their family in Dungarpur, Rajasthan, has supported the arts for centuries.

Recognising the challenges faced by emerging artists in a repetitive art market, Gayatri founded Art Incept — a platform dedicated to creating opportunities for the next generation of artists, collectors, and patrons. Her vision: a collaborative, inclusive ecosystem that bridges creativity, commerce, and culture.

Connect with Gayatri