Asian Cultural Council (ACC) Awards Over $920,000 to 2025 Grant Recipients to Support Cultural Exchange

The pre-eminent New York City-based nonprofit has supported over 6,000 exchanges across 26 countries and regions and 16 disciplines since its founding in 1963, facilitating cultural exchange between the U.S. and Asia, and within Asia.

NEW YORK, May 19, 2025 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- Today, the Asian Cultural Council (ACC) announced its 2025 Asia Grant Cycle recipients, awarding 37 grants comprising a total of $920,371 in funding.

"We are pleased to announce the 2025 Asia Grant Cycle recipients, representing an exceptional group of artists, scholars, and arts professionals from Asia traveling to the U.S. and within Asia," stated Judy Kim, ACC's Executive Director. "From visual artists, composers, and design professionals to literary scholars, dancers, and film directors, these talented individuals will engage in unique cultural exchange activities throughout their grant periods, advancing international dialogue and building on our mission."

2025's awardees include sixteen (16) grantees for the New York Fellowship; eighteen (18) grantees for the Individual Fellowship; and three (3) grantees for the Graduate Fellowship.

The sixteen (16) grantees of the New York Fellowship are from Mainland China, Hong Kong SAR, Japan, Macau SAR, the Philippines, and Taiwan ROC. During their six-month stays, these individuals will pursue a range of projects, from targeted research of New York's theater and videography scenes to urban and suburban fieldwork examining how Asian culture grows in and intersects with Western societies. With logistical and programmatic support provided by ACC staff, fellows are connected with peers and ACC alumni to discover the cultural environment of New York City and the greater U.S., seeking new experiences.

The eighteen (18) grantees of the Individual Fellowship represent Mainland China, Hong Kong SAR, Japan, and Taiwan ROC. They will travel to 11 countries and regions including Cambodia, India, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Pakistan, Singapore, Taiwan ROC, Thailand, the U.S., and Vietnam. ACC's Individual Fellowship empowers awardees to take risks, develop their artistic practices through research projects, and immerse themselves in a different culture. Individual Fellowships are self-directed and have focused research questions and activities that enable and promote cultural immersion, dialogue, relationship-building, collaboration, and exchange of knowledge among peers.

The three (3) grantees of the Graduate Fellowship represent the Philippines. ACC's Graduate Fellowship covers travel and living expenses related to graduate study in the U.S. Priority for ACC's Graduate Fellowship is given to students who do not have access to comparable programs at home, and to those studying in cultural fields that are underrepresented in their home countries.

Of those awarded, 24 artists will visit the U.S. while 13 artists will travel to countries and regions in Asia.

Since ACC's founding over 60 years ago, the organization has supported cultural exchange activities that nurture mutual understanding, expand individual artistic practices and activities, foster new perspectives, and allow grantees to share their experiences with their local communities and beyond.

This year's grant recipients are as follows:

