The Asian Cultural Council is proud to announce our 2025 Asia Grant Cycle awardees. Through the exchange of artists and scholars, ACC is investing in a vision for the future: one built on mutual understanding and deep respect through the arts and culture that express our societies’ collective ideas, values, and hopes.
These latest grants will enable artists, scholars, and arts professionals to connect with peers in Cambodia, India, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Pakistan, Singapore, Taiwan ROC, Thailand, the U.S., and Vietnam.
New York Fellowship
The New York Fellowship Program provides programmatic and networking support during a six-month stay in New York City and throughout the U.S. ACC supports grantees with focused research plans as well as those pursuing open-ended exploration. The program structure cultivates an environment for cohort learning and provides opportunities for mutual cultural exchange between fellows and cultural producers. ACC offers a portfolio of support services, including introductions to ACC alumni in New York City and across the U.S., and cultural engagement activities designed to build a robust exchange experience.
Joed BALSAMO | Music | Philippines → United States
Grant Summary: To deepen his craft as a musician and composer through observing and participating in the music scene of New York City and developing creative techniques to be shared in future collaborations.
Balsamo will immerse himself in New York’s music scene to acquire creative techniques that he can utilize and share in future collaborations. He aims to gain new ideas and practices by attending relevant masterclasses and watching performances, and build relationships with artists-composers, arrangers, orchestrators, music directors, music supervisors, and librettists. Balsamo hopes this fellowship will deepen his craft as a musician and composer, encouraging him to reflect on the cultural landscape back home, where he intends to impart new practices and ideas to his students and colleagues.
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Caro CHAN | Theater | Hong Kong SAR → United States
Grant Summary: To immerse herself in New York’s theater and stand-up comedy scenes, and learn how actors, writers, and comedians utilize their talents to collaborate and create in ways that foster the city’s rich tapestry and sense of inclusivity.
As a performing artist with African and Asian heritages who grew up in Hong Kong SAR, Chan aims to deepen her understanding of what it truly means to live in an inclusive society. By attending stand-up comedy workshops and performances across New York City, she hopes to immerse herself in the local art scene and channel these experiences into her creative practice. Ultimately, Chan hopes her time in New York will contribute to a more inclusive and intercultural environment for current and future generations in Hong Kong SAR to thrive.
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I-Hsuen CHEN | Visual Art | Taiwan ROC → United States
Grant Summary: To enrich his creative practice by exploring how forms of video— including performative images and spatial composition within montage—function as an active performer on stage, serving unique aesthetic applications.
Chen will explore how various roles of “performative imagery” are utilized in New York’s art scene by examining live immediacy, delayed documentation, physical sensory experience, and spatial composition within montage. He seeks to gain a deeper understanding of how video functions as an active performer on stage by engaging with alternative spaces, experimental venues, interdisciplinary arts institutions, and collectives. Chen hopes this fellowship will deepen his expertise as an image maker, uncover unique aesthetic applications, and enrich his creative practice through interdisciplinary insights.
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Florence CHEONG | Dance | Macau SAR → United States
Lee Hysan Foundation – ACC Fellowship
Grant Summary: To explore the origins of New York’s theater scene and participate in workshops uncovering how videography is used in New York theaters.
As a musical director and choreographer with popular productions across Hong Kong SAR, Macau SAR, and Mainland China, Cheong will explore best practices in one of the world's most commercially successful theater landscapes. With a particular interest in the use of videography and movement in productions, Cheong plans to meet with creative directors, producers, designers and choreographers, as well as attend relevant workshops and theater rehearsals. She hopes to bring more original and innovative productions and business models to the theater scenes in Hong Kong SAR, Macau SAR, and Mainland China.
Joyce Sahagun GARCIA | Film/Video/Photography | Philippines → United States
Grant Summary: To participate in workshops, classes, and in-person dialogues in New York focusing on contemporary practices in video and projection design and exploring immersive visual storytelling techniques.
