Villa Swagatam, inaugurated in March 2023 by the French Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs, Catherine Colonna, positions itself as a platform for cultural exchanges between French and Indian artists, designers, and writers. In line with eminent figures such as the painter S.H. Raza, Nobel Prize winner Rabindranath Tagore, screenwriter, and author Jean-Claude Carrière, and theatre director Ariane Mnouchkine, Villa Swagatam - a network of local partners across the two countries spearheaded by the Institute - aims to strengthen the dialogue between France and India in the fields of literature, performing arts, and arts & craft. Throughout this first year, the residencies exclusively take place in India, in 16 different locations which share expertise on Indian art forms (embroidery, puppetry, dance, illustrated books, etc.) as well as an ability to interact with local key players. Thanks to this program, French residents are given the opportunity to discover very specific aspects of the Indian cultural landscape.
The French Institute in India (Institut Français en Inde) is the educational, scientific, and cultural department of the Embassy of France in India. It facilitates academic and scientific exchanges between higher institutes of learning and research, enables student mobility, and promotes the French language, as well as artistic and cultural dialogue. Cooperation between India and France occurs across several sectors: Arts and Culture, Books and Ideas, French Language and Education, Study in France program, Academic Partnerships, Science and Technology, as well as Innovation and Multimedia.
For more information please check - https://www.ifindia.in/villa-swagatam