About
Our Vision and Mission
To cultivate a meaningful space for Asian culture to thrive; to shift perspectives and form deeper connections.
Our mission is to support and realise unique, high-quality programmes which share traditional and contemporary Asian culture.
Our aim is to upend existing notions of Asia and provide opportunities for new artistic presentations that sit equal amongst predominant Western narratives.
Our Story So Far
The Bagri Foundation was established in 1990 by the late Lord Bagri CBE (1930-2017). A true visionary and deeply generous man, he set up the foundation to support education and to fund relief work. Since its inception three generations of the family have continued to broaden and deepen the foundation’s scope, through a spirit of curiosity and a desire for personal growth.
In 2015, after completing her PhD in Indian Miniature Painting, Dr Alka Bagri became the champion of the Foundation’s arts and cultural activities. She expanded our remit into wider Asia, focusing on excellence in programming that reflects the family’s passion for learning.
Today, our journey continues. Fuelled by a zeal for asking questions, a passion for enriching our own understanding and a desire to celebrate different cultures, we hope to share some of what excites us with the world.
Alka Bagri (L), Ioanna Nitsou (C), Chelsea Pettitt (R), at London Indian Film Festival after party. 2023.Our Theory of Change
By centering Asia in our work, we seek to redress the balance of arts and cultural discourse in the Western world. Amplifying powerful stories from the region deepens our understanding of Asia and its impact on the world around us.
Engaging with art allows audiences to build solidarity beyond borders and bridges the empathy gap between perceptions of ‘us’ and ‘them’. By seeing through the lens of creative imagination, we can expand the way we think.
Daido Moriyama at The Photographer's Gallery, 2023. Photo (c) Heather Shuker.How We Work
Through grants and strategic partnerships, we work within a network of leading cultural organisations who share our vision. We champion diverse artistic initiatives that challenge and inspire us and our audiences. The Foundation gives artists and experts from across Asia, or those inspired by the continent, wider visibility on the global stage. We achieve our mission by giving grants and developing projects that support the following four aims:
- The sharing of knowledge and experiences from, about or inspired by cultures across Asia
- A contribution to national or international discourse through cross-cultural dialogue between Asian art and other disciplines
- The support of new artistic work by extraordinary talent from Asia or the diaspora
- An exploration of traditional and contemporary Asia through new creative interpretations
For deadlines, further information on what we fund and frequently asked questions, please see our Funding page.
Our Values
Excellence
The artistic work we support is delivered at the highest level. It is ambitious and leaves an impact nationally and internationally. It surprises, inspires and enriches audiences. We work with partners who are determined and driven to achieve the very best.
Curiosity
The work we do seeks to understand the things that we do not yet know. It allows for individuals to learn something new, and to continuously be inspired to think differently. We share gaps in knowledge and expertise through the public presentation of lesser-explored stories.
Integrity
We are honest with our partners. We build trust with clear expectations and communication. The work we do is open and inclusive, with a strong moral compass that allows space for flexibility and the flourishing of creativity.
Collaboration
We generate ideas together with our partners and find ways to create new opportunities in the Asian arts and cultural sector. We take pride in being committed and engaged from the beginning to end. We take time to understand shared goals, encourage reflective learning and develop mutually creative ways of working.
Our Partners
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