Deadline: 19-Nov-2025
The Individual Fellowship Program offers an opportunity for artists, scholars, and arts professionals in Asia and the United States to pursue research and a self-directed cultural exchange experience in another country, territory, or region.
The fellowship focuses on enabling and promoting cultural immersion, dialogue, relationship-building, collaboration, and the exchange of knowledge and ideas among peers. These experiences and relationships lead to invaluable creative inspiration, collaborative opportunities, and a more global and nuanced perspective.
The Individual Fellowship supports focused research questions and activities that foster cross-cultural understanding and artistic growth. Each fellowship is distinct, allowing recipients to explore activities such as interviewing or meeting professionals and stakeholders relevant to their field, visiting institutions like studios, museums, galleries, theaters, and libraries, and attending events such as exhibitions, performances, lectures, and film screenings that align with their research and cultural exchange objectives.
Fellows may also participate in workshops, symposia, or discussions that bring them into conversations with new communities, or conduct archival research that deepens their creative engagement. The fellowship also provides individualized support to enhance cultural exchange experiences.
This includes logistical and substantive advice, introductions to ACC alumni and arts professionals, invitations to ACC gatherings where possible, and visa support for those traveling to the U.S. Applicants are encouraged to develop proposals that are feasible, with or without ACC’s direct guidance, considering that its offices are limited to New York City, Hong Kong SAR, Japan, the Philippines, and Taiwan ROC.
The maximum grant amount is USD 35,000, regardless of whether the application is single or joint. ACC encourages fellows to spend at least two months in one location to maximize cultural immersion. Those traveling to the U.S. must spend at least 30 consecutive days there, with J-1 visa sponsorship provided by ACC. Fellows in Asia are responsible for securing their own visas and travel permits.
Grant funds may be used for airfare, local transportation, accommodation, daily living expenses, visa and insurance costs, interpretation services, and research-related expenses. Ineligible expenses include production costs, family support, and non-economy airfare. Payment is issued in stages, beginning with an advance after signing the grant agreement, followed by the balance upon submission of required documentation prior to travel.
Applications are open to both single and joint applicants, with joint applications allowing up to three individuals who share common research and cultural exchange objectives. All applicants must meet the same eligibility criteria and commit to full participation throughout the fellowship.
Eligible applicants must be citizens or legal permanent residents of ACC’s listed regions, demonstrate at least five years of professional experience in eligible disciplines, and be over 21 years of age by the start date. Fellows cannot be enrolled in a degree program or engage in paid work during the fellowship. Those pursuing a fellowship in the U.S. must also possess sufficient English proficiency to communicate effectively without special language assistance.
Travel may be proposed to a wide range of eligible countries across Asia and the U.S., but applicants cannot travel to the country where they currently reside. Proposals for multiple short trips or to destinations already well-known to the applicant are less competitive unless justified by a strong cultural exchange rationale.
Fellowship travel must occur between August 1, 2026, and December 31, 2027, lasting from one to six months. Applications must be submitted by November 19, 2025, at 9:59 AM EST, and letters of recommendation must be uploaded by November 26, 2025, at 9:59 AM EST.
For more information, visit Asian Cultural Council.
