Introducing Villa Swagatam
At the heart of this initiative is Villa Swagatam, a flagship Indo-French residency programme launched in 2023. The name itself is a blend of cultures, pairing the French 'Villa' with the Sanskrit word for 'welcome'. Spearheaded by the French Institute
in India, its core mission is to move beyond the traditional model of one-off festivals and touring exhibitions. Instead, it focuses on creating a dynamic network for sustained artistic and literary exchange between France and South Asia, with India at its centre. The programme operates by embedding creators into new cultural environments for periods of one to three months, allowing for deep immersion, research, and genuine collaboration with local communities and ecosystems.
The Cohort of 35 Creatives
The headline's '35' refers to the cohort of laureates selected for the programme's fourth edition, which runs from August 2026 to August 2027. This diverse group comprises 35 artists, writers, designers, researchers, and graphic novelists from both France and South Asia. Recent announcements from the French Institute in India revealed that the selection process is highly competitive, with the latest edition drawing over 540 applications. The selected creatives include Indian contemporary dancer Aishwarya Raut, visual artists Kaanchi Chopra and Gargi Chandola, and French graphic novelist Pierre Dawance. This group represents a deliberate effort to foster connections across a wide spectrum of the creative industries.
A Two-Way Street of Reciprocity
A defining feature that sets Villa Swagatam apart is its principle of reciprocity. Unlike earlier cultural exchange models that often involved a one-way flow of artists from Europe to India, this programme is structured as a true two-way street. Since 2024, Indian laureates have been hosted in residencies across France under the same framework, ensuring a balanced and collaborative dynamic. This approach creates a family of cultural 'passeurs'—or transmitters—who build lasting professional and personal bridges between the two nations. The network involves nearly 30 partner institutions across India, France, and neighbouring countries like Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, and Bhutan, creating a rich and varied landscape for creative work.
Fostering Innovation and Lasting Impact
The programme's focus goes far beyond simply creating art. The current edition is part of the broader 'India-France Year of Innovation 2026', with innovation serving as a core theme. This translates into projects that engage with critical contemporary issues. For example, some residencies focus on traditional knowledge systems and sustainability, with one Indian artist exploring heritage wool-based practices in France and another drawing on miniature painting traditions to address ecological themes. According to the Ambassador of France to India, Thierry Mathou, Villa Swagatam has become a "remarkable laboratory for Indo-French cultural cooperation and innovation," where experimentation and unexpected encounters lead to new forms of collaboration.