Garcia will explore innovative approaches to immersive storytelling, blending traditional art forms with emerging technologies like augmented reality (AR), virtual reality (VR), and artificial intelligence (AI). By attending workshops and dialogues, she plans to gain insights from top professionals on cutting-edge tools for live event design, learn how to refine narrative-driven techniques for theatrical storytelling, and attain a deeper understanding of integrating visual storytelling with live theater. Garcia hopes this fellowship will enable her to master advanced projection techniques, adapt AR/VR storytelling to local contexts, mentor emerging Filipino designers, and foster a vibrant and sustainable projection design community in the Philippines.
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Yuuki HORIUCHI | Visual Art | Japan → United States
Blanchette Hooker Rockefeller Memorial Fellow
Grant Summary: To research American artist Robert Smithson and his contemporaries, focusing on their works across the U.S. countryside, and examining their approach to making and presenting work between the urban and the remote.
Horiuchi’s fellowship research will center on Robert Smithson and his contemporaries, who created land art and other large-scale works across the U.S. countryside that were later exhibited and documented in their archives in New York. Through archival research and interactions with local experts and artists, she will explore their approach to creating and presenting art in both urban and remote settings, investigating the significance of archives and how they can inform contemporary art today. Some of Horiuchi’s prospective site visits include the Smithson and Holt Foundation in New Mexico, Holt's Sun Tunnel in Utah, and Walter De Maria's Lightning Field, among others.
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Serene HUI | Visual Art | Hong Kong SAR → United States
Altius Fellowship
Grant Summary: To explore how Asian diasporic and multigenerational immigrant artists use archives and theoretical writings to articulate migration, identity, and the construction of place and time, considering future possibilities for interdisciplinary expression.
As a visual artist interested in the intersection of historiography, archives, and artist-led theoretical frameworks, Hui aims to delve into the rich archival resources of New York City to study the impact of migration and diasporic narratives of Asian immigrants, and analyze the role of these archival materials in shaping broader discourses on identity, migration, and historiography. In parallel to this Hui hopes to engage with interdisciplinary peers to foster dialogue that enriches both theory and practices, problematizes mainstream narratives, generates discussion of ideas for interdisciplinary exploration.
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Karl Alexis JINGCO | Theater | Philippines → United States
Grant Summary: To immerse himself in New York’s theater scene and engage with groups championing individuals with disabilities, learning how they create safe, inclusive environments and impactful performances while optimizing available resources.
Jingco will immerse himself in New York's theater scene, festivals, improv shows, and performances, with heightened attention to engaging with groups championing individuals with disabilities. He will observe the creative process of theater companies to gain insights into fostering inclusivity in theater while maintaining high artistic standards and optimizing their available resources. He aims to explore performances staged in non-traditional settings, which he believes will broaden his perspective on how spaces influence storytelling and audience engagement. Jingco hopes this fellowship will refine his own approach to creating inclusive and innovative theater and bring these valuable lessons back to his work in the Philippines.
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J-mee Katanyag | Theater | Philippines → United States
Grant Summary: To observe, participate, and engage in decolonized theater and narrative-making practices by New York-based theater institutions, and then apply these learnings in the Philippines to foster social engagement through narrative work nurturing both artists and audiences.
Katanyag will observe, participate, and engage in decolonized theater and narrative-making practices by New York-based theater institutions. She aims to study how leading institutions utilize socially engaged theater, focusing on methods and processes at the intersection of storytelling, healing, and empowerment within marginalized communities. Katanyag hopes this fellowship will add to her learnings on immersive narrative techniques and apply these in theater practices in the Philippines, fostering social engagement through narrative work that nurtures both artists, audiences, and the community.
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tsu-tsu | Theater | Japan → United States Photo by Kohey Kanno
ACC / Saison Foundation Fellow
Grant Summary: To critically examine the methodology of “documentary acting” by carrying out a project entitled “01-25-1997" through meeting and portraying people who share tsu-tsu's date of birth in New York and proposing a new model of multicultural coexistence.
tsu-tsu will critically examine their “Documentary Acting” method, which they developed to interview real individuals and reenact their lives, as a way of proposing a new model for multicultural coexistence. By collaborating with public policy researchers and therapeutic community practitioners, the project “01-25-1997”—in which they search for and perform the lives of people born on the same date—will be used to explore how the ideal of imaginative transcendence can address real-world challenges.
