International Creator Residency Program 2027 — Fellowship

Tokyo Arts and Space runs this three-month, in-person residency for creators working in visual arts, design, or architecture. Six creators are provisionally selected, with two assigned to each of three residency periods in Tokyo.

Participants develop new work and research, exchange ideas with other residents, and present outcomes through TOKAS OPEN STUDIO. The 2027 call has closed, while TOKAS lists the program on its annual May-to-June open-call schedule.

Benefits & funding

A furnished single room and access to a shared studio at TOKAS Residency are provided. A duo receives a twin-bedded room.
TOKAS provides a round-trip economy airfare between the airport nearest the participant’s residence and Tokyo Narita or Haneda Airport.
Living support is JPY 4,200 per day, excluding consumption tax.
The work or project fee is JPY 300,000, excluding consumption tax. Income tax of 20.42% is deducted from the living support and project fee.
For a duo, living support and the project fee cover one person, while airfare is provided for both members.

Eligibility

Applicants must work in visual arts, design, or architecture and have at least five years of relevant experience.
A solo applicant must reside outside Japan. A duo may apply when at least one member resides outside Japan, and the pair must have completed at least one project together.
Applicants must be able to communicate sufficiently in English, work and live independently, and stay continuously for the assigned residency period.
Current students are not eligible at the time of participation, except PhD candidates. No age limit is stated.
Former participants in the International Creator Residency Program or Local Creator Residency Program may not apply to the same program again. There is no stated nationality restriction.

Can you apply?

Here's who can apply

Decoded from the official rules. A free account checks them against your passport, degree and age in seconds.

Experience required
≥ 5 yrs

Check my eligibility — free

Circlebreaker is a free database of global fellowships, scholarships and programs — every one decoded like this.

We only check the criteria we have data for. Always confirm full eligibility on the official page before applying.

Application process

1
Download the application package from the official call page and complete the PDF application form in English using Adobe Reader.
2
Prepare two signed recommendation letters in Japanese or English from two different eligible referees.
3
Prepare one A4 landscape PDF portfolio of no more than six pages, covering up to three projects and staying within 10 MB.
4
Complete the online submission form and upload the application form, recommendation letters, and portfolio before the deadline.

Program timeline

Applications opened.
May 19, 2026
Applications closed.
June 16, 2026, 18:00 JST
First document screening.
Mid-June to August 2026
Second document screening.
Late August 2026
Successful applicants notified individually.
By mid-September 2026
Final results announced on the TOKAS website.
By early October 2026
First residency period.
Early May to late July 2027
Second residency period.
Early September to late November 2027
Third residency period.
Early January to late March 2028