New York Fellowship

• Joed Balsamo, Musician (Philippines): Balsamo is a pianist, arranger/orchestrator, musical director, composer, and conductor based in the Philippines. Throughout his career he has composed original music for 25 musicals, 1 opera, 9 plays, 5 dance pieces, and 6 films. He has performed with and written works for orchestras and institutions across Asia and on the international stage. Balsamo holds a master's degree in Music from the University of Santo Tomas.
• Caro Chan, Actress and Literary Translator (Hong Kong SAR): Chan is a performing artist with African and Asian heritages based in Hong Kong SAR. Chan holds a bachelor's degree in English Language and Literature from The Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts where she pursued a degree in Drama, majoring in Acting. She has worked with theater productions, including Rooftop Production, The Hong Kong Repertory Theatre, The Algorithmic Theatre (Denmark), and On & On Theatre Workshop.
• I-Hsuen Chen, Visual Artist (Taiwan ROC): Chen is a visual artist based in Taiwan ROC whose work employs various approaches from street photography, video installation, and performance to investigate the relationship between image creation and media. His work has been shown at photo festivals and biennials internationally, including the New York Photo Festival, Singapore International Photography Festival, and Taipei Biennial. Chen holds a Master of Fine Arts from the Pratt Institute.
• Florence Cheong, Director and Choreographer (Macau SAR): Cheong is a director and choreographer from Macau SAR with extensive experience in theatre, dance, and multidisciplinary performance. She has directed and choreographed productions across Asia, and graduated from the Macau Conservatory, School of Dance.
• Joyce Sahagun Garcia, Video Artist and Multimedia Designer (Philippines): Garcia is a video artist and multimedia designer from the Philippines, creating visuals for theater, performances, art installations and events. Her works have reached international audiences from Hong Kong SAR to Australia, Italy, Japan, Russia, and Saudi Arabia. Garcia holds a degree in Multimedia Arts from Mapúa Institute of Technology.
• Yuuki Horiuchi, Visual Artist (Japan): Horiuchi is a visual artist from Japan whose practice spans painting, installation, and mixed media. Her work has been exhibited in galleries and art spaces across Japan and internationally. Horiuchi holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts from the Slade School of Fine Art, University College London.
• Serene Hui, Visual Artist and Researcher (Hong Kong SAR): Hui is a visual artist and researcher from Hong Kong SAR and the Netherlands whose interdisciplinary practice integrates visual art, critical theory, and social inquiry. Her work has been presented in exhibitions, academic conferences, and publications across Asia and Europe. Hui holds a master's degree in Artistic Research from the Royal Academy of Art, The Hague.
• Karl Alexis Jingco, Theater Director and Curator (Philippines): Jingco is a theater director and curator from the Philippines who has directed productions and curated programs for cultural institutions and festivals across Southeast Asia, with a focus on socially engaged art and emerging narratives. Jingco's work aims to advance inclusivity in theatre by curating, collaborating, and creating opportunities and performances that highlight and empower individuals with special needs and talents from regional communities.
• J-mee Katanyag, Theater Artist and Playwright (Philippines): Katanyag is a multidisciplinary artist and educator from the Philippines. With a background in writing, acting, theater production, and theater curriculum design, she has collaborated with organizations and institutions to develop creative programs that empower youth and marginalized communities. Katanyag holds a degree in Journalism from the University of Santo Tomas.
• tsu-tsu, Dancer and Performer (Japan): tsu-tsu is a dancer and actor based in Japan whose work focuses on physical awareness called "tsu-tsu" (vessel in Japanese), developed through training in classical Japanese dance. Their work includes exhibitions and performances that transform local narratives into shared cultural assets.
• Wataru Mukai, Composer and Performer (Japan): Mukai is a composer, performer, and researcher from Japan whose work spans contemporary music, experimental sound, and interdisciplinary collaboration. He has composed and performed for concerts, theater productions, and multimedia installations in both Japan and on the international stage, known for his nuanced approach to sound and texture. Mukai holds a degree in Music Composition from Tokyo University of the Arts.
• Maria Estela Paiso, Filmmaker and Animator (Philippines): Paiso is a filmmaker based in the Philippines whose work focuses on post-production editing and directorial work through mixed media animation. Her directorial filmography has reached film festivals throughout Asia and internationally. Paiso holds a degree in Communication Arts from De La Salle University.
• Chen Wei Chen, Visual Artist (Taiwan ROC): Chen is a visual artist from Taiwan ROC whose practice encompasses painting, installation, and multimedia work that investigates the possibilities of art through everyday objects, an understanding of classical beauty, and cultural identity. Her art has been exhibited in galleries, museums, and art festivals across Asia. Chen holds a Master of Fine Arts from the National Taipei University of the Arts.
• Evelyn Yang Ling, Film Writer and Director (Taiwan ROC): Yang is a film writer and director based in Taiwan ROC whose work centers around films that break away from traditional narratives and embrace ample negative space. Ling holds a Master of Fine Arts in Film from the National Taiwan University of Arts.
• Yen Yu Ting, Visual Artist (Taiwan ROC): Yen is a visual artist from Taiwan ROC whose work explores the intersection of ecology, urban life, and material culture through painting, sculpture, and mixed media. Her projects have been showcased in exhibitions and art festivals across Asia and Australia. Yen holds a Master of Fine Arts from the National Taipei University of the Arts, with a specialization in Ink Painting.
• Zhang Ruyi, Visual Artist (Mainland China): Zhang is a visual artist from Mainland China, currently located in Shanghai, whose multidisciplinary practice spans sculpture, installation, and integrated media. Her work has been exhibited in major institutions and biennales across Asia, Europe, and the U.S. Zhang holds a Master of Fine Arts from the Fine Art College of Shanghai University.

