Asian Cultural Council Fellowship Program
The Asian Cultural Council supports cultural exchange in the visual and performing arts between Asia, the United States and amongst Asian countries. Applications are accepted from individuals and institutions.
Individual Fellowships
The major focus of the ACC grant program is on awarding grants to artists, scholars and arts specialists from Asia for study, research, observation and related activities in the United States of America or in another Asian country. American applicants may also apply to conduct similar work in Asia.
• Professional Research Programs
Asian applicants may apply for visits to the U.S. to take part in residency programs, to participate in courses and workshops in non-degree programs, and to conduct general research and observation in their field.
Applicants should propose professional activities suitable for their career development.
American applicants may apply for programs of research, training or observation in Asia and must be based in an arts institution that will serve as their local host.
• Academic Programs
The ACC will consider applications from Asian students pursuing graduate study in universities in the United States. Applications are not accepted for undergraduate programs and the grant extends only to living expenses and international airfare. Applicants are encouraged to find other sources of funding for their tuition. Students must apply separately to universities for acceptance while applying to the ACC for funds.
Project and Organization Grants
A limited number of grants may be awarded to institutions for projects involving international exchanges in the arts between Asia, the United States and amongst Asian countries. Grants for projects are usually very modest in size as the ACC’s resources are focused in individual fellowships.
Fields of Award
The grant program covers all the visual and performing arts, both contemporary and traditional. Fields of awards include:
- Archaeology
- Architecture (design, history and theory)
- Arts Administration
- Arts Education
- Art Criticism
- Art History
- Conservation
- Crafts
- Dance
- Non- Commercial Design
- Film and Video
- Museology
- Music
- Painting
- Photography
- Printmaking
- Sculpture
- Theatre
ACC does not support the following:
- Commercial and industrial design
- Mass communications
- Individual artist exhibitions
- Performance tours
- Lecture tours
- Film or video production costs
- Publications
- Undergraduate study
- Operating costs or capital campaigns
- General program and administration costs
- Activities conducted by individuals in their home countries
Application Procedures & Schedule
Individuals and institutions wishing to inquire about the possibility of grant support for consideration at our May 2012 meeting should check our website after September 1, 2011 when our online application opens.
Following the Board of Trustees’ meeting in May, all applicants will receive notification regarding the status of their applications/proposals. Any supporting materials submitted with your application will not be returned.
- What are the areas or fields funded by the Asian Cultural Council?
- What are the areas or fields not funded by the Asian Cultural Council?
- How do I receive an application form?
- If I am applying for an individual grant, what do I need to provide?
- If I am applying for a project or organization grant, what do I need to provide?
- Can individuals or organizations from outside the U.S. or Asia apply for grant funding?
- What is the application schedule?
- What program do I apply to?
- I am a student. Can I apply to the Asian Cultural Council for academic costs?
- What is the amount typically awarded for grants?
- Which office should I apply to?
- May I submit my application in a language other than English?
- What types of organizations are eligible for grant funding?
- If I am an artist from Asia interested in participating in a residency in the United States, what should I do?
1. What are the areas or fields funded by the Asian Cultural Council?
- Archaeology
- Architecture (design, history and theory)
- Arts Administration
- Arts Education
- Art Criticism
- Art History
- Conservation
- Crafts
- Dance
- Non - Commercial Design
- Film and Video
- Museology
- Music
- Painting
- Photography
- Printmaking
- Sculpture
- Theatre
2. What are the areas or fields not funded by the Asian Cultural Council?
- Activities conducted by individuals in their home countries
- Art Theory
- Capital campaigns
- Commercial and industrial design
- Dance Therapy
- Film and video production costs
- General operating and administrative costs
- Individual artist exhibitions or performance tours
- Publications
- Undergraduate study
- Youth training programs
3. How do I receive an application form?
The application will be made available online at our website on September 1, 2011. Applicants have until November 1, 2011 to complete the online application process for grants to be awarded in 2012.
4. If I am applying for an individual grant, what do I need to provide?
Materials required for applicants differ by fields:
Visual artists should include in their CD/DVD:
IMAGES
- 12 images of work completed within the last 5 years or 4 samples of video work
- Format: Images should be in JPEG format, and should be approximately 2800 pixels on the longest dimension. Please select the highest quality and lowest compression possible for each image.
- Title each image as “your last name_your first name__#” (ex: Smith_John_3.jpg)
- Write your first and last name on the CD or DVD.
IMAGELIST
- image list numbered in corresponding order of appearance of images on CD,
- include your name, title of art work, date of work, media/materials and dimensions
- include a brief explanation if necessary of image/work if necessary
- Artist’s statement
Performing artists, Video artists, and Filmmakers applying to the Council should include:
- No more than one DVD
- DVD/video information (title, date, length of work, production information-i.e., camera, editing, producer, director, etc.)
- Performing artists should include 3-5 minute excerpts of 2-3 works they would like the ACC to review.
- Artist’s statement
5. If I am applying for a project or an organization grant, what do I need to provide?
Only registered non-profit organizations would be eligible for a project or an organization grant. A proof of the organization charitable status would be required together with completed application form and additional supplementary materials.
6. Can individuals or organizations from outside the U.S. or Asia apply for grant funding?
The Asian Cultural Council grants are open to citizens and permanent residents of the United States. In Asia, the Council’s grants are only open to citizens and permanent residents of the countries of Asia from Afghanistan eastward through Japan and Indonesia.
Please note that ACC cannot support individuals pursuing projects in their home countries.
Please note that priority consideration is generally given to individuals who have not previously received funding support from the Asian Cultural Council.
7. What is the application schedule?
The application cycle opens on September 1, 2011 when the application form will be made available online. The deadline for completing the application process is November 1, 2011. All eligible parties will be asked to submit supplementary materials (i.e. samples of work) during the application process. Results will be announced in May 2012.
8. What program do I apply to?
When applying to the Asian Cultural Council, please do not worry about applying to a specific program. The listing of programs currently on our website was created to serve as a reference for applicants, so that they may understand the projects funded by the Council.
If you are selected for a grant, the program will be designated by the Asian Cultural Council thereafter.
9. I am a student. Can I apply to the Asian Cultural Council for academic costs?
Please note that the Council is not able to provide support for full tuition costs. The Council supports living costs and international travel for students participating in graduate degree programs relating to the visual and performing arts. As a student you must apply for funding for each year of your study. The ACC does not award multiple year grants.
We are unable to fund secondary school or undergraduate study.
10. What is the amount typically awarded for grants?
There is no specific amount given for individual fellowships or organizational projects. Grants awarded vary in length of time (one month to one year), the amounts will vary accordingly. Organizational projects typically do not yield more than $10,000. The average grant for an individual is $8,000 for six-month duration.
11. Which office should I apply to?
All interested parties should submit their completed Inquiry Form to the main website where the ACC head office in New York would be handling and directing your application to the appropriate regional offices.
12. May I submit my application in a language other than English?
No. All applications must be submitted in English.
13. What types of organizations are eligible for grant funding?
- Non-profit organizations
- Non-profit equivalent organizations
- Non-governmental organizations (NGOs)
Since the ACC’s program resources are focused on fellowship awards to individuals, the Council’s grants for institutions are usually modest in size. Grants to institutions are generally awarded to support the participation of individual artists, scholars, and specialists from the United States or from Asia in project activities administered by the applicant organization.
Please note that commercial or for-profit entities are not eligible to apply.
