The MAP Academy and Nalli Silks are teaming up to offer fellowships for projects on South Asian textiles. This is a chance for people who care about textiles to get support for their research and ideas.
The main goal is to spark new interest in South Asia’s textile practices. Fellows will explore histories, traditions, and techniques that are often overlooked.
Applicants can choose any topic related to textiles. Suggested areas include clothing histories, personal or community archives, textiles in religion, disappearing traditions, and labor issues tied to caste, class, and gender.
Other possible topics are textiles in archaeology, literature, or mythology, and the tools and methods used in different traditions. Projects linking textiles to the environment or cultural revival movements are also welcome.
Funding
A total of four fellowships will be awarded between 2025 and 2027. Each fellow will get a grant of INR 5,50,000 ( nearly $6500). Two fellows will join in February 2026–January 2027, and two more in April 2026–March 2027.
Who can apply?
The fellowships are open to early- and mid-career professionals such as researchers, designers, archivists, journalists, and nonprofits. Projects can be new or ongoing but must focus on South Asian textiles and the region, including India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka.
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Fellows may present their projects in different formats. These could include films, photo essays, interviews, written reports, digital archives, or even exhibitions. Collaborative work is allowed, but all contributors must be credited.
When and how to apply
Applications are open till October 15, 2025. You can apply HERE.
The MAP Academy, in collaboration with Nalli Silks, is offering fellowships for projects focusing on South Asian textiles.
These fellowships aim to generate new interest in the textile practices of South Asia by exploring often overlooked histories, traditions, and techniques.
Applicants can choose topics related to textiles such as clothing histories, community archives, textiles in religion, disappearing traditions, and labor issues related to caste, class, and gender.
Additional topics may include textiles in archaeology, literature, or linking textiles to environmental and cultural revival movements.
Four fellowships will be granted from 2025 to 2027, with each fellow receiving INR 5,50,000. Two fellows will begin their tenure from February 2026 to January 2027, and two more from April 2026 to March 2027.
The fellowships are open to early- and mid-career professionals across disciplines like research, design, and journalism, focusing on the South Asian region.
Projects can be presented through various formats, including films, photo essays, interviews, and exhibitions. Applications must be submitted by October 15, 2025, through the provided application link.
