Asian Cultural Council Scholarships

ACC welcomes applications from artists, scholars, arts professionals, and organizations that propose cultural exchange and immersion activities that support ACC’s mission to advance international dialogue for greater mutual understanding and respect in Asia and the United States.   

ACC’s fellowships and grants offer arts communities in Asia and the U.S. unique opportunities for long-term, self-designed, immersive exploration of other cultures that expand grantees’ horizons, nurture their perspectives and creative growth, and foster valuable international connections. ACC supports immersive cultural exchange experiences with the aim of improving appreciation and respect for communities and cultures in Asia and the U.S.—a critical foundation to healthy and strong cross-border relations. They seek applicants who share this commitment to advancing cultural exchange as part of their ongoing personal and artistic growth and their relationship with the world around them. 

The opportunities are listed below.

New York Fellowships

The New York Fellowship is a six-month program that offers artists, scholars, and arts professionals from Asia a unique opportunity to immerse themselves in the rich and varied cultural life of New York City and the United States, and to develop their artistic practices and perspectives from this cultural immersion experience.

Individual Fellowship

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.

Graduate Fellowship

ACC gives a small number of Graduate Fellowship grants to support the travel and living expenses of graduate students from Asia who choose to study in the United States because comparable programs are not available in their home country, territory, or region and/or because they work in a field that is underrepresented in their home country, territory, or region. 

ACC’s Graduate Fellowship program aims to advance international cultural exchange and to enrich and broaden scholarly narratives and critical discourse by increasing access to academic training in the arts and cultural fields.

November

The elligibility criteria vary between scholarships, though there is general criteria for all programs as follows:

• All ACC-funded activities must take place within the grant period
• Applicants for an ACC fellowship or grant must be a citizen or legal permanent resident of at least one of the countries, territories, or regions listed below:
  • Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Brunei, Cambodia, China (Mainland), East Timor, Hong Kong SAR, India, Indonesia, Japan, Korea, Laos, Macau SAR, Malaysia, Mongolia, Myanmar, Nepal, Pakistan, Philippines, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Taiwan ROC, Thailand, United States, and Vietnam 
• Applicants must be an arts or cultural organization, or a scholar, practicing artist, or arts professional who, at the time of their application, can demonstrate at least five years of experience in one of the eligible disciplines listed below
  • Architecture (Design, History, and Theory), Archaeology, Art History, Arts Administration, Arts Criticism, Conservation, Crafts, Curation, Dance, Ethnomusicology, Film/Video/Photography, Literature, Museum Studies, Music, Theater, Visual Art 

ACC’s grant funding cannot be used for:

• Producing new works, performances, films, exhibitions, or publications 
• Purchasing production capital or equipment 
• Promotional activities and services including but not limited to travel, public relations, and marketing 
• Activities focused on commercial and industrial design or activities that are commercial in nature  
• Exclusively attending or participating in workshops, festivals, conferences, residency programs, etc. (ACC does not offer “travel grants”) 

Apply on their website