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Wataru MUKAI | Music | Japan → United States Photo by Ayane Shindo
Grant Summary: To explore how queerness is represented and activism is carried out in the contemporary music and art scenes in New York, reconsidering their own creative practice through interactions with drag performers and queer artists in New York.
Mukai will investigate how queerness is received and represented in New York’s contemporary music and art scenes and explore queer music practices in academic settings. They will explore themes of gender and queerness through music theater projects rooted in documentary storytelling. Through interactions with drag performers, queer artists, activists, professors, and composers in New York, Mukai aims to reflect on their own creative work while redefining the concepts and practices of queer art and building a new queer cultural archive.
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Maria Estela PAISO | Film/Video/Photography | Philippines → United States
Grant Summary: To investigate the history and current state of mixed media by visiting visual archives, connecting with printmakers, and meeting local animators in and around New York City.
Paiso will investigate the history and current state of mixed media by visiting visual archives, connecting with printmakers, and meeting local animators. She will visit museums and cinematic archival centers, discover and engage with printshops specializing in linocut, woodcut, and lithography, and meet and consult with mixed media animators. Paiso hopes this fellowship will make her more eloquent in mixed media and further her filmmaking practice to one that encourages others to challenge the limits of cinema in narrative and medium.
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CHEN Wei Chen | Visual Art | Taiwan ROC → United States
Grant Summary: To study how Asian culture grows in, and intersects with Western societies, using New York City—a city rich in cultural diversity—as a base to experience the coexistence of order and chaos.
Chen will closely examine how Asian cultural aesthetics intersect with Western influences by observing New York’s urban landscapes, streets, and architecture. New York offers a rich environment for this research as a longstanding center of abstract expressionism and a major hub for historical artifacts from diverse cultural backgrounds. She plans to document traces of human presence in the city through photography and sketches. Chen will deepen her understanding of how aesthetics and cultural identity are embedded within this environment.
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Evelyn YANG Ling | Film/Video/Photography | Taiwan ROC → United States
Grant Summary: To explore American indie films, visual arts, and New York’s electronic music scene, learning from local artists to inspire and build a diverse film community in Taiwan ROC.
Yang will explore New York’s independent and feature film, visual arts, electronic music, and theater scenes. Through observing short and feature-length film productions, she plans to study the overall dynamics and atmosphere of New York’s independent filmmaking culture and ecosystem. Yang hopes to integrate what she experiences and learns into her work upon returning to Taiwan ROC, with the goal of contributing to the growth and transformation of Taiwan ROC’s film industry.
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YEN Yu Ting | Visual Art | Taiwan ROC → United States
Grant Summary: To explore the concept of "monumentality" across New York’s diverse cultural and artistic landscapes by visiting monuments and cultural landmarks to examine how they shape historical narratives and collective memory, as well as their materiality and aesthetic significance.
By visiting cultural heritage sites and landmarks, Yen will examine monuments’ materiality and aesthetic significance and how monuments shape historical narratives and collective memory. Yen seeks to reflect on how monuments’ meanings and functions have evolved in the digital information age, to gain a deeper understanding of how different cultures construct memory, and to reflect on how different forms of commemoration influence our perception of the past. Yen’s fellowship is inspired by Wu Hung’s discourse on how "monumentality" extends beyond physical structures to encompass a mode of cultural and social memory construction.
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ZHANG Ruyi | Visual Art | Mainland China → United States
Grant Summary: To conduct fieldwork in New York City and its suburbs to examine how residential spaces shape individual conditions and emotional states amid urbanization, exploring how Western modernity influences the relationship between space and individuals in a globalized context.
Zhang will examine four archetypal residential typologies in New York City as milestones in urban residential evolution. By analyzing these models, she seeks to understand how globalization and urbanization have transformed identity and spatial relationships, prompting reflection on the intricate connections between identity, space, and emotional experiences. Zhang hopes to explore how desires for Western modernity influence the relationship between space and individuals in a globalized context, as well as how these dynamics are localized within Mainland China.
