auster.fund: Apply Now For A ₹5 Lakh Grant That Aims To Nurture Indian Creators

Great ideas deserve time and thought. They deserve more than a tap or a like in between an endless scroll. Invariably, bringing ideas to life takes a considerable amount of money, and a lack of it is too small a reason to strip creative projects of the attention they deserve. The Auster Fund addresses this gap between ideation and execution. Created by Auster Network, a network that empowers creators with community and resources, this creator fund will award a ₹5 lakh plus mentorship, with no strings attached to one creator with a bold, innovative idea. 

In a time where a ‘collab’ gives everything more reach, Auster’s vision lies in building lasting legacies and relationships through creative collaboration.

auster.fund will allow creators in India to realise their creative projects through direct funding, mentorship, and access to an industry network. On the 1st of June this year, Auster announced its inaugural grant for Indian creators across all disciplines looking to develop a project and advance their careers. The Auster fund will provide ₹5 lakhs and a paid upfront, mentorship to develop audio, visual, time-based and multi-media projects over four months as well as an opportunity for a public showcase of their work. This quarterly grant also includes four sessions with industry professionals.

“Getting your creative project funded shouldn't depend on having the right connections or going to the right schools. What I hope the Auster fund can do is make resources accessible to anyone with a great idea. Our goal is to help creators whose work takes risks and carries cultural weight but are held back by a lack of resources,” said Ashrant Bhartia, CEO & Founder of Auster Network.

The current grant cycle is open to Indian nationals above, or of the age of 21, looking to execute their creative project in any and all disciplines, and challenge traditional mediums and preserve culture and communities. 

Homegrown creators today are pushing the boundaries of what we know as art, culture and creation. The Auster fund is a step towards changing the narrative that access to finances and honest creative expression cannot be a simultaneous possibility.

The deadline for submitting pitches for this grant is the 16th of June. You can apply to auster.fund here. 

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