Lexic, the Bengaluru-based law firm led by Sandhya Surendran, has introduced Lighthouse, a year-long legal mentorship programme for four Indian or Indian-origin independent artists, launched to coincide with the firm’s tenth anniversary.
The initiative will select mentees through a series of live auditions held quarterly at The Humming Tree, a recently reopened venue in Bengaluru. The first audition is scheduled for 23 June.
How the mentorship works
Every three months, Lexic will shortlist eight solo acts or bands from the applicant pool to perform at a Lighthouse Audition. One act from each session will be chosen for a year-long mentorship. The firm has committed ten per cent of its annual time to the project.
“Budgetary constraints have historically been the single biggest barrier between artists and good legal counsel, and the consequences are real: deals they aren’t happy with, or worse, deals that leave them exploited,” Surendran said.
The selected artists will receive comprehensive support covering contract reviews, negotiations, copyright society registrations, and foundational legal housekeeping that many independent artists overlook. Surendran added: “What we are not doing is booking shows, getting endorsements or stepping into a pure management role.” However, Lexic will direct mentees to people and places within its network that provide those services.
Application and selection process
Applications are open to acts of any age, orientation, language, or genre. Artists or bands must submit a video performance of an original song along with links to any existing releases. At the auditions, each act will have 16 minutes to soundcheck and perform three tracks, at least two of which must be original compositions.
The emphasis on live performance stems from Surendran’s conviction that “the best artists we know are, almost without exception, extraordinary on stage.” She also noted a shortage of venues where emerging artists can refine their craft, a gap Lexic hopes to help address. “Space has to be deliberately carved out and handed over,” she said. “The dream is for the Lighthouse Auditions to function as a pipeline for discovery and A&R activity.”
Navigating a complex legal landscape
Indian independent artists frequently face pressure to surrender their royalties, despite such practices being technically illegal under the Copyright Act. Record labels often offer buyout deals, and radio stations request No Objection Certificates that can undermine artists’ rights. The Lighthouse programme aims to give participants the informed guidance needed when making decisions with long-term career impact. Should any of the four mentees receive offers during the mentorship, they will already have a lawyer to consult.