Individual Fellowship

• Tomomi Adachi, Composer and Performer (Japan): Adachi is a performer, composer, sound poet, installation artist, and theater director based in Japan. His work combines voice, live electronics, and self-made instruments in improvised music performances. Tomomi Adachi holds a degree in philosophy and aesthetics from Waseda University Tokyo.
• Chen Jie, Curator (Mainland China): Chen is a curator from Mainland China with a focus on ancient material culture and ceramics research. She has authored over 30 academic papers and curated exhibitions and public programs in collaboration with museums and art spaces across Asia and Europe and holds a doctorate in History from Fudan University.
• Summer Cat, Literary Scholar (Hong Kong SAR): Summer Cat is a literary scholar from Hong Kong SAR whose work centers around literary self-portraits and the development of picture-books as academic research. Their poetry and critical writings have been featured in literary journals, books, and academic forums across Asia. Summer Cat holds a doctorate in Literary Studies from The Education University of Hong Kong.
• Kenji Chiga, Visual Artist (Japan): Chiga is a visual artist from Japan whose work combines photography, video, and installation to present visual narratives of social structures and cultural and historical issues in Japan and across the world. His projects have been exhibited in museums, galleries, and photography festivals around the world. Chiga holds a degree in Engineering Science from Osaka University.
• Shao Chun, Visual Artist (Mainland China): Shao is a visual artist from Mainland China whose interdisciplinary practice spans multimedia installations, e-textiles, post-internet art, and design fiction. Her work has been exhibited through galleries, video installations, and live performances combining traditional handicrafts with computer programming. Shao holds a doctorate from the University of Washington, Center for Digital Arts and Experimental Media.
• Anna Kuroda, Dancer and Choreographer (Japan): Kuroda is a dancer and choreographer from Japan whose movement practice focuses on sensitivity to internal and external air flow around the body, sharpness, fragility and unique rhythm. She has presented her work at festivals and venues across Asia, Europe, and Australia. Kuroda holds a degree in Movement Science from the Japan Women's College of Physical Education.
• MO LAI YAN CHI, Director, Screenwriter, and Actor (Hong Kong SAR): MO LAI YAN CHI is a director, screenwriter, and actor from Hong Kong SAR focused on subjects in humanity, social, feminism, nature, and human relationships. Her work spans independent cinema, theater, and documentary films. Lai holds a master's degree in Theatre Making from the University of Leeds and a master's degree in Cultural Studies from Lingnan University.
• Elspeth Mary Lee and Donn Holohan, Architects (Hong Kong SAR): Lee is an architect and educator from Hong Kong SAR whose work is characterized by a commitment to ethical and sustainable design practices. She holds a Master of Architecture from the University College Dublin. Holohan is an architect, educator, and researcher from Hong Kong SAR focused on the potential of emerging technology in architecture and environmental sustainability. He holds a Master of Architecture from the University College Dublin.
• Cynthia Leung, Architect (Hong Kong SAR): Leung is an architect based in Hong Kong SAR who has worked internationally, design-leading and coordinating public, institutional, and private building projects of varying scales in Europe, Asia, and the Middle East. Her work embodies the perspective of an architect, a cultural thinker, and a practical artist who enchains intangible ideologies to tangible reality. Leung holds a Master of Architecture from the University of Hong Kong.
• Esther Lu, Curator (Taiwan ROC): Lu is a curator and writer from Taiwan ROC with a background in literature, art history, activism, and curatorial studies. Her curatorial practice emphasizes co-learning platforms, collective knowledge production, and innovative mediation strategies, cultivating art as a medium for care, exchange, and transformative experiences in everyday life. Lu holds a degree in the History of Art from Goldsmiths College.
• Lai Ping So, Visual Artist and Editorial Designer (Hong Kong SAR): So is a visual artist, lecturer and editorial designer based in Hong Kong SAR and Düsseldorf whose work spans artists' books, writing systems, and sound art. Her artistic practice investigates the intersection of visual language, sound, and cultural memory. So holds a degree in Gutenberg Intermedia from the Hochschule Mainz University of Applied Sciences.
• Haruko Kumakura, Curator (Japan): Kumakura is an independent curator based in Japan whose research and presentations focus on art history and contemporary practices in Southeast Asia. Her curatorial works have spanned exhibitions and workshops in Japan and across Asia. Kumakura holds a Master of Fine Arts from Tama Art University.
• Tsai Yi-Wei, Puppeteer and Curator (Taiwan ROC): Tsai is a puppeteer and curator from Taiwan ROC. Rooted in Taiwan ROC's rich tradition of glove puppetry, his work is dedicated to exploring the intersection of traditional and contemporary arts, using puppetry as a medium for intercultural dialogue and innovation. Tsai has studied in The Department of Cultural Heritage Conservation through the National Yunlin University of Science & Technology.
• Toby Tse, Musician (Hong Kong SAR): Tse is a student at the Hong Kong Academy for the Performing Arts (HKAPA). Highly regarded at HKAPA, Tse attended the school on a scholarship, receiving a First Class Honors Bachelor's Music Degree. He has performed with professional groups like Opera Hong Kong and the Macao Orchestra. In the summers of 2023 and 2024, he toured with the Asian Youth Orchestra through cities in Europe and Asia.
• Wen Peng, Visual Artist (Mainland China): Wen is a visual artist from Mainland China whose practice spans painting, video, photography, and installation, often exploring themes of human memories, nature, and the environment. Wen holds a degree in printmaking from the Guangzhou Academy of Fine Arts.
• Ye Wuji, Visual Artist (Mainland China): Ye is a visual artist from Mainland China whose work exists through various mediums exploring themes of emotions, memories, rumors, and memes with found objects and text, archival images, video, and sound. His artwork has been featured in numerous exhibitions across Mainland China and internationally, earning recognition for its intricate use of materials and conceptual depth. Ye holds a Master of Fine Arts from Goldsmiths University of London.
• Xiao-Xiong Zhang, Dancer and Creator (Taiwan ROC): Zhang is a versatile artist from Taiwan ROC, with a career spanning multiple disciplines including dance, literature, photography, film, video, and theater. Zhang holds a degree in History from Jinan University.
• Zhu Ning, Architect (Mainland China): Zhu is an architect from Mainland China specializing in sustainable design, urban planning, and architectural innovation. With experience working on a range of projects, from residential complexes to cultural institutions, focusing on integrating sustainability and functionality into her designs. Zhu holds a Master of Architecture from Tsinghua University.

