Japan Foundation providing Financial Assistance to Non-Profit Organizations in the U.S. and Canada

Deadline: 31 October 2019

The Japan Foundation’s Performing Arts Japan (PAJ) touring and collaboration grants for the 2020 – 2021 fiscal year is now open for applications.

This program is designed to provide financial assistance to non-profit organizations in the U.S. and Canada that aim to introduce Japanese performing arts to local audiences. PAJ Touring Grants help present Japanese performing arts at multiple locations in the U.S. and Canada, with an emphasis on locations outside major metropolitan areas.

PAJ Collaboration Grants help Japanese and American/Canadian artists develop a new work, which will further an appreciation of Japanese culture when presented to American/Canadian audiences. The grants are made to non-profit organizations in the U.S. and Canada only.

Objectives

The primary objectives of PAJ are:

• To increase access to Japanese performing arts in the United States and Canada, especially outside major metropolitan areas.
• To foster an understanding of Japanese performing arts by providing educational programs for audiences in each touring location apart from public performances; and
• To support collaborative projects between Japanese and American/Canadian performing artists.

Categories

To realize the above objectives, the PAJ program offers two types of support:

• The TOURING GRANT assists with the presentation of Japanese performing arts at multiple locations in the United States and/or Canada, with emphasis on locations outside major metropolitan areas where there is little exposure to Japanese performing arts.
• The COLLABORATION GRANT facilitates the collaboration of Japanese and American/Canadian artists so that they may create a new work through research, residencies, artists’ discussions etc. with the potential to develop into a touring project and further an appreciation of Japanese culture when presented to audiences in the United States and Canada.

Grant Coverage

For both TOURING GRANT and COLLABORATION GRANT

1. PAJ grant may be used for the following expenses:
   1. Travel costs (international economy-class airfare, domestic transportation costs, accommodation costs)
   2. Performance fee for performers
   3. Other costs (rehearsal costs, freight, insurance premiums, performance hall costs, translation costs, printing costs, educational material preparation costs, etc.)
2. Grants are made on a cost-sharing basis. PAJ will not fund more than 50% of the project costs, nor will it fund the overhead and administrative costs of the applicant organization.
3. A project that receives a grant from the Japan Foundation’s other programs, such as the Grant Program for Dispatching Artists and Cultural Specialists, the JFNY Grant for Arts & Culture, the JFLA Mini Grant for Japanese Arts & Culture, or the JF Toronto Local Grant, cannot be funded through PAJ at the same time.

The maximum grant amount awarded to an applicant for the 2019-2020 fiscal year was USD33,500.

Eligibility Criteria

• The purpose of the proposed project must be to present Japanese performing arts and/or to conduct performing arts collaboration between Japanese and American/Canadian artists.
• The proposed project must explicitly include educational and/or community outreach activities that enhance the audience’s appreciation of Japanese culture.
• The proposed project must be undertaken by professional artists.
• Grants are awarded only to U.S.-based or Canada-based non-profit organizations and are subject to the relevant laws and regulations of the Japan Foundation. Applicants should have 501(c)(3) status in the United States or have charitable status from the Canada Revenue Agency.
• The proposed project must take place between July 1, 2020 and June 30, 2021. The project may continue after July 2021 as long as the major part or core of the project is completed by June 30, 2021.
• The proposed project must not be used for religious or political purposes.
• Commitments to the proposed project must be secured from the artists concerned at the time of application.
• For tours, the proposed project must tour to at least two locations outside New York and Los Angeles. Multiple venues in the same city are considered to be one location.
• For collaborations, the proposed project must be a new work jointly explored and created by Japanese artists and American/Canadian artists.
• For collaborations, revivals of existing pieces and the creation of recorded products are ineligible for this program.
• In the case of adaptation, the copyright arrangements concerning the original work must already be completed. Please also attach a copy of the documentation that proves that the applicant has already cleared the copyright.
• Applicants are eligible to apply for one project only through one of the two categories. The applicant can submit only one application, and this must be either touring or collaboration.

How to Apply

The applications must be received by mail or hand-delivered at the address given on the website.

For more information, please visit https://www.jfny.org/grants/grants/paj/