Vedaaranya Artists’ Residency at Ramgarh Shekhawati Rajasthan
The Arts Council of Northern Ireland is pleased to announce the continuation of the Vedaaranya Artists’ Residency at Ramgarh Shekhawati Rajasthan, in association with the British Council and the Shruti Foundation. In association with the host organization in 2026 the residency is open to mural artists only to fit with priorities, traditions and developments in the location.
Sorry, this programme is closed. If you need help please contact us
We can offer a one-month residency in the historic town of Ramgarh Shekhawati in the princely state of Rajasthan, founded in 1791, which was one of the richest towns in 19th century India.
Mural Artists may apply for a month-long residency from January 2026 to February 2026. Artists must be in residence to coincide with the dates of the Vhah Festival which will run from the 22nd-26th January 2026.
Successful applicant(s) will be strongly advised to communicate with the host in order to agree optimal timing for residency.
The Arts Council is currently transitioning to a new application portal.
As and when new funding programmes open and you apply using the new application portal for the first time, you will be required to create a new application account.
Guidance on how to create a new application account is available here: https://artscouncil-ni.s3-assets.com/How-to-sign-into-the-new-Grants-portal-guidance-Individuals.pdf
Who can apply?
Eligible applicants to the Vedaaranya Artists’ Residency at Ramgarh Shekhawati Rajasthan are as follows:
- Mural artists working in traditional and sustainable materials. In association with the host organization in 2026 the residency is open to mural artists only to fit with priorities, traditions and developments in the location.
- Employees of statutory bodies , undergraduates and postgraduates are eligible to apply but they must prove that the funds which they are seeking are for work/costs which are not properly the concern of their employer and/or are not related to their work or academic study. They must submit evidence of this in the form of a letter on headed paper from their Head of Department.
- In the case of post-graduate students, the letter must clearly state the title of the student’s PhD thesis and include a declaration by the Head of Department. This declaration must state “The project for which funds are being sought does not form part of any academic work undertaken in relation to the above-titled PhD nor will it be assessed as part of any academic course”.
- Applicants undertaking a Masters or a PhD must also include a separate statement which provides information on how the project applied for differs from their Masters or PhD work.
Eligible applicants must also
- Have made a contribution to artistic activities in Northern Ireland for a minimum period of 1 year within the last 5 years.
- Live in Northern Ireland
- Be at least 18yrs old and not in secondary education.
What you can apply for
The value of the residency is £3,000 which covers:
- Accommodation costs inclusive of three meals per day and teas and coffee twice a day
- Access to Library and museum
- Free Wi-Fi
- Local doctor
- Additional offers will be discussed with the successful artist.
The Arts Council will cover:
- Costs of flights to and from India up to £1,000 with a one-night hotel stay in Delhi either end; up to £50 per night
- Internal transport to and from Delhi, organised in collaboration with host residency
- The cost of the Visa, up to £100, which the artist must arrange
- Daily stipend of £15
- Vaccination and Travel Insurance costs up to £300.
- Travel insurance costs up to £400
- Access NI Basic Check, £16.
How to apply?
You must apply using our online system. We will not accept applications in hard copy or by email.
If you feel you have a disability which affects your ability to complete the online application form, please contact the University of Atypical (UoA). The UoA will provide tailored advice and support to D/deaf, disabled and Neurodiverse applicants when submitting application to ACNI Programmes.
- Online applications may be edited, saved and returned up to the closing date. You must submit all mandatory enclosures associated with the application at the same time as your application, ie. they must be uploaded to your online application prior to its submission. These enclosures are listed on the Attachments page within the online application and are detailed below.
- Please ensure that you leave sufficient time to upload all documents to the system as there can be long delays as the closing deadline approaches and the system will shut down at 12 noon precisely on the closing date, Thursday 18 September 2025. If your complete application is not fully uploaded when the system closes, your application will not be accepted.
- If you submit your application by the closing deadline, you will receive an automated email advising that your application has been successfully submitted to the system. If you do not receive this email, your application has not been submitted.
Please remember that it is your responsibility to ensure that we receive the application form and uploaded enclosures by the closing time and date.