The French Institute in India selects 34 laureates for the third edition of Villa Swagatam

The French Institute in India has revealed the names of 34 writers and artists chosen for the third edition of its renowned residency programme, Villa Swagatam. Spanning August 2025 to August 2026, this innovative programme seeks to enrich cross-cultural exchange and enhance creative cooperation between France and South Asia.

All you need to know about the latest edition of Villa Swagatam

Laureates will spend one to three months participating in partner residencies in India, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and France. This edition features an increase in the scope of the programme’s geographical outreach and thematic variety, with new partners such as the Lakmahal Community Library in Colombo, Sri Lankas first time, and Chalet Mauriac in France, introducing translation as a literary practice. New arts and crafts partners are the Kochi-Muziris Biennale, æquō gallery in Mumbai and Cirva in Marseille.

One of the standouts in this year’s programme is a specially commissioned month-long itinerant residency for celebrated French playwright and director Pauline Bayle. Taking place with a range of Villa Swagatam partners across Delhi, Varanasi, Tamil Nadu and Bengaluru, the residency will assist with the final development of her Mahabharata adaptation, which premieres in September 2026.

Ms Nelcy Mercier, La Napoule Art Foundation Director of Operations, highlighted the importance of the programme, “Our partnership with Villa Swagatam has opened up a necessary door into the richness and depth of India's art world, enabling us to establish more profound, long-term connections.”

The success of the programme can already be seen, with alumni residents exhibiting work at large platforms such as India Design ID and the India Art Fair, while literary alumni have been part of festivals such as the Kerala Literature Festival and the Bangalore Literature Festival.

H.E. Mr Thierry Mathou, French Ambassador to India, described Villa Swagatam as a “flagship project of our cultural partnership with India.” The increasing appeal of the programme is evident, as 520 candidatures arrived for this edition, more than twice the number of Indian candidatures in the last cycle. This special platform keeps developing an active community of creative minds, promoting fruitful exchanges and promoting varied, grounded stories on the international scene.

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