Submissions Closed: Otibeguni Indigenous Storyteller’s Fund 2025

Sep 18 2025

As of September 15, submissions for the 2025 Otibeguni Indigenous Storyteller’s Fund are now closed—and we are thrilled to share that we received over 50 proposals! 🎉

Applications came from nearly every major indigenous community in Bangladesh—from Chakma, Marma, Manipuri, Bawm, to Munda storytellers—and from creators of all kinds: theater artists, filmmakers, anthropologists, and more. We are deeply grateful that so many of you trusted us with your bold, imaginative ideas.

✴️ What Happens Next

• On October 1, we will shortlist 3 projects per category.
• Shortlisted applicants will be invited to submit a detailed proposal by October 31, including execution plans, fixed dates, staffing, and travel itineraries if needed.
• Along the way, we’ll provide actionable feedback to help refine your plans.

✴️ How to Strengthen Your Chances

• Share examples of past work related to your proposal.
• If you are a non-indigenous applicant, include an indigenous co-applicant or cultural consultant.
• Show us the storytelling heart of your project. Purely showcasing artwork or crafts without a narrative focus is unlikely to be funded.

✴️ If You’re Not Shortlisted

• Don’t lose hope—we’re committed to supporting your ideas in other ways:
• We will continue digitizing folk-theater scripts and may reach out to collaborate.
• For anthropology-related projects, we’ll connect with institutions to explore future sponsorship opportunities.
• If you proposed a folklore collection project, expect to hear from us soon—this is at the very core of our work.

To everyone who applied: thank you once again.