Awardees for the Schrucker Fellowship were selected from a highly competitive pool of applications submitted by Tibetans. These seven projects reflect the diversity, creativity, and global reach of contemporary Tibetan artistic expression. The selected projects span a wide range of mediums, ranging from screenplay writing, theatre, filmmaking, post-production, visual arts and mixed media.
A requirement is that each project will be implemented during the 2026 calendar year. ICT thanks the Schroeder and Pucker families for their generous support and extends deep appreciation to all the applicants for their efforts, creativity and dedication to making a contribution in this field.
“The Schroeder and Pucker families are delighted to advance contemporary Tibetan art in all its forms,” said members of both families.
The Schrucker Fellowship, managed by the International Campaign for Tibet (ICT), was inspired after a trip to Dharamsala in 2024 where the Schroeder and Pucker families were introduced to a burgeoning contemporary Tibetan arts and creative community in Dharamsala by ICT. The fellowship was established to nurture and support this burgeoning creative community, providing Tibetan artists with the resources they need to continue their important work.
The 2026 grants include the following projects:
- Writing the Screenplay of “Goldfish of Norbulingka”
- Recipient: Kunchok Rabten
- Location: India
- Description: The Schrucker Fellowship will support the development of the screenplay for The Goldfish of Norbulingka, a 20–30 minute 2D animated film inspired by Tibetan stories and culture.
- Development of Theatre Production, “Phayul”
- Recipient: Lhakpa Tsering
- Location: India
- Description: Phayul is a new theatre production by Tibet Theatre that explores how Tibet lost its independence in 1959, and the resistance that followed Chinese occupation. Building on the company’s earlier work, the project is currently in the research and scriptwriting phase. Fellowship support will help support in-depth historical research and authentic storytelling, laying the groundwork for rehearsals and an international premiere in December 2026.
- Gyasa Belsa Comic Book
- Recipient: Lobsang Soepa
- Location: India
- Description: Gyasa Belsa, by Lobsang Soepa, is a comic book that has already been largely written and illustrated. Funding will support professional coloring, proofreading, and high-quality printing, as well as Tibetan and English translations. The comic will be distributed to schools, community centers, and bookshops, making it accessible to young Tibetans in exile and international readers while promoting Tibetan storytelling through visual art.
- Self-portraits, women-hood, women in power
- Recipient: Ngoshi Choedon
- Location: India
- Description: The Schrucker Fellowship will help support the artist’s new pieces exploring identity, relationships, womanhood, women in power, and how society views women.
- Confidential
- Recipient: Confidential
- Location: Confidential
- Khadhok Mural – Expanding Tibetan Art in the Streets
- Recipient: Tenzin Melak
- Location: India
- Description: Building on the success of the 2025 Khadhok Mural in Dharamshala, the Schrucker Fellowship will help support the creation of two new large-scale collaborative murals – one in Dharamshala and one in Delhi. Six Tibetan artists, both emerging and established, will explore themes of identity, exile, and cultural resilience through public art.
- Post-production for “That Distant Snow”
- Recipient: Tsering Wangmo
- Location: India
- Description: Post-production for the short film That Distant Snow, including editing, color correction, sound design, music, and visual effects. The film follows a child’s reflections on dreams, mountains, and exile, revealing how memory, history, and ancestral ties shape identity. Created with a Tibetan cast and crew in Ladakh, the film will be finalized for international film festival submissions.
The advisory board is made up of members of the Pucker and Schroeder families.
Next Application Cycle
The next Schrucker Fellowship for the Arts application cycle will be announced later this summer. For more information on eligibility, application guidelines and deadlines, please contact [email protected].
About the International Campaign for Tibet
The International Campaign for Tibet is a non-profit organization dedicated to supporting the Tibetan people and promoting human rights and democratic freedoms in Tibet.