The Ishibashi Foundation Network Leader Fellowship Programme

Deadline: 31-May-2026

The Ishibashi Foundation Network Leader Fellowship Programme supports early career scholars and art professionals working in Japanese arts worldwide. Selected fellows receive £7,500 for the 2026–27 academic year for a defined research project, plus mentoring, training, global academic networking, and a separately funded UK visit in summer 2027.

What is the Ishibashi Foundation Network Leader Fellowship Programme?

The Ishibashi Foundation Network Leader Fellowship Programme is an international fellowship for early career researchers in Japanese arts and Japanese visual culture.

It is designed to support original, clearly defined research projects carried out mainly in the fellow’s home location, while also helping participants build:

• Academic networks
• Mentorship relationships
• International research visibility
• Long-term career development in Japanese art studies

The programme places strong emphasis on Japanese visual culture research, innovative scholarship, and the development of the next generation of specialists in the field.

Fellowship Benefits

Financial Support

Selected fellows will receive:

• £7,500 for the 2026–27 academic year

Important Funding Rule

• The £7,500 cannot be used for living expenses
• It must support a defined research project

Additional Benefits

Fellows will also receive:

• Online mentoring
• Training sessions
• Access to the institute’s global academic networks
• Opportunities for research exchange and professional development

Funded UK Visit

The programme also includes a separately funded one-week visit to the UK in summer 2027, which includes:

• Participation in a symposium
• Museum visits
• Research activities
• Networking with scholars and institutions

What Types of Projects Are Supported?

The fellowship supports a broad range of Japanese art research formats.

Eligible Project Types

Applicants may propose projects such as:

• Exhibitions
• Digital humanities or digital outputs
• Archival research
• Publications
• Local histories
• Creative research initiatives
• Collection-based research
• Contributions to ongoing institutional research projects

Research Focus

Projects should relate to:

• Japanese arts
• Japanese visual culture
• Related interdisciplinary or art historical fields connected to Japanese art

Who is Eligible?

Primary Eligible Applicants

The fellowship is open to applicants from anywhere in the world who work in Japanese arts or related visual culture fields.

Eligible Categories

You may be eligible if you are:

• A PhD candidate specialising in Japanese arts or related visual culture
• An early postdoctoral researcher within two years of completing your PhD
• In some regions, an early career curator or art professional with up to five years of experience working with Japanese arts

Special Eligibility Flexibility

In regions where PhD programmes in Japanese or Asian art are limited, the programme also considers:

• Curators
• Museum professionals
• Art researchers
• Other early career professionals working directly with Japanese arts

This makes the fellowship more globally accessible, especially for applicants outside major academic centres.

Priority Regions

While the programme is open globally, priority is given to applicants from regions outside:

• Western Europe
• North America
• Japan

Important Note

This is a priority preference, not a strict exclusion.

All eligible applicants are still considered.

What Makes a Strong Application?

Applicants are expected to demonstrate:

• Strong academic or professional potential
• A clear and well-defined research proposal
• Relevant language skills
• A strong connection to Japanese arts or visual culture
• A defined career vision
• A project that is feasible in the 2026–27 academic year

Why This Fellowship Matters

This fellowship is valuable because it supports early career development in a specialised field that often has limited funding opportunities.

It helps emerging scholars and professionals:

• Advance original research in Japanese arts
• Build international academic networks
• Gain mentorship and institutional support
• Increase visibility in global Japanese art studies
• Strengthen long-term careers in art history, curation, and visual culture research

It is especially important for applicants from underrepresented regions, where access to Japanese art research infrastructure may be more limited.

How to Apply

Step-by-Step Application Strategy

1. Confirm your eligibility
   Make sure you are a PhD candidate, early postdoc, or eligible early career curator/art professional.
2. Define a focused research project
   Your project should be original, practical, and clearly related to Japanese arts or visual culture.
3. Choose a suitable project format
   This could be archival research, an exhibition concept, publication work, digital output, or another eligible format.
4. Explain why the project matters
   Show its contribution to Japanese art studies, visual culture scholarship, or public understanding.
5. Demonstrate feasibility
   Explain how the project will be carried out mainly from your home location during 2026–27.
6. Show your academic or professional trajectory
   Clearly state your career goals and how this fellowship supports your next step.
7. Highlight language and subject expertise
   Mention relevant Japanese language skills or research competencies if applicable.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Avoid these common errors:

• Submitting a broad or vague research idea
• Failing to explain the project’s original contribution
• Treating the fellowship as general financial support rather than project-based funding
• Including plans that rely on the grant for living expenses
• Not showing a clear career vision
• Weakly connecting the project to Japanese arts or visual culture
• Ignoring the importance of feasibility at the home location

FAQ

1. What is the Ishibashi Foundation Network Leader Fellowship Programme?

It is an international fellowship that supports early career scholars and professionals in Japanese arts through project funding, mentoring, training, and academic networking.

2. How much funding do fellows receive?

Selected fellows receive £7,500 for the 2026–27 academic year to support a defined research project.

3. Can the fellowship funding be used for living expenses?

No. The £7,500 cannot be used for living expenses. It must be used for the approved research project.

4. Is there any travel component?

Yes. Fellows also receive a separately funded one-week UK visit in summer 2027, which includes a symposium, museum visits, and research activities.

5. Who can apply?

Eligible applicants include:

• PhD candidates
• Early postdoctoral researchers within two years of PhD completion
• In some regions, early career curators or art professionals with up to five years of experience in Japanese arts

6. Is the fellowship open internationally?

Yes. The programme is open to applicants from anywhere in the world.

7. Which applicants receive priority?

Priority is given to applicants from regions outside Western Europe, North America, and Japan, although all eligible candidates are considered.

Conclusion

The Ishibashi Foundation Network Leader Fellowship Programme 2026–27 is an excellent opportunity for early career scholars, curators, and art professionals working in Japanese arts and visual culture.

With £7,500 in project funding, mentorship, training, global networking, and a funded UK research visit, the fellowship offers both financial support and career-building value for the next generation of researchers in Japanese art.

For more information, visit Sainsbury Institute.