Asian Cultural Council Individual Fellowship 2026 (With up to $35,000 in Funding)

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About Asian Cultural Council 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.  

An Individual Fellowship is not a residency to produce new work, a fund to attend or participate in a single conference or event (i.e. not a travel grant), or an individual’s public relations tour. Rather, Individual Fellows explore focused research questions and activities that enable and promote 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. 

What does the Individual Fellowship offer? 

Freedom to Explore
ACC offers Individual Fellows grant funding that supports their travel to a country, territory, or region that is new or less familiar to them and where they will pursue their own self-designed research and cultural exchange activities. While each fellowship is unique, examples of some activities that past Individual Fellows have pursued include: 

• Interviewing or meeting professionals in their field or other stakeholders who can offer relevant information or expertise  
• Visiting institutions (e.g. studios, museums, galleries, theaters, libraries) or attending events (e.g. exhibitions, performances, lectures, film screenings) that are relevant to the Individual Fellows’ research and cultural exchange objectives 
• Participating in workshops, symposia, or discussions that support the Individual Fellows’ research and bring them into conversations with new communities 
• Conducting archival research 

Individualized Support
ACC support services are intended to enhance a proposed plan of activity, give increased access to artistic communities and cultural resources in the chosen destination(s), and deepen one’s cultural exchange experience. This support may include: 

• Advice and recommendations related to the logistical or substantive aspects of the Individual Fellow’s research and activities
• Introductions to ACC alumni and other arts professionals and institutions that are relevant to the Individual Fellow’s research objectives 
• Invitations to local ACC events and gatherings, where possible  
• Visa support for Individual Fellows who travel to the U.S. (see Visa Requirements section below) 

Please note that ACC does not have offices and staff throughout Asia; therefore, some support services, such as making specific connections, may be limited. (ACC has its headquarters in New York City and affiliate offices in Hong Kong SAR, Japan, the Philippines, and Taiwan ROC.) Please keep this possibly limited programmatic and logistical support in mind while developing your proposal. Proposals should be feasible, with or without additional guidance from ACC. 

 

Single and Joint Applicants 
ACC will consider applications submitted by and designed to support one individual (i.e. a “single applicant”) as well as “joint applicants,” who include a “primary applicant” (responsible for submitting and managing the application) and up to two “co-applicants.”   

Joint applications are for two or three artists or arts professionals who share research and cultural exchange objectives and are confident that they can organize and execute their fellowship activities as equal partners. Joint applicants will be asked to explain the above in their application.  

Please note that ACC’s eligibility and program requirements apply to all applicants (including co-applicants). This means that co-applicants must meet the same eligibility requirements, commit to traveling during the full duration of the proposed fellowship activities (separate trips are not permitted), and have equal levels of participation in the proposed activities (no assistant or secondary roles). Furthermore, ACC will not grant more than $35,000 USD for an Individual Fellowship, regardless of the number of applicants included in the fellowship application.  

Application instructions for Single and Joint Applicants can be found in the “Apply now” section found further below. 

• Sponsor Organisation: Asian Cultural Council

Benefits of Asian Cultural Council Individual Fellowship

Individual Fellows may receive up to $35,000 USD in grant funding.  ACC determines grant award amounts based on a review of the applicant’s proposed budget, activities, travel destination(s) and duration, and overall application quality. ACC asks applicants to submit a budget that is reasonable, realistic, and justified with regards to the plan of activities, travel costs, visa-related expenses, travel health insurance, interpretation services (if necessary), and the cost of living in the country, territory, or region where the fellowship will take place. Please also note that grant amounts may be adjusted if there are changes to the proposed fellowship. 