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Individual Fellowship
Individual Fellowships support grantee activities in both the U.S. and other eligible countries and regions in Asia. Programmatic support from ACC includes recommendations and personal introductions, which vary according to the needs of a given proposal and ACC's available resources in the destination country. Fellows traveling to cities where ACC maintains an affiliate office may receive networking services similar to those provided in the New York Fellowship. For grantees traveling outside the ACC affiliate network, connections to ACC's global alumni network help enrich the fellowship experience.
Tomomi ADACHI | Music | Japan → Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam | 2 months Photo by Takayuki Imai
Grant Summary: To explore experimental music practices, connections between artists, and their relationship to traditions in Southeast Asia by engaging with local musicians and organizers.
Adachi (ACC 2009) will research local experimental music scenes and build international dialogue through exchanges with musicians and organizers in Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam. Adachi developed an interest in the growth of experimental music in Southeast Asia after he established the Kanazawa International Experimental Music Festival, where he serves as director. Moving away from a Western-centric musical framework, Adachi seeks to establish international connections and gain insights that can enhance his artistic practice in Japan.
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CHEN Jie | Curation | Mainland China → United States | 2 months
Xiaoyang Yu Fellowship
Grant Summary: To visit art institutions and engage with museum professionals across the United States, broaden her knowledge of global ceramics and art, explore diverse curatorial concepts and practices, and foster international collaborations.
Chen will conduct a two-month research project on the intersection of Western art and ceramics in various cities across the US. She will embark on a cross-country journey, visiting cities such as New York City, Washington D.C., and San Francisco to explore diverse arts and cultural institutions. Chen hopes to foster relationships with museum professionals for potential future collaborations and further advance new directions in ceramics research.
CHEN Yanyi, Summer Cat | Literature | Hong Kong SAR → Taiwan ROC | 1 month
Altius Fellowship
Grant Summary: To observe how different cultural communities promote picture book reading to adult readers and integrate picture books into academic discussions by visiting publishers, bookstores, and adult reading communities in Taiwan ROC.
With years of research in literary studies, Summer Cat plans to do six weeks of research in Taiwan ROC to learn more about how picture books and illustrated novels resonate with adults, in addition to children. Through visits to publishers, bookstores, and literary research institutes in Taiwan ROC, Summer Cat hopes to connect with local picture book practitioners, participate in local exchanges and reading clubs, share Hong Kong SAR’s picture book culture, and advocate for greater appreciation of picture books.
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Kenji CHIGA | Film/Video/Photography | Japan → India | 1 month
Grant Summary: To engage and collaborate with local villages and individuals in Gaya in Bihar, India, and to gain a deeper understanding of the cultural significance and spiritual role of acting in their communities through filming and participation in local theater activities.
Chiga aims to deepen his understanding of the cultural significance and spiritual role of acting in India. He will engage with a rural community in an underserved village by filming, actively participating in acting classes led by villagers, and connecting with professionals in theater and film. He hopes to explore roles that differ from those traditionally assigned in India and gain a deeper understanding of how acting can address societal issues.
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SHAO Chun | Crafts | Mainland China → Japan | 5 months Photo by Ladina Bischof
Désirée & Hans Michael Jebsen Fellowship
Grant Summary: To explore the poetic connection between spirituality, craftsmanship, and natural materials through researching the Japanese aesthetic and philosophy Wabi-sabi.
Shao proposes four months of research in Japan, centering on traditional craftsmanship. She is especially interested in wabi-sabi and the boundary between ritual sites and installation art. Her fellowship will explore the concept of “digital intimacy” through multimedia installations, e-textiles, and more. Following the fellowship, she plans to share these skills and experiences with younger generations to cultivate artistic sensitivity around intangible cultural heritage and integrate it into contemporary society.
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Anna KURODA | Dance | Japan → United States | 2 months Photo by Eri Chiba
ACC / Saison Foundation Fellow
Grant Summary: To research sustainable choreography, technique preservation, community inheritance, and the influence of 1970s–80s interdisciplinary collaborations on the field of contemporary dance, particularly through the work and history of Trisha Brown.
