IMAGINARIUM 6.0: Emami Art’s Annual All-India Open Call for Young and Emerging Artists

18 April - 31 May 2026 
Open a larger version of the following image in a popup: IMAGINARIUM 6.0, Emami Art’s Annual All-India Open Call for Young and Emerging Artists

Open Call 

IMAGINARIUM 6.0 

Awards | Exhibition | Residency

Emami Art’s Annual All-India Open Call for Young and Emerging Artists 

 

Application Deadline: 31 May 2026 

 

Emami Art is committed to nurturing and supporting the practices of emerging and mid-career visual artists across India. Launched in 2020 as an urgent response to the pandemic’s disruption of artistic livelihoods, the annual IMAGINARIUM Awards and Exhibition has since evolved into a vital ecosystem of support, offering cash awards, exhibition, mentorship, and sustained discursive engagement for young visual artists. Over the past five years, IMAGINARIUM Open Call has grown into one of the most anticipated open calls in India’s contemporary art calendar. 

 

Additionally, Kolkata Centre for Creativity is pleased to announce the KCC Visual Arts Residency Program, a one-month residency for emerging visual artists based in eastern and north-eastern India. Curated by Emami Art, the program will select five artists through the IMAGINARIUM 6.0 Open Call. Selected residents will receive dedicated studio space, a production fund, curatorial mentorship, and access to a vibrant ecosystem for artistic exchange within KCC. The residency will culminate in a two-day open studio exhibition. 

 

Awards and Exhibition 

An invited panel of jurors will select 10 artists based on their portfolios for the IMAGINARIUM 6.0 exhibition and awards at Emami Art Gallery, Kolkata.  

 

Out of the ten artists, three will be selected for the awards. 

  

INR 2.0 Lakh – First Award 

  

INR 1.5 Lakh – Second Award 

  

INR 1.0 Lakh – Third Award 

 

Awards are supported by the Emami Foundation and Kolkata Centre for Creativity. 

 

KCC Visual Arts Residency  

Curated by Emami Art 

 

Kolkata Centre for Creativity's residency program for young and emerging artists from the eastern and northeastern regions of India. 

 

5 applications from the IMAGINARIUM 6.0 Open Call will be selected by the jury for a month-long artist residency programme. 

  

 

Who can apply? 

  • Artists who hold a master’s degree in fine art or visual art, or who are currently in their final year of such a program. 

  • Self-taught artists with at least five years of equivalent professional experience in visual art practice. 

  • Applicants must be 35 years of age or younger. 

How to apply? 

Send an email to focus@emamiart.com with a single PDF file (maximum 10 MB) containing the following documents in order: 

  1. Short CV with a passport-size photo 

  1. Current address 

  1. An official photo ID (Aadhar Card, Voter’s ID, Driver’s License, or Passport) 

  1. Email address and WhatsApp number 

  1. Facebook and Instagram handles 

  1. Website (if any) 

  1. Artist’s Statement (max 500 words) 

  • Can be in a regional language, but English is preferred. 

  • Keep it simple and jargon-free. 

  • Explain the ideas and techniques behind your work.  

  1. Artwork images and details 

  • Maximum of 10 artwork images.  

  • For each work, title, size, medium, year, and a short description should be added.  

  • If you have more than 10 artworks, include a website link or google drive link with their images and details.  

 For video works:  

  • Share links to a maximum of 10 videos. 

  • Use Google Drive/Dropbox links (make them accessible to anyone; WeTransfer links will not be accepted) only. 

  • For each video, title, duration, year, and short description should be added. 

For performance art:  

  • Share still images and video links for up to 10 works. 

  • For each work, title, duration, year, and short description should be added.  

  • Provide up to two still images per performance. 

  • Use Google Drive/Dropbox links only. 

  1. If you are represented by a gallery, include the gallery name and website link in your PDF. 

  1. References 

  • Provide two names with mobile numbers and email addresses 

  • References can be teachers, senior artists, or mentors 

  • We will contact them only if needed and after informing you 

  1. Name your PDF file and email subject line like this: Artist’s Name_IMAGINARIUM 6.0 

  1. Send the PDF to focus@emamiart.com 

 

  

Terms and Conditions 

  1. All artworks submitted for jury selection must be available for exhibition. Final selections will be based on the ten artwork images provided in the application. If a selected work is unavailable, the artist may be disqualified or asked to provide new work. 

  1. Submitted artworks must not be older than two years. 

  1. Artworks that have previously received awards should be mentioned in the application with specificities.  

  1. Artworks listed in the submission PDF must be new and must not have been exhibited before. If any have been shown in graduation exhibitions, please indicate this. 

  1. Sculptural and installation works that are very large in size may not be considered. 

  1. The gallery does not provide a production budget. 

  1. For video installations, artists must provide all necessary equipment and components. The gallery will supply only a television/tablet and a headphone, which may be wall-mounted or placed on a stand. 

  1. All submitted works may be considered for sale. Emami Art will contact artists regarding any sales. 

  1. Selected artists are responsible for shipping their works to the gallery. The gallery will cover return shipping costs only for works that are not sold. 

  1. The curatorial and exhibition design teams will manage all aspects of the exhibition display. 

  1. The gallery does not offer travel grants for artists wishing to attend the exhibition opening in Kolkata. 

  1. The selection and judging committee has sole authority to accept or reject any application. Its decision is final, and neither the gallery nor the jurors will enter into any correspondence regarding this matter. Only selected artists will be notified about awards and the exhibition. 

 

Important Dates and Details 

Application Deadline: 31 May 2026 

 

No personal calls to gallery team members will be entertained.   

 

All applicants are requested to send their applications to focus@emamiart.com  

 

Application subject line: Artist’s Name_IMAGINARIUM 6.0 

 

For further information, please contact +91 9674140905 or write to focus@emamiart.com  

 

(Phone calls will only be answered during office hours – 10 AM – 6 PM)