Fellowships & Grants

Asian Cultural Council 2024 Grant Overview

Applications are currently closed. The next Asia funding cycle will open in Fall 2024.

The Asian Cultural Council is committed to advancing international dialogue, mutual understanding, and respect through supporting cultural exchange projects by individuals and organizations between Asia and the US and between Asian countries.

ACC grants provide long-term, immersive exploration of other cultures. ACC’s individualized programmatic support expands the horizons of grantees by nurturing their perspectives, fostering creative growth, and fostering valuable international connections.

ACC values long-lasting relationships with our grantees. We partner with them and help them form communities to share their transformative experiences and cultivate valuable international connections.
ACC grants go beyond mere travel funding; they offer a unique opportunity for recipients to design an experience individually and fully immerse themselves in a different culture.

ACC takes an unconventional approach by not funding production-based grants, such as the creation of artwork or an exhibition. Instead, our Fellowships and grants seek to provide cultural enrichment opportunities for selected grantees. We have found that through funding a period spent in an unfamiliar environment where grantees can take a break from their day-to-day responsibilities and deadlines, they are more open to expanding their perspectives and integrating learned experiences into their creative practices.

Accordingly, ACC has developed four distinct grant types to support immersive cultural exchange: 

  • New York Fellowship
  • Individual Fellowship
  • Graduate Fellowship 
  • Organization Grant

Please read the guidelines carefully to determine your eligibility and identify which grant can best support your needs. Please note you are only able to apply for one type of grant during the 2024 grant cycle. 

Asian Cultural Council recognizes that the arts have become increasingly intersectional with the rapid advancement of technological innovations. For the 2024 grant cycle, proposals that focus on the relationship between the arts, technology, and culture are encouraged.

We seek artists and cultural creators who demonstrate a dedication to their ongoing artistic and professional growth. Applicants should articulate their goals, strategies, and plans for advancing their artistic careers, including how a Fellowship will support their development.

The 2024 grant cycle is a global open call. ACC will accept applications from individuals and organizations based in Asia and the United States. Applicants are asked to provide one letter of recommendation, as well as contact information (name, email, and phone number) for two additional professional references. All applications will be reviewed by selection committees consisting of regional, national, and international field experts. For a detailed list of countries, please click here: eligible country / region. For a detailed list of disciplines, please click here: eligible field.

Please note that ACC’s next grant cycle will open in the fall of 2024 and will be open to residents of qualified Asia grantees only.

Applicants from Japan and Taiwan ROC are required to complete a separate local language application. Applicants from Hong Kong SAR, Macau SAR, and Mainland China have the option to complete a separate local language application. Please refer to the Instructions page on the application portal for more information.

  • Must be a scholar, practicing artist, or arts professional in an eligible field.
  • Project must fall within one of the 16 eligible disciplines.
  • Applicants can only apply for one grant type per cycle.
  • Applicants must not have received an ACC grant in the past two (2) calendar years.
  • ACC highly recommends all applicants receive vaccination for COVID-19. For US-bound grantees, our partners may require vaccination to host grantees.
  • Proposed activities must begin and end within the grant periods defined below:
    • Applicants from Hong Kong SAR, Macau SAR, and Mainland China; Japan; the Philippines, and Taiwan: August 1, 2024, to December 31, 2025
    • Applicants from the U.S. and eligible Asian countries/regions (see list below): August 1, 2024, to December 31, 2026
      • Afghanistan
      • Bangladesh
      • Bhutan
      • Brunei
      • Cambodia
      • East Timor
      • India
      • Indonesia
      • Korea
      • Laos
      • Malaysia
      • Mongolia
      • Myanmar
      • Nepal
      • Pakistan
      • Singapore
      • Sri Lanka
      • Thailand
      • Vietnam
  • Activities
    • Projects taking place outside the applicable funding periods (see above)
    • Promotional activities and services, including but not limited to travel, public relations, and marketing   
    • Projects focused on commercial and industrial design or activities incorporating commercial activity or commercial artists of any kind 
    • Projects exclusively focused on attending workshops, arts and culture festivals, conferences, or participation in residency programs 
  • Administration
    • ACC does not provide visas and/or funding for spouses, partners, children, and other family members 
  • Costs/Expenses
    • Production-based costs (ex: need funding to finish Project X by January 1, 2025) 
    • Capital and equipment purchases 
    • Expenses and/or direct costs to organize or support events, including but not limited to, performances, exhibitions, fundraising, and receptions
    • Expenses to support or fund K-12 arts in education 
    • Tuition expenses including Graduate, Undergraduate, and/or secondary school tuition 
    • Funding to support regranting programs
  • Applications Accepted:  11/1/2023-11/30/2023 
  • Application Deadline: 11/30/2023 at 11:59 PM EST. 
  • Selection (Panel review and interviews): 12/1/2023-04/30/2024 
  • Board Approval: Mid-May 2024
  • Notification to Grantee: Mid-May 2024
  • Please note there may be additional steps for each global ACC office. 

Applications are reviewed using the following selection criteria:

  • Alignment with ACC’s Mission: Cultural Exchange 
  • Quality of Proposal (Feasibility, Clarity, and Impact) 
  • Artistic/Professional Merit 
  • Critical Time in Applicant’s Career
  • Ability to Communicate in Destination Country/Region
  • ACC invites regional, national, and international experts in a wide range of disciplines to serve in our review process. 
  • Panelist names are made public at the discretion of each ACC global office.

New York Fellowship

A six-month fellowship program based in New York City, with logistical and programmatic support from ACC staff. Fellowships may involve targeted research projects or open-ended exploration. 

Learn more and go to applications

Individual Fellowship

One- to six-month fellowships for individuals, or small groups of collaborators, undertaking self-directed research. Programmatic support from ACC staff may be available by region.

Learn more and go to applications

Graduate Fellowship

A living stipend for students from Asia pursuing graduate degrees in the U.S., with priority given to students who do not have access to comparable programs at home, and to those studying in fields that are underrepresented in their home countries. 

Learn more and go to applications

Organization Grant

Organization grants are awarded primarily to support cultural exchange opportunities for specific project participants who will benefit from the experience as individual fellowship recipients do – through cultural immersion, research, specialized training, exchange of knowledge among peers, and other process-oriented activities.

Learn more and go to applications