Hyundai Art for Hope Season 6 Grants

About this call

Art for Hope, launched in 2021, is the Hyundai Motor India Foundation's arts initiative supporting artists and collectives across India. Season 6 is inspired by India in Motion and explores the nation's evolving identity, cultural heritage and emerging aspirations; artists are encouraged to interpret movement, progress and transformation. Grants are offered in visual art, digital art, performance art, traditional arts and culture, functional innovative art and crafts, and multidisciplinary art, for individuals and for registered collectives and institutions. Selected winners are told on November 30, 2026, the grant period runs from December 2026 to February 2027, and projects are shown in a group public exhibition. A jury selects projects on portfolio and proposal, quality of art, community or social impact, and originality.

Who can apply

• India only
• Medium: Painting / Drawing / Sculpture / Mixed Media / Photography / New Media / Performance
• Entry fee: See official site
• Open only to Indian citizens residing in India, with a preference for youth, women and artists from non-metro cities. Individual applicants must be 40 or younger in visual art, digital art, functional innovative arts and crafts, performance arts and multidisciplinary arts (no age limit in traditional arts), need a minimum of 3 to 4 years of formal training in those categories, and art must be their primary occupation; traditional artisans holding Pehchaan Cards are given preference. Persons with disabilities are encouraged to apply in the individual category and must provide a UDID card or certificate. The collective grant is for registered NGOs, trusts, museums, associations, collectives, artist groups or social enterprises; unregistered groups apply as individuals. Previous grant recipients of HMIF or other organizations are advised not to apply. Proposals addressing community-relevant social and environmental causes, unless in support of recognized traditional arts and crafts, will be considered. Multiple submissions may be considered. The application form asks for a project title and category, a project concept of up to 300 words, a project proposal (Word or PDF under 2 MB) with project description, expansion plan, timeline, documentation plan, detailed budget and impact, budget details including the number of artworks to exhibit, a CV, a passport photo, Aadhaar (front and back) and a portfolio (PDF up to 2 MB; video links for performance art; other files up to 200 KB). The terms also ask for an 800 to 1000 word proposal in any Indian language, an artist statement, one reference letter and a government ID (Aadhaar, PAN). Projects must be completed within 6 to 8 weeks of the grant announcement; the grant is paid 50% on selection and 50% after completion, a closing report and public exhibition. Grantees sign a letter of intent, attend capacity building sessions, submit a 1000-word report on grant use with process images within 30 days of completion, take part in joint press conferences on HMIF's request, and must attend the exhibition and closing ceremony in person. By submitting, artists allow HMIF to use the art, images and videos for promotion; artists keep intellectual property rights and grant HMIF free, non-exclusive usage rights.