Request for Proposals: Arts Research | Deadline: August 16, 2023 (CLOSED)

India Foundation for the Arts (IFA) announces
Request for Proposals
for the Arts Research programme

Application Deadline: Wednesday, August 16, 2023, 11:59 PM (IST)

The Arts Research programme engages scholars, researchers, and practitioners to research the various histories and expressions of artistic practices in India. It seeks to foster wider perspectives, understandings, interpretations, and engagements in the arts.

We invite proposals for our Arts Research programme from researchers and practitioners interested in undertaking research projects implemented by IFA. These projects could investigate marginalised or relatively unexplored areas; intend to create spaces for dialogue between theory and practice; offer new readings of artistic practices; and use interdisciplinary approaches to break new conceptual ground, among other things.

Research projects should have clear research objectives, in-depth background surveys, critical research questions, rigorous context-based methodologies, and specific outcomes that will be shared in the public domain. The outcomes could be books, essays, films, websites, multimedia exhibitions, etc.

Harshita Bathwal (Programme Officer)
speaks about the Arts Research programme

Duration of the Project:
A minimum duration of one year and a maximum of 18 months.

Budget:
You can budget up to Rs 5,00,000/-

Deadline:
Wednesday, August 16, 2023, 11:59 PM (IST)

Who can apply?

The programme is open to proposals from individual scholars, researchers, and practitioners, across disciplines.

You are eligible to apply if you are an Indian national. Your collaborators need to be Indian nationals, too. (For more on the eligibility criteria, please click here)

Application Process:

Your final proposal must include the following:

  • The content of the proposal should have clear research objectives, an in-depth background survey, critical research questions, rigorous context-based methodologies, and specific outcomes;
  • Supporting material, if any, which gives us a sense of your work;
  • Your curriculum vitae;
  • A detailed breakdown of the budget that explains how funds will be utilised. Please also mention funding anticipated from other sources, if any;
  • Your address, telephone numbers, and e-mail address.

General Information:

  • The budget will cover only project-related personnel costs, activities and travel, and can provide for modest equipment rental and materials, if necessary. Please ensure that each budget category pertains to a specific item of project-related expenditure;
  • You can request for an honorarium, not exceeding 35% of the proposed budget;
  • Please do not budget for institutional overheads, building costs, or infrastructural development. The budget does not allow buying of equipment either, but if you must buy equipment for the project, it has to be returned to IFA after the project is completed;

Selection Process:

The shortlisted proposals will be evaluated by an external panel and applicants may be required to present their project ideas to the panel. Projects selected for implementation will be announced in December 2023. The decision by IFA on project selections will be final.

Proposal Submission:

  • You can write your proposal in any Indian language, including English. IFA encourages projects in Indian languages other than English so as to contribute to the discourse in various language contexts.
  • If you wish to discuss project ideas before sending your proposal or have queries regarding the same, please write to Harshita Bathwal, Programme Officer, Arts Research, at harshita@indiaifa.org before Monday, July 31, 2023, with the Subject Line: Project Proposal for Arts Research. 
  • Your final proposal, along with all supporting materials, should be submitted online in a single email not exceeding 25 MB to harshita@indiaifa.org on or before Wednesday, August 16, 2023, 11:59 PM (IST).

Please note that incomplete proposals and those where applicants do not fall within the eligibility criteria will be disregarded.

All selected projects will be implemented by IFA.

Please note that IFA is committed to creating a safe environment that supports, respects, and protects everyone, including children. The applicant must be aligned with this and must uphold it at all times.

The Arts Research programme is made possible with support from BNP Paribas India.