Applications close 20th May 2026

Karishma Swali and the Chanakya Foundation in partnership with India Art Fair, are honoured to present The Swali Craft Prize — an homage to the enduring and evolving language of craft. Grounded in technical mastery, conceptual depth, cultural resonance, and sustainable impact, the Prize recognises craftsmanship as a precise skill and a profound mode of expression. It celebrates work that blends narrative with intellectual clarity, honours heritage while engaging the present, and upholds ethical practices that ensure the transmission of knowledge across generations.

Through this lens, the Prize challenges the conventional hierarchies between craft and fine art, advocating for a more expansive view of creative practice. It invites a renewed understanding of craft as a vital, contemporary force within cultural discourse.

Prizes will be awarded to an artist whose work reflects excellence in art and craft:

• INR 11,00,000

• A generous budget for research, development, and production toward a collaborative installation

• A fully supported two-week residency at the Chanakya School of Craft in Mumbai, a space for reflection, creation, and dialogue; providing time, mentorship, and resources to further develop their practice

• The final works will be presented at India Art Fair 2027 in New Delhi, with the potential to travel thereafter to a significant venue internationally.

Eligibility

• Open to artists engaging with interdisciplinary approaches to handcraftsmanship

• Applicants must currently live and work in India, and demonstrate an established practice through a minimum of one solo exhibition within the country, and participation in at least one solo or group exhibition internationally within the past seven years.

Please head to their website to read the full list of eligibility criteria and required application materials.

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