Kuroda will focus on the Trisha Brown Dance Company (TBDC) and research the sustainability of dance from the perspective of postmodern dance. She will also attend rehearsals for upcoming TBDC and Merce Cunningham Dance Company projects. Through observing these rehearsals, she aims to learn the two companies’ distinct movement vocabularies and study how the dancers will continue to perform and pass on this received choreography to future generations.
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Mo LAI Yan Chi | Theater | Hong Kong SAR → Japan | 6 months
Grant Summary: To investigate how stories are told in Japan through the lens of classical and contemporary Japanese theater forms—including Noh, Kabuki, Bunraku, and Butoh—to better understand the artistic aesthetics and styles as a multidisciplinary art form and "total theater" practice.
Actress and filmmaker Lai plans to spend six months in Japan researching physical theater creations and training methods, from classic Noh to modern Butoh and contemporary styles. This research will extend her work on non-verbal storytelling, which she has further developed through workshops during her time as Project Director at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama in London.
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Elspeth Mary LEE and Donn HOLOHAN | Architecture | Hong Kong SAR → Japan | 2 months Photo of Lee by Raffaella Endrizz
Grant Summary: To explore traditional building techniques in Japan, from timber joinery to stone and earth construction, by engaging with local artisans and studying historic structures to understand the regionally specific methods of material sourcing and construction.
Over the course of six weeks, Lee and Holohan will explore traditional Japanese building techniques, focusing on monolithic stone and earth constructions. Engaging with local artisans and historic structures, Lee and Holohan aim to deepen their understanding of regionally-specific methods of material sourcing and construction methods. By immersing themselves in Japan’s unique bioregional and craft practices, Lee and Holohan hope to gain insights that both support and challenge their current practices in Hong Kong SAR, while broadening their design philosophies to further integrate regional cultures and environmental sustainability.
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Cynthia LEUNG | Architecture | Hong Kong SAR → Japan | 2 months
Hsin Chong Foundation Young Architects Fellowship, in partnership with the American Institute of Architects Hong Kong Chapter
Grant Summary: To conduct research on traditional Japanese craftsmanship and local design approaches to expand the community-driven impact of adaptive reuse architecture, especially in Hong Kong SAR and Mainland China.
Leung will conduct research on Japanese craftsmanship and local design approaches, under the mentorship of renowned heritage architecture specialist Tomoaki Tanaka, Professor of the Department of Architecture at Meiji University. She plans to join workshops on a range of traditional Japanese architectural techniques. With both cultural and environmental issues in mind, she aims to contribute to adaptive reuse architecture, especially in fast-changing Hong Kong SAR and Mainland China. Leung was selected for the inaugural Hsin Chong Foundation Young Architects Fellowship, in partnership with the American Institute of Architects Hong Kong Chapter.
Esther LU | Curation | Taiwan ROC → India, Japan | 4 months
Grant Summary: To engage with artists, collectives, and experimental communities in eco-villages and regions in Japan and India, to explore their ecological philosophies, land ethics, and structural challenges posed by international politics.
Lu will explore the intersection of "ecological art" and "alternative food and art” in India and Japan, examining how art can facilitate the development of community knowledge and collective learning strategies in response to climate, social, and environmental changes. She plans to visit two eco-villages and art communities in Japan. In India, Lu will observe indigenous community art practices in Assam, attend the Serendipity Arts Festival in Goa, and visit an art community in Mumbai. Lu envisions applying these insights and reflections to her curatorial practice upon returning to Taiwan ROC, fostering new ways of addressing ecological and social concerns through art.
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SO Lai Ping | Visual Art | Hong Kong SAR → United States | 3 months
Altius Fellowship
Grant Summary: To examine the visual interaction between Cantonese and English in San Francisco's diaspora communities, investigating linguistic transformation in cross-cultural contexts and how art bridges cultural memory and the evolution of language.
