The French Institute in India announces the Villa Swagatam 2024-2025 laureates

The French Institute in India announced the selection of the 28 laureates of the second edition of its residency programme Villa Swagatam for 2024-2025. From August 2024 to August 2025, French and Indian artists and writers will explore the rich cultures of India, Bangladesh, and France, spending between one and three months at their designated residences.

The residencies…

In its second edition, Villa Swagatam has expanded with four new residencies in India (Jaipur Rugs, Hampi Art Labs, Eklavya Foundation, and Sunaparanta Centre for the Arts) and one in Bangladesh (Brihatta Art Foundation). Bringing the initiative to a full circle, Villa Swagatam has also introduced opportunities for Indian creators to come to France. The French residencies cover a wide spectrum of artistic forms, such as dance (Centre National de la Danse), visual arts (Biennale de Lyon, La Napoule Art Foundation), arts and crafts (Mobilier National and Cité de la Céramique/Manufacture de Sèvres), poetry (Maison de la Poésie de Nantes), comics (Cité Internationale de la Bande Dessinée et de l’Image), and literature (Villa Gillet, La Marelle, La Maison Julien Gracq).

Lauding the winners, H.E. Thierry Mathou, Ambassador of France to India, said, “Reciprocity plays a vital role in our concept of cultural cooperation. The Villa Swagatam programme would not be complete if exchanges did not flow both ways, with Indian artists and writers being welcomed in French institutions.” Hear more about the projects from the laureates:

Rohini Kejriwal,an Indian author from Bangalore who will be welcomed at Maison de la Poésie in Nantes: “As the founder of The Alipore Post, an independent publishing platform celebrating art, poetry, and music, I have dedicated myself to fostering community and belonging through the arts. My motivation to become a resident of Villa Swagatam in France stems from a deep desire to further my mission of democratizing poetry and nurturing creativity.”

Estelle Coppolani, French author from Reunion Island who will be welcomed at Sangam House in Bangalore: “My poetic work is inspired by my native island, Reunion Island, and in particular by my family history. Dance and theater are the main focus of my project. I’d like to draw a parallel between the forms derived from Terukkuttu, Bayalataa or Kathakali theaters recreated in Reunion Island during the period of indentured labour (mid-19th century), and the contemporary South Indian theatrical scenes I’ll be discovering during my stay.”

All Villa Swagatam residency winners will be mentored by partners dedicated to enhancing their professional skills and be given the chance to explore new techniques and environments to further their practice. For many participants, this will be their first opportunity to immerse themselves in the cultures of France and India, where they are committed to fostering meaningful, long-term collaborations. For those already acquainted with these spaces, this is a unique opportunity to renew their professional and creative connections and advance specific projects.

Literature Residencies in India:

• Alice Boner Institute (Varanasi)
• Eklavya Foundation (Bhopal)
• Himalayan Writing Residency (Sathkol)
• MAD Salon+Lab (Bangalore)
• Prakriti Foundation Residency (Chennai) – nomination of the laureate to be announced later.
• Rachna Books (Gangtok)
• Sangam House (Bangalore)
• Sunaparanta Goa Centre for the Arts (Angoulême and Goa)
• Tara Books (Auroville)