The 11 recipients of the Climate Futures: South Asia program for 2025 have been revealed by the British Council, the UK‘s international agency for cultural relations and educational opportunities. This ground-breaking program empowers cultural organisations, artists, and communities in India, Bangladesh, Nepal, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka to effect lasting change by supporting creative, artist-led responses to the climate crisis.

These grantees will lead innovative responses to climate challenges through grants, collaboration, and mentorship, emphasising environmental resilience, community engagement, and cultural preservation. The program’s objectives are to strengthen local responses, promote cross-border cooperation between the UK and South Asia, and increase the role of the arts in addressing climate change.

The 2025 Climate Futures: South Asia grantees and their impactful projects include:

India:

Emerging Ecologies (Krishnapriya C P, Forest Way Trust)

Mapping Nature’s Palette for Climate-Responsive Artisanal Practices (Tri-Impact Global)

Bangladesh:

Crafting Togetherness (Samdani Art Foundation)

Discovering Matarbari Folk Tales (Mahenaz Chowdhury, Broqué)

Shak Pitari (Wild Leaves) (Salma Jamal Moushum, Gidree Bawlee)

Nepal:

Carbon Footprint Mapping and Tracking for the Craft Sector (Story Cycle)

Enhancing The Climate Change Resilience Of Women (Human Rights Film Center)

Pakistan:

The Eco Block Tower (The Dawood Foundation’s MagnifiScience Center)

Weaving Together: Local Art for Social Cohesion and Climate Resilience (Sarah Ather Khan, NED University)

Sri Lanka:

Circular Creative Companions (Fold Media Collective)

Regenerating South Asian Climate Futures (Good Life x Lagori Collective)

These initiatives show how South Asian artists and cultural institutions are addressing the climate crisis in a variety of creative ways.

The British Council is supporting these grantees in developing their ideas, amplifying their voices, and making a lasting impact in their communities by offering financial support, mentorship, and collaborative opportunities. Their goal with Climate Futures: South Asia is to encourage the arts’ contribution to creating a resilient and sustainable future.

For more information, visit https://www.britishcouncil.in/programmes/arts/climate-futures-south-asia

Priyanka Dutta