YAGEO Art Award
ACC Taiwan 2027 Grant Cycle
Guidelines

For ACC Taiwan Applicants Only

About YAGEO Art Award

YAGEO Foundation and the Asian Cultural Council Taiwan Foundation (ACC Taiwan) are relaunching theirpartnership after an 18-year hiatus with the introduction of the YAGEO Art Award.

Through the YAGEO Art Award, The YAGEO Foundation and ACC Taiwan (collectively, the “Organizers”) aim to foster new possibilities for artistic innovation and cross-disciplinary exploration.

The four-month fellowship program supports one artist from Taiwan to pursue research and exchange in the United States focused on the intersection of technology and art. YAGEO Foundation and ACC offer individualized fellowship support. Grantees will gain in-depth access to international arts institutions, arts professionals, cultural resources, and establish international connections.

YAGEO Art Award Information Session 

• Date & Time: Wednesday, September 30, 2026, 2:00–4:00 PM 
• Venue: Basement Auditorium, Taipei Fine Arts Museum (TFAM) 
• Address: No. 181, Section 3, Zhongshan North Road, Zhongshan District, Taipei, Taiwan 
• Free registration, walk-ins welcome  
• (Please purchase your TFAM ticket in advance and follow the museum’s exhibition and ticketing guidelines). 

YAGEO Art Award Application Timeline

• Call for Applications Opens: October 1, 2026, at 9:59 PM Taiwan Time (TWT) 
• Applications Due: November 10, at 10:59 PM TWT 
• Letters of Recommendation Due: November 16, at 10:59 PM TWT 
• Review and Selection Process: November 2026 - April 2027 
• Notifications to Applicants: Mid-May 2027 
• YAGEO Art Award Grant Period: October 1, 2027 – December 31, 2028 
  
  Please note: The Organizers strongly recommends that you ask your recommender to prepare their letter in advance and that you submit your application early, so that your recommender has enough time to upload their letter.  

What does the YAGEO Art Award offer?

Freedom to Explore 

Supports one artist or arts professional to pursue interdisciplinary research, self-directed exploration and cultural exchange immersion at the intersection of technology and the arts in the United States. 

Examples of fellowship activities include: 

• Interviewing or meeting professionals and other stakeholders who can provide relevant expertise   
• Visiting institutions (e.g., studios, museums, galleries, theaters, libraries) or attending events (e.g., exhibitions, performances, lectures, film screenings) aligned with their research and exchange goals  
• Participating in workshops, symposia, or discussions that advance the exchange of knowledge, ideas, and practices and connects grantees with new communities   
• Conducting archival research  

Individualized Programmatic Support  

The Organizers offers guidance to enhance proposed activities, expand access to arts and culture, and deepen cultural exchange experiences. Support may include logistical or research advice, introductions to 2002 – 2008 YAGEO Tech-Art Award alumni, ACC alumni or professionals, invitations to local events, and visa assistance for U.S. travel. 

Eligibility 

• Be citizens or legal permanent residents of Taiwan. Applicants may not hold dual citizenship or permanent residency from the United States. 
• Experience and Eligible Disciplines: Applicants must have at least five years of experience in one of the eligible disciplines at the time of application and must propose activities within an eligible discipline. 
  • Eligible Disciplines: Architecture (Design, History, and Theory), Archaeology, Art History, Arts Administration, Arts Criticism, Conservation, Crafts, Curation, Dance, Ethnomusicology, Film,* Literature, Museum Studies, Music, Theater, and Visual Art.
    * Note: Applicants who primarily work in or study video art or photography may apply under visual art. 
• Be at least 21 years old by the start of the fellowship. 
• Not pursue paid work, university coursework, or teaching (in-person or online) during the fellowship. The Organizers asks grantees to take temporary leave from studies and work during the fellowship. 
• Be confident using English to communicate and navigate daily tasks independently, as required for the J-1 visa.

Fellowship Travel Dates and Duration 

• YAGEO Art Award travel must occur within the grant period: October 1, 2027 – December 31, 2028. 
• YAGEO Art Award offers a four-month U.S. bound fellowship. 
• The Organizers strongly discourages travel outside the proposed destinations during the fellowship, with the exception of medical and family emergencies (see “J-1 Visa Requirements” section below). Grantees who have essential and unavoidable career-related travel needs must submit a “Change in Proposed Grant Activity” Form seeking approval at least 60 days before the fellowship start date. 