Eligible Grant Expenses 
Applicants should only include eligible expenses in their budget. Eligible expenses include, but are not limited to: 

• Airfare (economy class only)  
• Local and regional ground transportation 
• Accommodation  
• Food 
• Other daily living expenses 
• Visa-related fees and expenses, if necessary 
  • Individual Fellowships in the U.S.: ACC will deduct $220 USD from your grant to pay your Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS) processing fee (I-901) for the J-1 visa. Grantees must pay an additional $185 USD fee for their J-1 visa application. 
• Mandatory travel health insurance and other insurance as needed 
  • Individual Fellowships in the U.S.: ACC will deduct from the grant a travel health insurance fee that varies depending on your age and travel duration (for reference, generally $675–800 USD for a six-month trip to the U.S.). 
  • Individual Fellowships in Asia: ACC requires Individual Fellows to purchase and provide proof of mandatory travel health insurance with the following coverage requirements: at least $100,000 USD per accident or illness, at least $25,000 USD for repatriation expenses, and at least $50,000 USD for medical evacuation, with a deductible under $500 USD. ACC suggests that you obtain insurance estimates in advance of submitting your budget. 
• Interpretation services, if necessary 
• Costs and fees relevant to the cultural exchange and immersion activities, research, and objectives 

Ineligible Grant Expenses
Examples of ineligible expenses that you cannot include in your budget or purchase with ACC grant funds:  

• First-class, business class, or other airfare higher than economy class (with exceptions for those with medical-based exemptions)  
• Production-related expenses, including technical equipment, staffing (e.g. filming and photography crews, post-production, editors, etc.), and publication costs  
• Any expenses to support family or other individuals who are not part of the proposal 

For additional information about Indvidual Fellowship budgets, including ACC’s budget template and upload instructions, please see the "Apply now" section below. 

Payment Schedule 
ACC will issue an advance payment to Individual Fellows after they have signed a grant agreement and submitted an “Information Collection Form” with updated information about the grantee and their activities. Individual Fellows with a grant less than $5,000 USD will receive an advance payment of $1,000 USD. Individual Fellows with a grant amount greater than or equal to $5,000 USD will receive an advance payment of $3,000 USD. 

ACC will issue the remaining grant amount after Individual Fellows submit further details and travel documentation through an “Arrival Preparation Form”that ACC sends to Individual Fellows about four months prior to the start of their travel.

Asian Cultural Council Individual Fellowship Requirements

Personal Eligibility 
In addition to the general eligibility requirements (see here), all Individual Fellowship applicants and their co-applicants must carefully review and meet the following eligibility requirements: 

• Applicants must be citizens or legal permanent residents of one of ACC’s eligible countries, territories, or regions. 
• Applicants must be able to demonstrate at least five years’ experience in one of ACC’s eligible disciplines at the time of their application. 
• Applicants, if awarded, must be over the age of 21 by the Individual Fellowship start date. 
• Applicants, if awarded, cannot actively pursue university coursework or teaching (in person or online) for their degree program during their fellowship. Individual Fellows enrolled in a degree program should take a temporary leave of absence from these activities during their fellowship. 
• Applicants who wish to pursue an Individual Fellowship in the U.S., which requires a J-1 visa, must feel confident in their ability to use Englishwhen participating in conversations and building relationships without special language assistance. While applicants may have different degrees of English proficiency, we expect Fellows to be able to conduct daily tasks, write basic emails, and have the confidence to ask for help. The U.S. government requires all J-1 visa-holders to speak English at a sufficient level. 

 

Eligible Fellowship Travel Destinations 
Applicants to the Individual Fellowship program may propose travel to the following countries, territories, and regions: 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 

Please also note the following: 

• Applicants cannot propose travel to the country, territory, or region where they are currently living, regardless of citizenship or permanent residence status.  
• Applicants who propose traveling to a country, territory, or region that they know well, where they have previously spent a considerable amount of time (i.e. more than one year), or where they hold citizenship status, must demonstrate a strong rationale for how their proposed Individual Fellowship provides a unique and meaningful opportunity for cultural exchange and immersion. 
• Applicants who propose traveling to multiple countries, territories, or regions and/or shorter travel durations are generally less competitive.  

