This World Art Day, Hyundai Motor India Champions Artists As Changemakers

·         With INR 1.65 crore awarded across four seasons, ‘Hyundai Art for hope’ has supported over 150 artists and collectives, impacting 25,000+ artists nationwide

·         Bengaluru-based artists redefine inclusion with ISL-inspired visual art, trans-led installations, Yakshagana theatre, and neurodiverse digital storytelling.

Every year on April 15 the global community celebrates World Art Day, a moment to pause and reflect on the transformative and healing powers of art - as a mirror to society and a torch for progress. This UNESCO-led initiative was launched in 2019 to mark the birthday of Leonardo da Vinci - a symbol of artistic brilliance and interdisciplinary thinking.

This annual celebration consistently highlights values that form the core of Hyundai Motor India Foundation's (HMIF’s) flagship initiative ‘Hyundai Art for hope’. Inspired by Hyundai’s vision of ‘Progress for Humanity’, the initiative has championed artists as changemakers - voices that amplify endangered traditions, question norms, and reimagine inclusion. Since its inception in 2021, ‘Hyundai Art for hope’ has become a movement, touching the lives of over 25,000 artists and awarding INR 1.65 crore in grants across four seasons. On World Art Day 2025, Hyundai reaffirms its commitment to art as a force for sustainability, echoing UNESCO’s call to harness creativity for planetary and societal well-being.

The fourth season of ‘Hyundai Art for hope’ was a vibrant celebration of India’s artistic diversity. With INR 60 lakh awarded to 50 grantees - including 40 individual artists (5 with disabilities) and 10 collectives - the event showcased art as a tool for social change. Interactive workshops, roundtables on Art from Waste, and tactile exhibits for visually impaired visitors underscored Hyundai’s commitment to accessibility. The three-day festival wasn’t just an exhibition - it was a dialogue, a call to action, and a celebration of art’s power to unite.

Regional Spotlight: Artists Weaving Change Across India

Bengaluru: Breaking Barriers with Neurodiverse Art

In the bustling tech capital, five grantees redefined what inclusion and transformation look like. Alim Chandani, a deaf artist, bridged gestures and Indian Sign Language in Beyond Signs, while Gayatri Gupta (Down syndrome) dazzled with digital art (Busting Boundaries). The Aravani Art Project celebrated transgender identities through nature-inspired installations, and Yakshadeevige used Yakshagana theatre to advocate water conservation in drought-prone Tumkur.

From Delhi’s urban canvases to Karnataka’s neurodiverse ateliers, each artist’s story is a brushstroke in a larger portrait of resilience and renewal. This World Art Day, as global conversations centre around art’s role in shaping society, ‘Hyundai Art for hope’ stands tall - not as a corporate social responsibility checkbox, but as a cultural commitment.