For her three-month fellowship, So plans to explore the capacity of visual signifiers to capture sound, memories, and cultural narratives in San Francisco. Her research will examine the visual interplay between Cantonese and English in the city’s diaspora communities, investigating linguistic transformation in cross-cultural contexts and how art bridges cultural memory and the evolution of language. Through this fellowship, So hopes to explore how art can make visible the often-invisible threads that connect minority communities across generations and cultures.
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Haruko KUMAKURA | Curation | Japan → Indonesia | 3 months
Grant Summary: To research Indonesia’s artists, institutions, and art spaces to deepen her understanding of emerging art hubs and the role of independent curators in Asia, building networks for sustained collaboration across regions.
Kumakura will study the ecology of Indonesian art community, which is enhancing its international presence through unique efforts that address local histories and issues while building international solidarity. By researching artists, universities, museums, and alternative spaces, she aims to gain a deeper understanding of this emerging center of contemporary art. At the same time, she seeks to strengthen her understanding of the roles and potential of independent curators in Asia and to build a network for ongoing solidarity and collaboration in the arts.
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TSAI Yi-Wei | Theater | Taiwan ROC → Indonesia | 6 months
Grant Summary: To visit Indonesia’s Papermoon Puppet Theatre to explore their collaborative approach to puppetry and to conduct field research on traditional Indonesian puppetry forms—focusing on Wayang Potehi—and their link to Taiwanese glove puppetry.
Tsai will study how the Papermoon Puppet Theatre, a pioneering force in Indonesian contemporary puppetry, embodies the creative philosophy of gotong-royong (community collaboration) and fosters interdisciplinary and cross-cultural exchange through the Pesta Boneka Puppet Festival. In addition, he will focus on studying UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage puppetry art forms: Wayang Kulit (shadow puppetry), Wayang Golek (rod puppetry), and Wayang Klithik (flat wooden puppets). As a puppetry artist and a curator, Tsai is eager to advance Taiwan ROC-Indonesia collaboration in puppetry while infusing new perspectives and diverse artistic language into the development of his own experimental creations.
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Toby TSE | Music | Hong Kong SAR → United States | 2 months
Lady Fung Music Fellowship
Grant Summary: To travel to Colorado to attend workshops at the Aspen Music Festival and School for two months in Summer 2025.
A student at the Hong Kong Academy for the Performing Arts, Tse was selected for the Lady Fung Music Fellowship to attend workshops at the Aspen Music Festival and School for six weeks in Summer 2025. As a promising young musician, he hopes that being in Aspen will enhance his network, offer opportunities to learn from the world’s top clarinetists, and further improve his performance practice and ability to collaborate with other talents.
WEN Peng | Crafts | Mainland China → Japan | 3 months
Grant Summary: To research the relationship between space and plants in Japan by studying ikebana—the Japanese art of arranging flowers—visiting temples in Kyoto, and studying garden typologies and architecture in Tokyo, Osaka, and Sapporo.
Over three months in Japan, Wen plans to further his research on the relationship between space and plants. He will study ikebana at Sogetsu Kaikan, visit revered temples in Kyoto, and study garden typologies and architecture in Tokyo, Osaka, and Sapporo. He also intends to do research on realized spatial projects and the archival materials from the late Isamu Noguchi’s time in Japan. Wen’s fellowship in Japan will offer invaluable cultural insights to expand and enrich his own knowledge and practice as an artist and a gardener.
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YE Wuji | Visual Art | Mainland China → Pakistan | 4 months
Grant Summary: To visit northern Pakistan and study the region’s religions, histories, and way of life to understand how individuals navigate daily life within different geopolitical environments.
Ye will explore the complexity and diversity of groups under statism and examine the overlapping concepts of religion, history, ethnicity, and citizenship in the border regions between Xinjiang, China, and northern Pakistan. By exploring these regions often labeled as the “periphery,” Ye hopes to observe how individuals navigate daily life within different geopolitical contexts and explore whether it is possible to transcend a state-centered understanding of the region’s geopolitics.
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Xiao-Xiong ZHANG | Dance | Taiwan ROC → Cambodia | 3 months
Grant Summary: To return to Cambodia, where he bore witness to the 1967 – 1975 civil war, and research the oral history, texts, images, music, and dance performances entwined with the atrocities of this time period through local interviews and artistic exchanges.
