Deadline: 05-Oct-2025
The Kawamura Cultural Arts Promotion Foundation has launched Japan’s first Socially Engaged Art Support Grant Program. This initiative supports art projects that work closely with communities and aim to create positive social change.
The grant is intended for projects based in Japan that actively engage with local residents and contribute to building better social models through art. It also seeks to strengthen the relationship between culture, art, and society, ultimately enriching Japan’s cultural landscape.
Socially Engaged Art (SEA) refers to artistic practices that involve participation and dialogue with society, aiming to influence daily life or social systems through creative engagement and interaction.
This year’s grant includes a specific theme category: “War and Peace.” Projects addressing this theme will receive particular focus during the selection process.
Grant amounts range from 300,000 to 2 million yen. The funding period will run from April 1, 2026, to March 31, 2027.
Eligible projects must be new, implemented within Japan, and use innovative artistic approaches. They should aim to act as catalysts for social change, emphasize collaboration with communities, involve artists in leadership roles, and build sustainable local partnerships through dialogue-based processes.
Applications are open to artists or groups of any age or nationality who are actively engaged in artistic activities.
The program will not fund projects focused solely on exhibitions, theatre, or production work. It also excludes projects where the results have no link to the local community or have already been scheduled for public presentation.
For more information, visit KACF.