Graduate Fellowship

• Alain De Asis, Musician (Philippines): De Asis is a musician and violinist based in the Philippines. His work as a classical musician focuses on performing pieces composed during the Baroque, Classical, Romantic, and 20th-century eras. He has played for all major orchestras in the Philippines including the Manila Symphony Orchestra, Manila Philharmonic Orchestra, Filharmonika Orchestra, and the Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra.
• Aina Ramolete, Puppeteer and Theater Artist (Philippines): Ramolete is a puppeteer, illustrator, and theater artist form the Philippines dedicated to preserving and innovating Philippine puppetry traditions. She is currently pursuing a Master of Fine Arts in Puppet Arts at the University of Connecticut.
• Alexa Andrea Torte, Dancer (Philippines): Torte is a dance artist and educator from the Philippines with a deep commitment to advancing the art of dance through performance, choreography, and education. She has a degree in Music from the University of the Philippines Diliman.

To learn more about each awardee's grant activities, visit ACC's website here. ACC's next global application cycle will open in Fall 2025.

About The Asian Cultural Council (ACC)

The Asian Cultural Council (ACC) is a grant-giving and grant-receiving global nonprofit organization headquartered in New York City that fosters cultural exchange between the U.S. and Asia, and within Asia. ACC provides artists, scholars, arts professionals, and organizations opportunities to engage in cultural exchange activities by offering grants and fellowships during an annual application period. Compared to other grant-giving organizations that fund production-focused activities, ACC's grant opportunities allow grantees to fully and freely immerse themselves in a culture other than their own to advance international dialogue, understanding, and respect. Since 1963, ACC has awarded over $100 million to support approximately 6,000 fellowship exchanges across 16 disciplines to grantees from 26 countries and regions. For more information, please visit https://www.asianculturalcouncil.org.

Media Contact

Deborah Geiger Berry, Asian Cultural Council, 1 5164239848, [email protected]

SOURCE Asian Cultural Council