Fellowship•Afghanistan

Asian Cultural Council Individual Fellowship

Funding

Grant

Program dates

Aug 1, 2026 – Dec 31, 2027

The Individual Fellowship, run by the Asian Cultural Council (ACC), supports artists and arts and culture professionals in pursuing self-directed research and cultural immersion. Fellows design their own focused project — travelling within ACC’s eligible countries in Asia or to the United States — to build relationships, exchange knowledge, and develop their practice. Compared with ACC’s other programs it offers more freedom over location, timing, travel length, and budget. ACC stresses that it is not a residency, a fund to attend a single conference, a travel grant, or a personal promotion tour. The award provides up to $35,000 USD, and funded activities run between one and six months.

Benefits & funding

  • Up to $35,000 USD in grant funding per fellowship (single or joint application).
  • Self-directed travel of one to six months to ACC’s eligible destinations in Asia or the United States.
  • Flexibility over location, timing, travel length, and budget within the grant period.
  • Access to ACC’s network of grantees and alumni across Asia and the United States.

Eligibility

  • Citizens or legal permanent residents of ACC’s eligible countries, territories, and regions (listed below), which include both Asian countries/regions and the United States.
  • At least five years of professional experience in one of ACC’s eligible disciplines (architecture, archaeology, art history, arts administration, arts criticism, conservation, crafts, curation, dance, ethnomusicology, film/video/photography, literature, museum studies, music, theatre, and visual art).
  • Over the age of 21 by the fellowship start date.
  • Not pursuing degree coursework during the fellowship period.
  • For travel to the United States, confident English proficiency.

Application process

  1. 1
    When the cycle opens (early October), create or log in to a GoApply account on ACC’s application platform.
  2. 2
    Select the Individual Fellowship application — Single or Joint Applicant version — and outline your research questions, planned activities, destinations, and budget.
  3. 3
    Submit before the November deadline and arrange the required letter(s) of recommendation by the separate recommendation deadline; selection runs through the following spring, with notifications in mid-May.

Program timeline

  1. Applications open on GoApply (2026 cycle)

    Oct 1, 2025

  2. Application deadline (2026 cycle)

    Nov 19, 2025

  3. Letter of recommendation deadline

    Nov 26, 2025

  4. Applicant notifications (mid-May)

    May 15, 2026

  5. Grant period — funded activities take place

    Aug 1, 2026 to Dec 31, 2027