Funding

Visual Arts

Exhibitions Abroad Support Programme

The Japan Foundation provides funding for Japan related exhibitions through our Exhibition Support Programme. This is designed to give financial assistance to organisers mounting exhibitions or introducing Japanese art and culture to the UK. The Japan Foundation accepts applications once a year only from museums/galleries or other relevant organisations. The deadline next will be on the 3 December 2012 for Japan-related projects taking place during the fiscal year from April 2013 to March 2014.

Please click here for more information about this programme. For an application form, please click here.

Our grant can be used to cover the following cost items:

• packing and transportation of exhibits (excluding insurance)
• airfare and lodging of the invited Japanese artists or specialists (excluding travelling costs for preliminary research and development purposes)
• catalogue production

Local Project Support Programme

If you miss the deadline for the Exhibitions Abroad Support Programme or the expenses in question are not covered by the programme, please enquire about our Local Project Support Programme. Through the Local Project Support Programme, the Japan Foundation can also support visual arts related educational projects such as seminars, workshops, demonstrations and conferences. A limited fund of up to £1500 is available throughout the year.

Contact: Junko Takekawa, Senior Arts Programme Officer for further information.

Japanese-Language Program for Specialists in Cultural and Academic Fields

This programme has been extended and is now open to specialists working in museums and galleries e.g. curators, who require improvement of their Japanese language skills as part of their work. Applicants must be under the age of 40. For more information, please click here. Anyone who is interested in his programme should contact the London Language Centre before applying.

 

Previous Grant Recipients

 

Touring Exhibitions

For details about the availability of Japan Foundation Visual Arts Exhibitions, please click here.

Performing Arts

The Japan Foundation supports performing arts activities in the UK through the following grant programmes:

Performing Arts Japan (PAJ) Programme for Europe

This annual grant programme is available to those UK and other European organisers who are planning Japan related performing arts projects in this country and other European countries.

There are two grant categories: Touring Grant and Collaboration/Co-Production Grant.

Our grant can be used to cover:

• airfares and other travel expenses in the UK and other European countries for Japanese individuals or company members that are engaged in productions.
• their accommodation costs in the UK and other European countries.
• the transport costs for the equipment they are bringing in/out
• translators/interpreters costs to assist them

For the Touring Grant, priority will be given to projects that are touring at least two countries and for which the living expenses are being covered by the applicants.

For the Collaboration/ Co-Production Grant, this programme will only fund the costs incurred during the development process involved in creating new works.

The next round of applications will be for projects that will be taking place between 1 April 2013 and 30 June 2014. The deadline for applications will be 2nd November 2012.

For the Performing Arts Japan (PAJ) Programme for Europe guidelines, please click here and for an application form, please contact Junko Takekawa.

Grant Program for Dispatching Artists and Cultural Specialists

This annual grant under this programme is given only to Japanese companies or individuals who wish to perform overseas. It is therefore not possible for British organisers to apply to this programme. British organisers, however, can suggest to the Japanese companies or individuals that they are inviting that the latter apply to our Head Office should funding for their airfares and/or freight costs be needed from the Japan Foundation. This programme has multiple deadlines that depend on when the proposed project would take place (the first round deadline is 03 December 2012).

Please consult with Junko Takekawa for advice and more information before initiating application procedures.

Local Project Support Programme

This is a small grant programme run by the Japan Foundation London Office. The British organisers can apply for funds for Japan related performing arts projects in the UK. Applications are accepted throughout the year but please make sure that you contact us at least three months before your project commences. For details, contact Junko Takekawa.

Previous Grant Recipients

Film

New Grant Programme Launched

Grant Programme for Japanese Film Screening Projects in the UK Launched

Some financial assistance for those organisations in the UK who wish to screen Japanese films for not-for-profit purposes may be provided by the Japan Foundation through this new grant programme. For details about the programme please click here. Should you wish to apply for this programme, please contact Junko Takekawa for information and to obtain the application form.

Local Project Support Programme

If you are planning to organise Japanese film related events in the UK, such as symposia, talks or workshops, which do not comprise of film screenings as the main element of the programme, it may be possible to apply for the Local Project Support Programme. For further information, please consult Junko Takekawa.

Publication

We offer funding for publishers towards the translation of major works from Japanese, or for the publication of books on Japan written in languages other than Japanese. For translations priority is given to titles on our “recommended list of works”. Fields covered include the humanities, social sciences and the arts but exclude the natural sciences. Publication must take place during the period of the next financial year following the normal deadline for applications at the end of Novemeber. The grant is a percentage of the translation fee or the direct publication costs. Applications for “translation and publication” are also acceptable.

For further details on both programmes and application forms contact Hal Parker.

Previous Grant Recipients

Other Cultural Activities

The Japan Foundation is also able to offer support for pre-eminent specialists of Japanese culture to travel abroad. If you would like to invite a Japanese cultural practitioner to the UK, it may be possible to gain funding from our Head Office in Japan through our Grant Program for Dispatching Artists and Cultural Specialists. Please contact Junko Takekawa for further assistance.