Deadline: 07-Jun-2026
The Khoj International Artists’ Association has announced an international residency supporting artists whose work engages with mental health, distress, and the social, political, and historical dimensions of pain and healing.
The programme fosters experimental, cross-disciplinary artistic practice and promotes dialogue between artists and scholars from India and the UK.
Focus Areas
The residency focuses on artistic exploration of:
- Mental health and psychological distress
- Vulnerability, resilience, and recovery
- Social inequality and structural violence
- Caste, class, race, gender, and geographic disparities
- War, colonial histories, and systemic oppression
- Healing, memory, and identity formation
It also encourages engagement with:
- Clinical and everyday experiences of mental health
- Myth, ritual, and ancestral knowledge systems
- Oral histories and cultural memory
- Digital cultures and technology
- Anxiety, coping mechanisms, and emotional resilience
- Alternative understandings of wellbeing and selfhood
Residency Overview
Key details:
- Duration: 6 weeks
- Location: Khoj Studios, New Delhi
- Timing: August–September 2026
- Format: On-site international residency
- Collaboration: Center for Anthropology and Mental Health Research in Action (CAMHRA), SOAS University of London
Support Provided
Selected artists will receive:
- Travel support to and from Delhi
- Daily per diem allowance
- Production budget for artistic work
Note: Exact funding amounts are not specified.
Objectives of the Programme
The residency aims to:
- Support experimental and research-based art practices
- Expand discourse on mental health and distress
- Encourage interdisciplinary collaboration between art and anthropology
- Create space for global and local dialogue on healing and inequality
- Foster cross-cultural exchange between India and the UK
Eligibility Criteria
Eligible applicants:
- Indian and international artists
- Artists working in any medium or discipline
- Practitioners engaged in experimental or research-based practice
Additional notes:
- One UK-based artist will be supported through CAMHRA
- Shortlisted applicants only will be contacted
- Open to both emerging and established artists
How the Residency Works
- Application submission by artists worldwide
- Selection based on artistic and conceptual merit
- Participation in 6-week residency in New Delhi
- Engagement with peers, scholars, and research collaborators
- Development of new or ongoing artistic work
Why This Programme Matters
The residency addresses:
- Mental health as a cultural and social issue
- Intersection of art, anthropology, and lived experience
- Historical and structural roots of suffering
- Global inequalities in health and wellbeing discourse
- Expanding artistic approaches to healing and care
FAQ
- Who is organizing the residency?
- The programme is hosted by Khoj International Artists’ Association.
- Where does the residency take place?
- At Khoj Studios in New Delhi, India.
- What is the duration of the residency?
- Six weeks during August–September 2026.
- What themes does the programme focus on?
- Mental health, distress, inequality, healing, and cultural memory.
- What support is provided?
- Travel support, per diem, and a production budget.
Conclusion
The Khoj International Artists’ Association residency offers artists a critical space to explore mental health, distress, and healing through interdisciplinary and experimental practices, while fostering global dialogue between art, anthropology, and lived experience.
For more information, visit Khoj.