 

Fellowship Travel Dates and Duration 

• All ACC fellowship travel must occur within the grant period: August 1, 2026 – December 31, 2027. 
• Individual Fellowships must have a duration of at least one month, but no more than six months. 
  • ACC believes that cultural exchange and immersion is enhanced when Individual Fellows spend a greater period of time (at least two months, preferably) exploring one place, rather than visiting multiple countries, territories, or regions for a shorter period of time. It is also important to consider logistical challenges and/or restrictions related to traveling to multiple countries, territories, or regions during a fellowship. 
• Applicants who wish to pursue a fellowship in the U.S. must propose spending at least 30 consecutive days in the U.S. 
  • Fellowships in the U.S. cannot commence prior to October 1, 2026, due to the time needed to administer J-1 visas (see Visa Requirements section below). 
• Applicants who wish to pursue a fellowship in Asia must propose at least 30 cumulative (total) days in Asia.  
  • Applicants who are unable to secure a visa that allows them to travel for more than 30 consecutive days may propose multiple trips that add up to at least 30 cumulative days. These individual trips may not be shorter than 14 consecutive days, with no more than 14 days between each trip.  
  • Applicants who propose multiple brief trips to the same destination should explain how they will fully immerse themselves in another culture despite these disruptions.  
  • Applicants who propose a single brief trip (i.e. three weeks) to one destination as part of a multi-destination itinerary (e.g. three weeks in China after two months in Japan) should also provide a rationale for such brief visits. 
• ACC strongly discourages travel outside the proposed destinations during Individual Fellowships,with the exception of medical and family emergencies (see also the Visa Requirements section below). Individual Fellows who have essential and unavoidable career-related travel needs must submit a change request form seeking ACC’s approval at least 60 days before the fellowship start date. 

 

Visa Requirements 

Fellowships in the U.S.
Individual Fellows who travel to the U.S. for their fellowship and who do not have a U.S. passport must obtain a J-1 visa that ACC sponsors–no exceptions. The J-1 visa is a non-immigrant visa intended for individuals participating in exchange programs in the U.S. The U.S. government has regulations governing the J-1 visa program that ACC and Individual Fellows must follow, including the following: 

• ACC will begin J-1 visa preparations about four months prior to the start of the Individual Fellowship. We kindly ask for Individual Fellows’ patience and cooperation in providing the required information, reviewing documentation, and communicating with ACC staff during this process. Please also note that, while ACC initiates the J-1 visa process as a sponsor, Individual Fellows are asked to submit their application (DS-160), pay the application fee, and schedule and attend their visa interviews. 
• According to the relevant U.S. government regulations and under ACC’s sponsorship in the J-1 visa program, Individual Fellows are not allowed to conduct paid work activities while in the U.S., such as teaching courses virtually, writing articles for payment, or producing works for hire. This includes work for an employer based outside the U.S. or work performed during the fellowship but paid afterwards. If you are in a full-time position, we suggest you ask your employer if you can take a sabbatical or another form of paid or unpaid leave.  
• The J-1 visa program requires that Individual Fellows inform and seek written approval from ACC in advance of any travel outside the U.S. in order to return to the U.S. to complete their fellowship. This written approval includes ACC’s signature on the Fellow’s DS-2019 (certifying ACC’s visa sponsorship) in order to re-enter the U.S., and the Fellow’s signature on ACC’s International Travel Liability Waiver, which acknowledges that ACC is not responsible for providing Individual Fellows assistance when they experience medical, legal, or other incidents or emergencies while traveling outside the U.S. during their fellowship. ACC, at its sole discretion, considers requests for permission to travel outside the U.S. during the Individual Fellowship. Work-related international travel requests must be submitted to ACC no fewer than 60 days prior to the fellowship start date. 

Fellowships in Asia
Individual Fellows who travel to or within Asia for their fellowship are responsible for securing their visas, as needed. This includes collecting and submitting the necessary application materials, scheduling visa appointments, and paying for necessary fees, which may be paid with ACC grant funds if included in the budget.  

Before applying for an Individual Fellowship, applicants interested in pursuing a fellowship in Asia must carefully review the travel regulations made available by the government of their destination country, territory, or region and understand the requirements and procedures for securing visas and other travel permissions. Applicants who are unsure of their eligibility to travel to their destination(s) should contact the nearest embassy or consulate of their travel destination for additional information. 

