Applications close 27th July (deadline extended)

Karishma Swali and the Chanakya Foundation, in partnership with India Art Fair, 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.

The Prize will award a grant of INR 11,00,000 to a practitioner whose work reflects excellence in art and craft, as well as the offer of a fully supported month-long residency at the Chanakya School of Craft in Mumbai.

The final works will be presented at India Art Fair 2026 in New Delhi, with the potential to travel thereafter as part of a curated exhibition to a significant venue in India or internationally.

The Prize and accompanying residency are open to artists and craft practitioners engaging with interdisciplinary approaches to hand craftsmanship. Eligible 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.

Find more information on their website or via India Art Fair.