Organisation Name:

India Foundation for the Arts (IFA)

Application Deadline:

31 October 2025

About Organisation

India Foundation for the Arts (IFA) is a non-profit public trust in India that supports arts, culture, education, and research. Since its founding in 1993, IFA has funded and implemented over 800 projects across India, including exhibitions, publications, performances, archival efforts, and education programmes. One of its major initiatives is the Arts Education programme, under which Kali-Kalisu (“learn and teach” in Kannada) works to integrate arts into school learning, especially in non-metropolitan & underserved regions. IFA emphasises local art forms, community participation, arts-based pedagogy, and creating environments where teaching and learning are enriched through cultural expression. Schools and teachers are encouraged to view arts not as extras but as central to making subjects engaging and experiential.

About the Grant

The Arts-Integrated National School Projects grant invites Government-aided and nonprofit schools in non-metropolitan India to design and implement arts-integrated teaching pedagogies. Projects must run for one to one-and-a-half years, and use arts (including local art forms, cultural practices, or community resources) to enhance classroom learning across subjects. The aim is to foster curiosity, creativity, and engagement among students, connect curriculum to lived experience, work with local artists/resources, and make learning joyful and meaningful. Schools are expected to create solid foundations for arts-integration, not one-off art events. Projects must have clear outcomes, evaluation, and work plans. The maximum budget per project is INR 400,000.

Who can Apply?

Government-aided or nonprofit schools located in non-metropolitan areas.
Schools must be registered under The Societies Registration Act, 1860, or The Indian Trust Act, 1882.
Must have been in existence for at least three years.
Must maintain audited financial statements for at least two years.
Must hold a valid Permanent Account Number (PAN).
The school should already work with (or believe in using) local languages, local art or culture, and see arts & culture as integral to learning.

How to Apply?

Submit the final project proposal by email to the designated IFA contact, including: project title, vision, socio-cultural context, objectives, methodology/work plan, details of resource persons, project evaluation process, expected outcomes, and detailed budget. Attach registration documents, audited accounts, PAN, and school credentials. Proposals may be in English or any Indian language.