curatorial intensive south asia (cisa)

Curatorial Intensive South Asia (CISA) is is an initiative of Khoj International Artists’ Association and Goethe-Institut / Max Mueller Bhavan. for young curators from South Asia. It is a fully-funded fellowship programme in the field of curatorial practices relevant to South Asia in the visual arts. The program aims to develop a diversity of perspectives on the medium of the exhibition and to provide a structured and an experimental inquiry into the possibilities of curatorial practice today.

Khoj and Goethe-Institut / Max Mueller Bhavan are inviting applications from early and mid-career curators to apply for the sixth edition of the Curatorial Intensive South Asia (CISA) program – reimagined this year as a month-long, fully-funded, in-situ research residency program at Khoj Studios in New Delhi, India.

The CISA residency offers curators the opportunity to establish contacts with cultural practitioners, researchers and academics, and build networks across India, South Asia and beyond. The residency is intended for self-driven curators who are looking to expand the scope of their curatorial practice in the South Asian context.

Applications are open to curators from India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Maldives, Bhutan, Afghanistan & Iran. Five curators from across South Asia will be selected by an external jury as part of the residency. The participating curators will be provided with a research space at Khoj to work on their curatorial proposal.

The residency at Khoj will have two phases.

Phase I (15 Sept – 15 Oct) – Research, Mentoring & Project Development Phase

Phase I will focus on the development of the proposed curatorial idea. The Khoj team and the program mentors will work closely with the residency participants as interlocutors to support them with the research of their proposed curatorial project. The residents will be mentored by established curators, academics and creative & cultural practitioners in New Delhi through Khoj’s network.

During this phase the residents will be required to ideate, moderate and execute a seminar which will support their research and expand their understanding of their curatorial project.

In Phase I, the curators will be introduced to foundational modules, along with museum and studio visits, galleries, and other relevant institutions.

The participants will receive a daily allowance to offset food and local travel expenses and accommodation at Khoj.

Phase II (March or April, 2025) – Outcome Showcase

In Phase II the curators will execute their curatorial projects in Delhi along with public programming and activations. The curators will be expected to define, identify and engage with audiences and larger publics as part of the outreach for the CISA program.