Zhang plans to return to his hometown after more than half a century to conduct field research on the history of abandoned and massacred Chinese communities in Cambodia. He will interview survivors and their descendants, as well as engage in in-depth exchanges with local musicians, dancers and artists—spanning traditional, contemporary, royal, and folk forms. Before the generation of survivors passes away, he hopes to document their oral histories and reflect on this tragic history through writing, photography, and dance. This project will not only provide Zhang with profound inspiration and motivation, but also foster collaboration and dialogue with Cambodian artists, forming a foundation for his future creative work.
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ZHU Ning | Architecture | Mainland China → United States | 5 months
Hsin Chong - K.N. Godfrey Yeh Education Fund: Tsinghua-MIT Exchange Fellowship
Grant Summary: To participate in the Special Program for Urban and Regional Studies (SPURS) at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) as a visiting scholar for a semester in 2025.
Zhu was selected for the Tsinghua-MIT Exchange Fellowship to attend the Special Program for Urban and Regional Studies (SPURS) for one semester. During his fellowship, Zhu will research teaching methods and the use of artificial intelligence design tools with a cultural dimension. He plans to meet with different research and design teams from MIT’s Department of Architecture, Media Lab, and Morningside Academy for Design, to seek long-term cooperation in design education, pedagogical research and innovative design tools. Leveraging the insights and connections he gains from MIT, Zhu hopes to develop a research and teaching agenda that fosters a transformative approach to architecture, incorporating technological innovation, cultural continuity, and ecological stewardship.
Graduate Fellowship
ACC awards Graduate Fellowships to a select number of international students from eligible countries who have received admission to degree-granting graduate programs in the U.S. ACC prioritizes applicants who pursue study abroad because comparable programs are not available in the applicant’s home country and/or fields that are under-represented in the applicant’s home country. When selecting recipients, ACC commits to supporting recipients for up to two years on the condition that they maintain good academic standing. Awards support living expenses but do not cover tuition assistance.
Alain DE ASIS | Music | Philippines → United States
Grant Summary: To pursue a MA in Music at the Jacobs School of Music at Indiana University, focusing on the technical aspects of playing the violin, studying the piano, music theory, and music history.
De Asis will pursue an MA in Music (Violin Performance) at the Jacobs School of Music, Indiana University. His dissertation recital will consist of music composed during the romantic and contemporary eras while his final output is a one-hour performance recital consisting of pieces in collaboration with his instrument teachers. De Asis hopes this fellowship will help enrich his musical journey and add to his credibility as a teacher and musician, furthering his intention to contribute to the advancement of violin playing in the Philippines.
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Aina RAMOLETE | Theater | Philippines → United States (renewal pending)
Grant Summary: To complete an MA in Puppet Arts at the University of Connecticut, formalize her knowledge of puppetry, and bring her learnings back to the Philippines for fellow artists and practitioners.
Ramolete will continue her MA in Puppet Arts for her second and final term at the University of Connecticut where she formalizes her knowledge about puppetry. Her objectives are to learn various puppet-making techniques, materials, and opportunities for sustainable approaches; and to learn directing methods and modern approaches from professional puppet directors. Ramolete hopes this fellowship will help her obtain a formal education in puppetry that she could incorporate into her own teaching of fellow artists and practitioners in the Philippines.
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Ma. Alexa Andrea TORTE | Dance | Philippines → United States
Grant Summary: To pursue an MFA in Dance at Smith College to integrate traditional Filipino movement with contemporary dance, examining themes of identity, resilience, and transformation.
Torte will pursue an MFA in Dance at Smith College to deepen her exploration of dance as both an art form and a cultural practice. During her studies, she plans to create innovative works that foster cross-cultural dialogue focusing on integrating traditional Filipino movement with contemporary dance to examine themes of identity, resilience, and transformation. Torte hopes this fellowship will help provide the tools to expand her artistic boundaries and become a more effective educator, enabling more meaningful contributions to the dance community and society at large.
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