 

Application Date and Process

Please carefully review the instructions below to learn more about submitting an application for the Individual Fellowship program. As a reminder, you may submit an application for only one ACC fellowship or grant type per grant cycle. 

 

Deadlines 
Applications must be submitted by November 19, 2025, at 9:59 AM Eastern Standard Time (EST).  

Letters of recommendation must be uploaded by November 26, 2025, at 9:59 AM EST. Learn more about the letter of recommendation requirements further below. 

 

GoApply 
Applications must be submitted through GoApply, ACC’s application platform. Previous applicants may log in to their account with their email and password.  

Starting on October 1, 2025, at 9:59 AM EDT, previous and new GoApply users can click here to log in or create a GoApply account. Once you have logged in or registered with GoApply, you can open the “Opportunities” menu item, and then click on the “apply” button next to “2026 Individual Fellowship Application (Single Applicant)” or “2026 Individual Fellowship Application (Joint Applicants)”. GoApply registration instructions are available in English, Chinese, and Japanese. 

If you are submitting a joint Individual Fellowship application (i.e. an application with one or two co-applicants), the primary applicant will create a GoApply account and prepare and submit the application on behalf of their co-applicants. Co-applicants may use the primary applicant’s GoApply account to independently access and complete their respective portions of the application. Please note that only one applicant should access the application at a time in order to avoid losing unsaved work or overwriting another applicant’s work. 

Please note that ACC’s GoApply applications will only be available from October 1, 2025, at 9:59 AM Eastern Daylight Time to November 19, 2025, at 9:59 AM EST.

 

Eligibility Quiz 
The application begins with an eligibility quiz, which will ask questions assessing your eligibility based on ACC’s general grant guidelines and the Individual Fellowship guidelines. Only applicants whose responses confirm their eligibility for the Individual Fellowship will be allowed to proceed with the rest of the application.  

If you are not sure how to respond to an eligibility quiz question, please contact the relevant ACC representative office (see here).  

 

Required Application Materials 
Applicants, including co-applicants (if a joint application), must be prepared to provide the application materials listed below. Required items are marked with an asterisk (*). 

• Passport/biographical data information * 
• Contact information *  
• Social media accounts and/or website 
• Work samples (see below) *  
• CV/resume *   
• Biography *  
• Personal statement that describes your work or research (i.e. an Artist Statement) * 
• Name and contact information for one individual who will submit a letter of recommendation (see below) *  
• Names and contact information for references (see below) * 
• Budget (see below) * 
• Bilingual application responses, as required by region (see below) 

 

Work Samples 
Applicants must provide up to three work samples that best exemplify their work. Work sample attachments may include image files (JPEG or PNG) or PDF files containing images, links to videos, audio clips, or other relevant media or materials to support your application. (See examples of work samples.) Please refer to the work sample guidelines listed below.  

• Audio/Video-based Samples: Applicants may submit a PDF with URLs for up to three audio or video clips that each contain no more than three minutes of content. Staff and review panelists will review only the first three minutes of audio or video provided in clips that are longer than three minutes.  
• Image-based Samples: Applicants may submit their image-based work samples in PDF, JPEG, and PNG formats. PDFs may contain no more than two pages of images per work or exhibition sample. Multiple images and captions are allowed on the same page, but they must be from the same work or exhibition sample. You can submit images for up to three works/exhibitions. 
• Text/Literary Samples: Applicants may submit PDFs containing no more than five pages per work sample (literature, art history, art criticism, etc.). 
• Multimedia Samples: Applicants may submit a PDF containing a combination of images (no more than two pages), text (no more than five pages), and/or links to video/audio clips (no more than three minutes) for a single work or exhibition. 

 

Recommendation Letter and References 
ACC asks each Individual Fellow applicant to provide contact information for one person who will submit a letter of recommendation on their behalf. Co-applicants must each have their own separate recommender. 

If you are applying as a single applicant, you must also provide contact information for two references whom ACC can contact if we have any questions about you or your proposal. References cannot be the same person who submits the letter of recommendation. 

If you are submitting a joint application, you and your co-applicant(s) must each provide contact information for one reference whom ACC can contact if we have any questions about you, your co-applicants, or your proposal. 

