Dear Reader,
Let me say one thing first. You don't have to agree with us. Just hear us out.
When we began India Contemporary, we had a simple ambition: to create a publication that reflects the richness and diversity of contemporary Indian culture.
Founded and based in London, we explore this culture through a British lens, while drawing on voices and perspectives from India and around the world. Rather than treating these varied experiences as interchangeable, we focus on the subjects that interest us most and place them within an international context.
India is changing rapidly, and so is the way its culture is being created, experienced and shared. Artists, designers, writers, performers, architects and cultural practitioners are working across borders and disciplines, connecting India with Britain and with communities around the world.
But what exactly does that mean in practice?
How we work
At the heart of India Contemporary is the print magazine.
Not only did I start my career in publishing, but I have been collecting magazines since I was a teenager — and trust me, that's been a long time — so it felt right to return to something I have always loved as the starting point for India Contemporary.
We publish three issues a year, with each issue built around its own editorial theme. Our inaugural issue is devoted to contemporary painting and features more than 20 artists from India and its global diaspora, bringing together original essays, profiles and specially commissioned texts.
The magazine allows us to do something different from the website. Online, we can respond quickly and publish regularly. In print, we can slow down and spend more time with a subject.
We want the magazine to be something you keep — a substantial physical record of contemporary culture rather than simply another publication to read and move on from.
The magazine is only one part of India Contemporary
Every week, we will publish a combination of shorter stories and longer-form pieces, introducing readers to people, places, ideas and developments that we think deserve attention.
We are interested not only in what is happening, but in why it matters.
Our longer reads allow us to spend more time with a subject — whether that means understanding an artist's practice, exploring a cultural idea or looking more closely at a development taking place in India or its global communities.
We also have Artwork of the Day on Instagram, which gives us a chance to focus on individual works and artists and introduce readers to practices they may not have encountered before.
Our intention is not to cover everything. It is to be selective: to find the people, ideas and stories that can tell us something meaningful about contemporary Indian culture.
A British perspective
The British perspective is an important part of India Contemporary.
It is not about attempting to speak for India or Indians. Rather, it reflects our position and our interest in the connections between India, Britain and the wider world.
Contemporary Indian culture already crosses borders. Artists live and work in different countries. Audiences are international. Ideas move between cities and communities. As they should.
We want India Contemporary to reflect that reality.
Why independence matters
India Contemporary is editorially independent and does not rely on advertising.
That gives us the freedom to decide what we publish because we believe it is interesting, important or worth discovering. It also means that we can give space to emerging voices alongside more established names, and explore subjects without having to fit them into a commercial agenda.
Our readers are therefore an important part of how India Contemporary works.
Membership helps support the editorial work behind the publication, giving members access to our deeper digital content as well as other benefits as the platform develops.
We want membership to feel like more than access to a paywall. It is a way of supporting an independent cultural publication and becoming part of what we are building.
What comes next
We are now moving into an exciting new phase for India Contemporary.
Editorial
Look out for our weekly e-newsletter. And because we know there is a lot going on, every Sunday we'll send you a simple guide to the week ahead at India Contemporary. We'll give you a preview of the stories, interviews and features we're working on, alongside what's happening with the magazine, events and the shop.
It means you can decide what catches your eye — and then dip in throughout the week as the stories appear. We'll be sharing the highlights on social media too, but the Sunday newsletter will be your first look at what's coming.
The magazine
Following the inaugural issue, we are already working on our next two issues.
Issue 02 / Spring 2027: HANDMADE
Available February 2027
Issue 03 / Summer 2027: PERFORMANCE
Available May 2027
And in November, we will begin work on Issue 04 / Autumn 2027. Our autumn issue will always feature an art-related theme.
Our aim is for each issue to have its own identity and to explore a subject in greater depth than we can online.
We will also be announcing our distributors in October, so sign up to our weekly e-newsletter to hear the news first.
Events
We are also developing our programme of events.
The programme will include conversations, gatherings and smaller-scale events designed to create opportunities not just to listen, but to meet people, exchange ideas and take part in the conversations surrounding contemporary Indian culture and its global communities.
The Shop
And then there is the shop.
We are beginning to work with artists and makers to bring selected objects and collaborations to the IC audience, creating another way to discover and engage with the people and creative practices we feature.
Indians are all about family — or they always claim to be! — so we are kicking off with the Momon family, created by India-based artist Tanaya Sharma.
We hope you love them as much as we do.
There is a lot more to come. You don't need to have a connection to India. You just need to be curious. Unless you're a cat.
Best wishes,
Jagdip