J-1 Visa Requirements 

Grantees who travel to the U.S. for the YAGEO Art Award must obtain a J-1 visa that ACC sponsors–no exceptions. The J-1 is a non-immigrant visa for exchange program participants, and both ACC and grantees must follow U.S. regulations, including:   

• Visa process: ACC begins the J-1 sponsorship process six months before the fellowship. Grantees must provide information, review documents, and communicate with ACC staff.  
• Please note: While ACC sponsors the visa, grantees are responsible for submitting the DS-160 application, paying the visa processing fee, and scheduling and attending visa interviews.   
• Work restrictions: Grantees cannot do paid work while in the U.S. on the J-1 visa, including work performed for an employer or client outside the U.S. or work performed during the fellowship but paid later. Grantees also cannot perform or participate in ticketed, paid events (e.g., performances, lectures, workshops, or appearances where admission is charged), even if the grantee is not paid. Grantees with full-time jobs should arrange sabbaticals or leave with their employer.   
• Travel requirements: Any travel outside the U.S. requires YAGEO Foundation and ACC’s prior written approval, authorization of international travel in the grantee’s DS-2019, and an “International Travel Liability Waiver” acknowledging that ACC is not responsible for incidents abroad. Essential work-related international travel must be approved at least 60 days before the fellowship start date. The Organizers reviews all international travel requests at its discretion. 

YAGEO Art Award Grant Amount and Budget 

Grantees may receive up to $35,000 USD in grant funding. 

Please download and complete the “YAGEO Art Award Budget Template (Traditional Chinese)” and upload the completed form in Excel format to GoApply application portal. 

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: The Organizers 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: The Organizers will deduct a travel health insurance fee from the grant. The fee varies based on age and travel duration (for reference, generally $450–$550 USD for a four-month trip).  
• 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 grant funds:   

• First-class, business class, or other airfare higher than economy class (with exceptions for those with medical-based exemptions)    
• Equipment, staffing, or services supporting the production of works for public or commercial consumption (examples: filming a documentary, recording an album, or publishing a book)   
• Any expenses to support the travel of family members or individuals who are not the grantee 

How to Apply? 

Please read the following guidelines carefully before completing the YAGEO Art Award application. 

• Each applicant may submit an application for only one fellowship or grant type per grant cycle. 
• All applicants must submit an English online application through the GoApply application platform. 
• To apply for the YAGEO Art Award, select “ACC Individual Fellowship Program” on the GoApply platform to begin the application process. 
• YAGEO Art Award applicants must pass the eligibility screening for the “ACC Individual Fellowship Program.” 
• In addition to submitting question responses in English, please refer to the “Bilingual Application Requirements” section below. 

GoApply Application Portal

Applications must be submitted through GoApply, ACC’s application platform. The Organizers will not accept applications via email. Previous applicants may log in to their GoApply account with their email and password.   

Use the latest version of Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, or Apple Safari to reduce technical errors on GoApply.  

Applicants must register for a GoApply Account to submit an application. Returning users may log in with their existing account by clicking here. Applicants who are applying for the YAGEO Art Award should create an “Individual Account.”  

To start an application, open the “Opportunities” menu item in your GoApply account, and then click on the “View” button next to the application for “ACC Individual Fellowship”.  

GoApply registration instructions are available in English and Chinese.  

Bilingual Application Requirements 

Applicants must download, complete, upload, and submit to GoApply all the bilingual application requirements below. Please note that links to the eligibility quiz, bilingual application form, and budget template will be active starting on October 1, 2026. 

• YAGEO Art Award Eligibility Quiz (Traditional Chinese) 
• YAGEO Art Award Application Form (Traditional Chinese) 
• YAGEO Art Award Budget Template (Traditional Chinese) 
• CV/Resume in both English and Traditional Chinese 
• Descriptions or captions of work samples in both English and Traditional Chinese 
• Letter of recommendation written in both Traditional Chinese and English (If the recommender cannot write in Traditional Chinese, they may submit a letter that is only in English.) 

Contacting the Organizers About Your Application 

• For all questions about YAGEO Art Award, please jointly email 
• YAGEO Foundation: info@yageofoundation.org and ACC Taiwan Foundation: application@acctf.org 
• For any questions relating to GoApply online application platform, please email ACC New York: application@accny.org