For Feroze Gujral, Art Is Not Charity, It’s a Cultural Investment

In a world where art often takes a backseat to commerce, Feroze Gujral has spent nearly two decades proving that culture is not a luxury; it is essential. As the driving force behind the Gujral Foundation and Outset India, she has championed contemporary art with the conviction that supporting creativity is investing in our collective identity and future.

Through the Gujral Foundation, established in 2008, Gujral has supported over 330 artists and presented more than 100 exhibitions, forums, and cultural programs. As the founder director of Outset India, she facilitates private funding for public art installations. Her initiatives, such as Artdemic and Vuedemic, provide emerging artists with platforms and micro-grants. Across every project, one theme remains constant: elevating contemporary Indian and South Asian art on the global stage while nurturing the next generation of creative voices. 

This month, as we celebrate stories of impact at Robb Report India, we speak to Feroze about philanthropy, cultural responsibility, and the causes closest to her heart. 

Robb Report (RR): What does philanthropy mean to you? And what has it taught you?

Feroze Gujral (FG): Philanthropy, for me, is about creating ecosystems that enable creativity to flourish with a focus on building infrastructure, removing barriers, and creating opportunities where none existed. Coming from a family where culture was a way of life, I learned early that supporting the arts is investing in our collective identity and memory. What philanthropy has taught me is patience and humility. Real change takes time, and every contribution, no matter how small, is part of a larger tapestry.

RR: The Gujral Foundation has supported hundreds of artists and institutions globally. What do you see as the most impactful outcome of this sustained patronage?

FG: What has mattered most to me is being part of key cultural moments. We were early supporters of Colomboscope and have been closely involved for a decade. We also supported an India–Pakistan collaboration at the Venice Biennale with Rashid Rana and Shilpa Gupta, which opened up conversations that are otherwise difficult to access. Similar engagements across Bangladesh, Berlin, Shanghai, and Kochi have expanded how South Asia is seen and understood. 

We are very selective about the institutions and platforms we work with, including the British Museum and the Guggenheim. Every international project is approached as a South Asia pride project. Art, for us, is a record of time, whether through visual art, architecture, or design, and that sense of responsibility shapes our choices. 

RR: Much of your work includes cross-border collaborations like the India-Pakistan Venice Biennale project. Why do you believe meaningful cultural philanthropy is crucial in these spaces, beyond simply funding art projects?

FG: Because art creates conversations that politics often cannot. At a time when we're driven by information rather than experience, and often by misinformation, art becomes essential. It allows difficult dialogues to surface without confrontation. Our Venice Biennale collaboration exemplifies this. It opened up perspectives that are otherwise inaccessible and helped us understand different viewpoints more deeply. 

Meaningful philanthropy in culture looks beyond the artwork itself. It considers the artist's entire ecosystem. Supporting one artist doesn't just promote beautiful work; it can open up entire social and political conversations. I experienced this while encountering work by artists like Vikrant Bhise, whose Dalit perspective revealed dimensions of Indian socio-economic realities I might have missed otherwise. Culture is how we preserve language, people, place, and thought. Without active support, we lose a little more every day. 

RR: Outset India is part of the world's largest acquisition fund for contemporary art. What role do private funding and cultural diplomacy play today?

FG: Private funding allows for deeper cultural engagement. It helps people experience India beyond tourism, through food, language, and heritage. There is also a growing shift from CSR to what I think of as corporate cultural responsibility, where companies actively support culture as part of their identity. 

Even small acts matter. Supporting one craft cluster, one artist, or one tradition can make a tangible difference. I recently saw Paithani weaving still being practised in Aurangabad. Buying, sharing, and talking about such work keeps it alive. Culture survives through participation, not scale alone. 

RR: Has there been an experience from your work that fundamentally changed your perspective on giving?

FG: When we launched Artdemic during the pandemic, we received thousands of submissions from artists we'd never heard of, talented creators who simply needed visibility and small grants to continue working. What struck me was how a micro-grant wasn't just money; it was validation. It told these artists, "Your work matters. Keep going." Many of them are now represented by major galleries. 

That showed me meaningful philanthropy isn't always about big gestures. Sometimes it's about creating the right platform at the right time. It taught me that we must shift from "charity" thinking to "cultural investment." We're not just helping; we're investing in voices that will shape how future generations understand our time. 

RR: Philanthropy can feel intimidating or inaccessible to some people, especially young Indians interested in supporting the arts. What are some simple ways one can start engaging with cultural giving?

FG: The first step is exposure. Make it a habit to engage with culture, whether it’s theatre, dance, music, or art. Awareness changes how you see value. The second step is alignment. Work with organisations that already understand the ecosystem, even if your contribution is modest. 

We also focus on education through programmes like Art Induct, where people learn how to engage with different art forms beyond buying. Culture grows when people turn up, ask questions, and bring the next generation along. That participation matters as much as patronage.