FOUND 2027 | Floodlight Foundation’s Sculpture Park and Residency in India | January 2027

FOUND 2027 is an opportunity open to members and fellows of the Royal Society of Sculptors taking place in early 2027 (Tuesday 12 January 2027 to Sunday 7 February 2027).

The residency is located within a metro ride of Delhi, and coincides with the India Art Fair which takes place from Thursday 4 - Sunday 7 February 2027.

The residency has the theme of FOUND with the expectation that a work will be made by the sculptor during their time in India to be installed in the grounds of the on-site temple - Laxmi Narayan Temple, Modinagar. The selected artist will also host one or two public-facing events.

A Legacy of Art in Modinagar

Modinagar holds a significant place in India's contemporary art history. Between 1997 and 2001, India’s first residency, KHOJ set up by S.K. Modi, had held its first International Artist Workshop at Sikribagh, Modinagar, bringing together Indian and international artists in an experimental, open-ended environment.

Today, Modinagar continues this legacy of supporting art and artistic education through the International Institute of Fine Arts (IIFA), established by Satish and Abha Modi in 2000. IIFA was founded with the vision of nurturing young artists and promoting art, culture and education, and offers education across disciplines including fine art, textile design, fashion design, painting and applied art.

About The Temple

Spread across 20 acres, The Temple, popularly known as Modi Mandir, is a cultural landmark and spiritual oasis in Modinagar, Uttar Pradesh, built in 1963 by industrialist and philanthropist Rai Bahadur G.M. Modi and his wife, Mrs Dayawati Modi.

The residency is located in Modi Bhawan, Modi Nagar, National Capital Region.

The India Art Fair will take place from 4 to 7 February 2027 and will be a short metro ride from it.

The residency creates an unusual dialogue between contemporary sculpture, sacred architectural landscape and the living cultural traditions of Modinagar, culminating in a permanent work installed within the temple grounds.

Support provided

• Return economy travel is covered up to £800.
  
  
• Staff are available for queries while the artist is in residence.
  
  
• All material costs will be covered by the foundation.
  
  
• Production support

While in residence, the artist is to undertake, be available for and facilitate the below:

• Develop a new work responding to FOUND for installation in the Modi temple grounds.
  
  
• Be comfortable working at scale and with site-responsive sculpture.
  
  
• Work with found, reclaimed or repurposed materials.
  
  
• Demonstrate a proven practice of working with found materials, with images of relevant works.
  
  
• Participate in studio and artist conversations.
  
  
• Give a presentation on their practice and process.
  
  
• Lead a creative workshop for an audience.
  
  
• Keep a visual diary/blog documenting their residency.
  
  
• Create Instagram and digital content for Floodlight Foundation and the Royal Society of Sculptors.
  
  
• Participate in an Instagram takeover of the Royal Society of Sculptors account and Floodlight Foundation.
  
  
• Provide photo and video documentation of their residency and work.
  
  
• Leave the new artwork at the residency, which will become part of its collection.

While on residence, the artist will have access to:

• Shared studio/workspace
  
  
• Digital media equipment
  
  
• Outdoor workspace
  
  
• Opportunity to showcase a smaller work in a Floodlight Foundation upcoming show

Accommodation will be provided and includes:

• Bedding
  
  
• Towels
  
  
• Private Bathroom
  
  
• Shared kitchen
  
  
• Shared entrance
  
  
• Outdoor space – private Balcony
  
  
• Outdoor space – shared Garden
  
  
• Parking
  
  
• Double Bed
  
  
• Laundry facilities
  
  
• Wi-Fi
  
  
• Public transport connections
  
  
• Shops within walking distance
  
  

Food supplied

The accommodation is located in the centre of the city, right on the state highway with good connecting facilities.

Entry Process

Free to enter

To complete this application, please prepare the following and use the 'make a submission' tab above and prepare the below:

• A selection of images of recent work (five to twelve)
  
  
• A CV of no more than two pages long
  
  
• A statement telling us how this residency might impact your practice
  
  
• A statement telling us how you might use the temple context to inform your project
  
  
• A statement detailing what degree of self sufficiency is there and what help is needed

The closing deadline for applications is Thursday 8th October, 2026.

Unfortunately, due to the number of applications we receive, feedback will not be given at this stage.

Notification of all results will be sent by email in late October 2026.

Judges

Surbhi K Modi - Artist | Curator | Educator

Multidisciplinary Artist

Surbhi K. Modi is an artist, curator, patron working across contemporary and public art. With experience spanning Sotheby’s Institute of Art, London and Chelsea College of Arts, University of the Arts London, she works between India and the UK.

Her multidisciplinary practice encompasses sculpture, textiles and installation, transforming familiar objects and functional forms into works exploring identity, culture, spirituality and everyday narratives.

In 2026, her work Songs Under the Same Sky (The Rock Bench) was installed in the Sculpture Garden at Dulwich Picture Gallery, London, bringing her practice into dialogue with the Gallery’s historic collection and landscape.

Founder, The Floodlight Foundation

Surbhi is the founder of The Floodlight Foundation, a non-profit mentoring and artist management organisation supporting artists through practice development, curatorial guidance, commissions and exhibitions. The Foundation is also a pioneering presenter of contemporary art projects and new commissions in public spaces across India, creating opportunities for greater engagement with the arts.

Advisor, International Institute of Fine Arts (IIFA), Modinagar

As an artist, curator and educator, Modi brings this history of artistic exchange into the contemporary context, continuing Modinagar's tradition of creating spaces where artists can experiment, learn, collaborate and engage with new audiences.

IIFA also maintains international links with institutions including the University of the Arts London and the Royal Drawing School, with artists and teachers participating in residencies, teaching and exchange programmes at the institute.

Nick Hornby -  Artist & Sculptor | Vice President, Royal Society of Sculptors

Nick Hornby is a London-based British artist known for large-scale sculpture and public commissions that combine digital technology, art history and traditional materials. His work explores perception, identity and the language of sculpture.

A graduate of the Slade School of Fine Art and Chelsea College of Art, Hornby has exhibited at Tate Britain, Leighton House, the Fitzwilliam Museum and internationally at the Museum of Arts and Design, New York. He received the 2024 PSSA Marsh Award for Excellence in Public Sculpture and is Vice President, Trustee and Fellow of the Royal Society of Sculptors.

Hornby has also served on judging panels for the Picton Art Prize and Soho Sculpture Prize, bringing extensive experience in evaluating contemporary and public sculpture.

Rules and Guidelines

By submitting an application, the entrant promises that all of the information comprised in the application is correct.

The entrant also promises to comply with these rules and any other requirements specified by the Society (whether on its website or otherwise), and the Society reserves its right to exclude any entry which, in its opinion, does not comply.

All applications must be made using the online form. No hard copy applications will be accepted. Applications must be received by the closing date specified.

Any submissions must be lawful; they must not be offensive, obscene, racist, discriminatory or otherwise objectionable, and they must not contain any form of advertising.

Entrants grant the Royal Society of Sculptors and their residency partner the unrestricted right (without royalty) to reproduce images of any work in connection with the residency, be it online, printed or otherwise disseminated.

The Judge’s decision is final. If the Royal Society of Sculptors is unable to contact any short-listed artist or winners via the email address supplied by the entrant, the shortlist position lapses, and the Society reserves the right to select alternative winners.

Eligibility

Applications are welcomed from all Royal Society of Sculptors members and fellows provided they have not been awarded or participated in a Society residency in the 12 months prior to the application's opening.

Please note that for your application to be accepted, your annual membership fee must be paid in full by the submission deadline or an existing quarterly direct debit be in place.

The successful candidate will be required to provide references.