Asian Cultural Council Awards More Than $750,000 To Support Artists, Scholarships, And Cultural Exchange

The Asian Cultural Council (ACC) announced its 2023 fellowship and grant recipients, awarding 30 grants totaling more than $750,000 in its four programs: New York Fellowships, Individual Fellowships (international), Graduate Scholarships, and Organization and Project Grants. The multi-faceted support provides artists, scholars, and arts professionals with funding and opportunities for research and cultural exchange between Asia and the U.S. For a complete list of 2023 recipients, please visit https://www.asianculturalcouncil.org/about-acc/stories/2023-grantee-announcement

The ten 2023 New York Fellows are from China, Hong Kong SAR, Japan, the Philippines, and Taiwan. During their six-month New York City-based stays, the artists pursue a diversity of projects—from targeted research to open-ended explorations. With logistical and programmatic support provided by ACC staff, Fellows are connected with peers and ACC alumni, travel, and seek new experiences. Since ACC's founding 60 years ago, these activities have nurtured mutual understanding that is globally impactful, expanded individual artistic practices and activities, contributed to new scholarship, and allowed grantees to share their experiences with their communities and beyond.

Grants to 18 Individual Fellows (either single parties or two collaborators) enable the recipients to spend between one to six months traveling and undertaking self-directed research in the U.S. and Asia.

The 2023 awardees were selected by panels of esteemed professionals in the performing and visual arts assembled by ACC's international offices in Hong Kong, Manila, Taipei, and Tokyo. Awardees represent ACC's 16 eligible disciplines: Archaeology, Architecture, Art History, Arts Administration, Arts Criticism, Conservation, Crafts, Curation, Dance, Ethnomusicology, Film/Video/Photography, Literature, Museum Studies, Music, Theater, and Visual Arts. 

ACC Executive Director Judy Kim said, “This year's cohort of grantees embody a wellspring of creative expression. By expanding their artistic and scholarly pursuits through the transformative experience of cultural immersion, exploration, and discovery, they exemplify ACC's core mission of advancing international dialogue, enabling cultural exchange, and fostering empathy. ACC grants provide the elusive commodities of time and space, lessen financial burdens, offer support as grantees navigate new cities, and allow them to freely chart their own course.”

The application process reopens in November 2023, including grants for U.S.-based artists and scholars to travel to Asia.