Art has always survived and thrived thanks to patronage. There would be no Leonardo Da Vinci without the Medicis, or Raja Ravi Varma without the Maharaja of Baroda. Yet, in a world driven by influencer strategies, finding a foothold in a prominent gallery in the city can be difficult. For Gauri Dahanukar Mehta, daughter of late artist Prafulla Dahanukar, and trustee of the Prafulla Dahanukar Arts Foundation, this is the objective of the annual Kalanand Grants.

“We provide a platform to artists, helping them find patronage and support them through CSR funds,” she explains. The exhibition returns to the Dr Bhau Daji Lad Museum in Byculla for the second time since 2019, and will host the works of 25 artists from across India. Established in 2014 in the name of Prafulla Dahanukar — one of the most prominent names in modern art — the grant supports and encourages emerging artists while offering them a chance to exhibit their works in a city like Mumbai.