Conflicts of Interest 
The recommender and references should not be ACC trustees, staff, or donors. All applicants will be asked to sign a conflict-of-interest statement attesting that their recommender and references, to the best of their knowledge, are not ACC trustees, staff, or donors. 

Letter of Recommendation Deadline 
Your recommender must upload their letter(s) of recommendation to GoApply after you have submitted your application. The deadline for the letter of recommendation is November 26, 2025, at 9:59 AM EST. Only after you have submitted your application will your recommender(s) receive an email containing a link and instructions for uploading their letter(s) to GoApply. We recommend that you contact your recommender(s) in advance to ask for their support and that you submit your application early, so that your recommender(s) has/have enough time to upload their letter(s). Your application will not be considered complete and will not be reviewed until your letter(s) of recommendation has/have been uploaded. 

 

Uploading a Budget 
Applicants must upload a proposed budget for their Individual Fellowship using the Excel template provided in the GoApply application’s budget section. The template will ask for detailed budget information, including descriptions of proposed expenses, quantities, estimated USD amounts, and links or comments justifying these expenses, as needed. For more information about eligible and ineligible expenses and other budget requirements, please refer to the Grant Amount and Budget section in the Individual Fellowship guidelines. 

 

Bilingual Applications 
In addition to submitting question responses in English, applicants who apply through ACC Hong Kong, ACC Japan, and ACC Taiwan should refer to their respective bilingual application requirements. Please note that the bilingual fillable forms (for completion and upload) and translated eligibility quizzes (for reference) will be made available for download on October 1, 2025, at 9:59 AM EDT. 

Joint Applicants: If you are preparing an application with one or two co-applicants, you only need to submit one bilingual application, if required. 

Hong Kong SAR, Macau SAR, and Mainland China (Optional)
In addition to completing the application in English, applicants who are citizens or permanent residents of Hong Kong SAR, Macau SAR, and Mainland China, and are applying through ACC Hong Kong, may also submit an optional copy of their application in Chinese. To do so, please download, complete, and upload to GoApply the bilingual application form provided below. Please note that the application is provided in traditional Chinese, but applicants may provide responses in simplified Chinese, if desired. 

• Individual Fellowship (Single Applicant) Translated Eligibility Quiz (Traditional Chinese) 
• Individual Fellowship (Single Applicant) Bilingual Application Form (Traditional Chinese) 
• Individual Fellowship (Joint Applicants) Translated Eligibility Quiz (Traditional Chinese) 
• Individual Fellowship (Joint Applicants) Bilingual Application Form (Traditional Chinese) 

Japan (Required)
Applicants who are citizens or permanent residents of Japan and are applying through ACC Japan must submit an additional copy of their application in Japanese and a PDF of their CV/resume in both English and Japanese. Descriptions or captions of work samples must also be made available in both English and Japanese. Applicants should download, complete, and upload to GoApply the bilingual application form provided below. 

• Individual Fellowship (Single Applicant) Translated Eligibility Quiz (Japanese) 
• Individual Fellowship (Single Applicant) Bilingual Application Form (Japanese) 
• Individual Fellowship (Joint Applicants) Translated Eligibility Quiz (Japanese) 
• Individual Fellowship (Joint Applicants) Bilingual Application Form (Japanese) 

Taiwan ROC (Required)
Applicants who are citizens or permanent residents of Taiwan ROC and are applying through ACC Taiwan must submit an additional copy of their application in traditional Chinese and a PDF of their CV/resume in both English and traditional Chinese. Descriptions or captions of work samples must also be made available in both English and Chinese. Applicants should download, complete, and upload to GoApply the bilingual application form provided below.  

• Individual Fellowship (Single Applicant) Translated Eligibility Quiz (Traditional Chinese) 
• Individual Fellowship (Single Applicant) Bilingual Application Form (Traditional Chinese) 
• Individual Fellowship (Joint Applicants) Translated Eligibility Quiz (Traditional Chinese) 
• Individual Fellowship (Joint Applicants) Bilingual Application Form (Traditional Chinese)

Application Deadline

19 November, 2025

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