Asian Cultural Council Names 2025 Fellows
By Joyce Ge
A selection of Asian Cultural Council 2025 grant recipients. Courtesy Asian Cultural Council.
On May 14, the Asian Cultural Council (ACC) announced its 2025 grants, awarding 34 fellowships—16 New York Fellowships and 18 Individual Fellowships—to artists and scholars across Asia for cultural exchange programs.
Among the ACC 2025 Mainland China cohort are visual artists Zhang Ruyi (New York Fellowship) and Ye Wuji (Individual Fellowship). Zhang will examine how residential spaces shape urban life in New York, while Ye will conduct research on geopolitical identities in northern Pakistan. Shanghai Museum’s deputy head Chen Jie earned an Individual Fellowship to advance ceramic scholarship through institutional collaborations in the US. From Hong Kong, a total of eight fellows received grants. For New York Fellowships, performing artist Caro Chan and visual artist Serene Hui will explore theater scenes and Asian diaspora archives, respectively. Among the Individual Fellowship recipients, visual artist So Lai Ping will undertake a three-month research project focused on Cantonese diaspora communities in San Francisco, while architects Elspeth Mary Lee and Donn Holohan will study traditional building techniques in Japan.
Founded in 1963 by philanthropist John D. Rockefeller III, the ACC is a nonprofit organization dedicated to fostering meaningful cultural dialogue between Asia and the US through immersive exchange programs. For over 50 years, ACC Hong Kong has supported more than 600 artists and organizations across Mainland China, Hong Kong, Macau, the US, and beyond. The fellowships are awarded after a rigorous review process in consultation with fellowship alumni, field experts, and ACC staff. Fellowship applicants are selected based on their artistic excellence, creative vision, and the potential to bridge cultures while advancing their careers.
Joyce Ge is an editorial intern at ArtAsiaPacific.
