Space 118 grew out of a need to address a glaring absence of artist studios and residences in Mumbai, which otherwise had a vibrant art scene, and opened in 2009 in a once family-owned 2.5 acre warehouse compound in the heart of industrial Bombay. Space118, with its quaint atmosphere and fully equipped facilities including a library, provided a space where artists could pause, observe, reflect, and absorb new ideas into their project. It was also envisioned as a space for cultural exchange across artistic disciplines, with workshops, lectures and mentoring sessions by noted curators, artists and art historians. In the decade since it opened, Space118 has hosted over 450 artists, held over 65 workshops and evolved into a grant-making organisation, funding the work of new artists each year. In 2019, Space118 transitioned into a grant-making organisation and held the inaugural Space118 Fine Art Grant, which has continued every successive year with a jury of fine members of the art fraternity: Lekha Poddar, Shilpa Gupta and Mortimer Chatterjee.