Inside OCO’s Dhokra Craft Residency

The application phase for OCO’s Dhokra Craft Residency has officially come to a close. As applications now move into the review process, let's take a look at the next phase of the programme.

OCO’s mission, unlike the conventional residency model, brings together practitioners to engage with Odisha’s craft traditions through field-based research, documentation, and collaborative learning. This next phase offers a closer look at how OCO residency unfolds, from immersion with artisan communities to documentation and publication. 

Applications Closed. What’s Next?

With the application window now closed, the OCO Dhokra Craft Residency moves into the second phase. As applications undergo review and participant selection, this phase expands into the immersive journey that lies ahead. 

The residency encourages practitioners to learn through observation, dialogue, and collaborative inquiry, fostering a deeper understanding of Dhokra craft within its cultural and social context. Equally important is craft documentation, beginning from recording processes to creating meaningful narratives that can be later translated to exhibitions, publications, and dialogue. Together, these stages reflect OCO’s vision of connecting research, practice, and public engagement through long-term collaborations with craft communities.

Craft in Focus: Dhokra

Dhokra is a traditional metal casting craft practised using the ancient lost-wax casting technique, where each object is individually moulded and cast, making every piece one of a kind. As seen in ritualistic objects and everyday artefacts, Dhokra embodies a balance of storytelling and artistic expression that has endured for centuries.

What makes Dhokra unique goes beyond its intricate process; it intertwines itself among artisans, materials, and place. From shaping the wax model and preparing the clay mould to casting molten metal and finishing the surface, it reflects a deep understanding of local resources and collective memory. It is through learning from artisans that these nuanced techniques and stories continue to be passed on, keeping such living craft traditions relevant in changing times.

Today, Dhokra stands as a celebrated handicraft. It represents a knowledge system shaped by communities and its surroundings. It is this richness of practice, process, and people that makes Dhokra an important craft to document, understand, and engage with, and thus, forms the foundation for OCO’s third residency.

The OCO Approach

The OCO Residency is built on the belief that meaningful engagement with craft begins by learning from the people who sustain it. Bringing together artists, designers, researchers, photographers, and curators, the programme encourages multidisciplinary research that is rooted in field immersion and dialogue rather than observation alone. 

International Participation

For the first time, OCO welcomed applications from international practitioners, opening the residency to a wider community. This expansion reflects OCO’s vision of fostering cross-cultural dialogue, where diverse perspectives contribute to a deeper understanding of Odisha’s craft traditions.

Artisan Collaboration

Through close artisan collaboration, participants also explore craft as a living knowledge system, shaped by its social, cultural, and ecological contexts. This approach also strengthens indigenous craft documentation, creating space for diverse perspectives while contributing to a growing body of research and public knowledge.

Alongside the Residency, OCO’s Fellowship has established itself as a unique Craft Fellowship Programme model in India, centered on research, documentation, and collaborative learning with artisan communities.

Residency Programme Timeline

Here’s a look at the key stages of the OCO Dhokra Residency programme.

Time Period	Activity	Description
June – July 2026	Open Call	Applications were invited from artists, designers, researchers, writers, photographers, curators, and filmmakers. For the first time, the Residency also welcomed international applications.
5 July 2026	Applications Closed	The Open Call concluded, marking the beginning of the participant review and selection process.
July – August 2026	Selection Process	Applications are reviewed, shortlisted, and selected participants are announced for the third edition of the OCO Dhokra Residency.
1 October – 30 November 2026	Field Residency	Participants undertake an eight-week immersive residency across Odisha, engaging directly with artisan communities through field research, documentation, and collaborative learning.
Following Months	Documentation & Dissemination	The research continues through documentation, a public exhibition, publication, and continued engagement under OCO’s Fellowship programme.

Looking Forward

As the selection process continues, we are excited to welcome the next cohort of residents who will embark on this journey of learning, research, and documentation. Over the coming months, the OCO’s Dhokra Residency Programme will unfold through field experiences, conversations with artisan communities, and knowledge-building shaped by collaboration and collective learning.

This is only the beginning. As the residency progresses, OCO will continue to share stories from the field, participant experiences, research insights, and programme milestones. Stay connected with us as we take a closer look at the craft, the people who sustain it, and the many ideas that emerge along the way.