Open Call: 3rd Edition of OCO Residency Programme
8-Week Residency Programme for Contemporary Artists, Lens-based Practitioners, Designers and Academic Researchers
Application Deadline: 5th July 2026
Curatorial Brief
Following the successful completion of two editions of the Odisha Craft Odyssey Residency, which focused on Bell Metal and Appliqué work, we are proud to announce our third edition, dedicated to the Dokra Craft of Odisha. OCO is a multi-year documentation and survey project investigating diverse craft practices across the state. This year’s intervention focuses on documenting Dokra through interdisciplinary approaches. We invite researchers from academic backgrounds, visual artists, designers, and lens-based practitioners interested in merging ethnographic research with creative practice.
This edition is unique as we are expanding our application process to include international participants alongside Indian citizens. During the residency, participants are encouraged to understand Dokra through its making processes, material properties, and socio-historical, cultural, and aesthetic orientations. Furthermore, residents are pushed to explore the role of the community and artisanal identity, addressing questions of authorship, autonomy, appropriation, power relations, and the ‘opacities of knowledge’ within contemporary making processes. While the residency is research-centered, we aim to move beyond academic limitations, utilizing interdisciplinary methods to amplify the possibilities of research across various domains.
Application Details
Who can apply?
Practitioners from the fields of Contemporary Art, Lens-Based Practice, and Design. Writers and Researchers with a focus on material culture or ethnography. Applicants may be Indian Nationals or International Citizens. There is no age limit.
How to Apply
Submit requirements as a single PDF (audio links included) to odishacraftodyssey@gmail.com
Subject Line: “Your Name, OCO Residency Programme 2026.”
Project Proposal: Written text (max 500 words) or audio (max 5 mins) in Odia, English, Hindi, or Hinglish.
Portfolio: 5–10 relevant works or a minimum of 2 published writings.
Concept Note: Statement on your practice (max 300 words).
Resume: Updated CV (max 2 pages).
Application Deadline: 5th July 2026
Structure of the Programme
Phase - I
Research (4 Weeks): Working with Dokra artisans at Sadeibareni (Dhenkanal), Odisha.
Support: Accommodation near the cluster; access to a common studio space; breakfast and lunch included. Curatorial assistance from OCO and BEADS teams on-site.
Phase - II
Production (2 Weeks): Developing resident projects for the Open Day/Exhibition, including conceptualization and fabrication.
Support: Accommodation and meals (breakfast/lunch) provided.
Phase - III
Curatorial Development (1 Week): Refinement of projects in Bhubaneswar in collaboration with the exhibition curator.
Support: Accommodation and meals provided.
Phase - IV
Exhibition (1 Week): Fabrication, mounting, and public exhibition in Bhubaneswar.
Support: Accommodation and meals provided.
Selection & Grant Details
Number of Residents:
2 Residents: Contemporary Art / Lens-Based Practice / Design
1 Resident: Writing and Research
What Residents Receive:
Airfare: Round-trip domestic airfare to Bhubaneswar.
Stipend: Local travel support (INR 1,500/week) and food allowance (INR 2,500/week).
Honorarium: INR 35,000 for the full duration.
Production Budget: INR 15,000
Fellowship: Potential for an extended 8-month OCO Fellowship (2026-27).
Expectations and Deliverables
Through this project, we would like to:
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Unravel the Making: Focus on the intricate processes, techniques, and tools of Dorkra working.
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Social and Caste Dynamics: Explore the social relations and caste status associated with Dokra artisans, placing these dynamics within broader cultural and economic contexts. Integrated
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Exhibition Practices: Present craft practices alongside contemporary art to dissolve the binary between art and craft, encouraging a holistic appreciation of both.
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Ethnographic surveys: One of the essential methods of this project is to engage in ethnographic surveys of the craft clusters of Odisha. In this edition, we will engage with the Dokra work at Sadeibareni (Dhenkanal), Odisha .
Ethnographic Research and Engagement
Ethnographic research is at the heart of this project, ensuring a deep, respectful, and meaningful engagement with the Dokra craft community. Researchers, artists, and designers will:
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Document Practices: Record detailed observations of the Dokra working processes, techniques, and cultural significance.
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Prepare Field Notes: Maintain comprehensive field notes to capture daily interactions, insights, and reflections.
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Collaborate Closely: Work closely with the artisans, ensuring an equal exchange of knowledge and skills.
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Amplify Voices: Provide a platform for the artisans to share their stories, challenges, and perspectives.
An Overview: Dhokra Craft
Dhokra, also known as Dokra, is a traditional non-ferrous metal casting craft practiced using the ancient lost-wax casting technique. The craft is widely recognized for its rustic visual quality, intricate linear detailing, and handcrafted individuality. Since the mold is broken after every casting, each object produced remains completely unique.
In Odisha, Dhokra is primarily associated with the Dhenkanal region and artisan communities residing in clusters such as Nuagaon, Nabajeevanpur, and historically Sadeibereni. The craft is practiced within household-based workshop systems where the entire family contributes to different stages of production.
Traditional Dhokra objects include tribal figurines, ritual lamps, musicians, animals, jewelry, utensils, bells, wall décor, and mother-and-child forms. Tribal life, forests, folk rituals, village activities, agrarian culture, and indigenous belief systems largely inspire the motifs.
The craft relies heavily on manual labour and locally adapted techniques. Materials such as clay, beeswax, resin, brass scrap, rice husk, and natural fuel sources remain central to the process. Despite increasing contemporary adaptation into lifestyle and decorative products, the making process itself has remained largely unchanged for generations.
About Sadeibereni and its Geographical Significance to Dhokra
Sadeibereni, located in Dhenkanal district under the Saptasajya Panchayat region, has historically been identified as one of the most important Dhokra craft settlements in Odisha. The village is situated around 10 km from Dhenkanal town and remains connected to Bhubaneswar and nearby urban centers through road networks.
The surrounding semi-rural and forest-influenced landscape historically supported the craft through access to materials such as river clay, beeswax, forest resin, firewood, and organic binding agents used in mold preparation.
The region’s environment also shaped the visual language of the craft. Motifs such as elephants, horses, tribal musicians, village women, ritual lamps, and mother-and-child forms are closely linked to the indigenous and agrarian culture of the area.
The close proximity between Sadeibereni, Nuagaon, and Nabajeevanpur helped sustain intergenerational knowledge transfer and collective production systems. Even though active production has shifted over time, Sadeibereni continues to remain geographically and culturally important as the historical identity of Odisha’s Dhokra tradition.
About
Odisha Craft Odyssey
The Odisha Craft Odyssey (OCO) is a pioneering initiative that seeks to redefine the cultural landscape by elevating Odisha’s rich craft traditions. Aiming to challenge entrenched hierarchies between fine arts and crafts in South Asia, OCO promotes an inclusive platform where craft is recognized as a vital form of artistic expression. By integrating craft into educational frameworks, exhibitions, and cultural historiography, the project blurs the traditional divide between art and craft. OCO not only honors the skills of Odisha’s artisans but also repositions craft as central to contemporary artistic and cultural discourse, fostering respect, visibility, and critical engagement.
For queries, reach out to us by email: odishacraftodyssey@gmail.com
