Serendipity Arts has announced the launch of THE BRIJ Cultural Leaders Fellowship, India’s first nine-month leadership development programme designed specifically for cultural practitioners and cross-sector professionals. Supported by the French Embassy in India, the fellowship aims to nurture inquiry-driven leadership within India’s cultural ecosystem.
Applications for the inaugural cohort are open until May 5, 2026, with the programme set to begin in June 2026.
The fellowship is based on the idea that leadership is not only about creating products or projects but about developing meaningful questions that shape future practice and impact. Organised over nine months, THE BRIJ Fellowship will bring together professionals from cultural fields as well as sectors such as business, law, technology, education, public policy and social enterprise.
The programme has been structured across three phases. The first phase, “Self & Context,” includes a six-day residential programme in Goa focused on self-examination, dialogue and cohort-building. The second phase, “Ecosystem & Region,” features expert-led conversations, peer exchanges and inquiry-based exploration. The final phase, “Leadership & Futures,” includes participation at the Serendipity Arts Festival in December 2026 and concludes with fellows submitting a Research Inquiry Proposal in March 2027.
Rather than following a rigid curriculum, fellows will shape their own learning journeys based on their professional experiences, contexts and areas of inquiry.
Participants selected for the fellowship will receive one-on-one mentorship from senior leaders, psychometric assessments with coaching support, fully funded residential stays in Goa, access to the Serendipity Arts Festival, weekly live sessions with industry experts, curated reading materials and peer inquiry circles. Fellows will also become part of a long-term alumni network connected to Serendipity Arts and its wider cultural ecosystem.
The initiative has been designed through consultations with leading figures from cultural and educational sectors, including Seema Bansal, Paul Thompson and Pramath Sinha. The programme framework has also drawn inspiration from leading international cultural leadership fellowships while adapting them to Indian realities.
Speaking about the initiative, Smriti Rajgarhia said the fellowship emerges from a long-standing need for sustained and context-specific leadership development in India’s cultural sector. She noted that THE BRIJ Fellowship seeks to create a space where inquiry is prioritised over instruction, allowing practitioners to shape questions that will guide their future work and leadership.
The fellowship is also supported through a FEF grant allocated by the French Ministry of Europe and Foreign Affairs to encourage cultural capacity-building initiatives. Grégor Trumel, Counsellor for Cooperation and Culture and Director of the French Institute in India, highlighted the importance of investing in local talent and strengthening creative economies through such collaborations.
THE BRIJ Cultural Leaders Fellowship is open to mid-career professionals with a minimum of seven years of experience and a demonstrated engagement with culture, communities or creative practice. Applicants must commit to the full nine-month programme, including residentials and immersive sessions.
The initiative marks another major step by Serendipity Arts in expanding India’s cultural and creative ecosystem while building a new generation of leaders equipped to navigate complex social and artistic challenges.
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