The National Center for the Preservation of Democracy at the Japanese American National Museum (NCPD@JANM) is thrilled to announce the Irene Yamamoto Arts Writers Fellowship. This year’s inaugural fellowship provides two $5,000 unrestricted awards to promising writers of color who are focused on art criticism and/or reporting about the visual, performing, or media arts.
The Yamamoto Fellowship is made possible through a gift from Sharon Mizota to honor the late Irene Yamamoto. This project is also supported by Critical Minded, an initiative to invest in cultural critics of color cofounded by The Nathan Cummings Foundation and the Ford Foundation.
DURATION
The Yamamoto Fellowship will be awarded to two emerging writers of color, each of whom receive a $5,000 award to be spent over a six-month period.
PURPOSE
The Yamamoto Fellowship recognizes that writers of color have knowledge and experiences that differ from dominant Eurocentric ones, and that their perspectives can give art produced by marginalized communities the depth of attention and consideration it deserves. The Yamamoto Fellowship encourages arts writers of color to continue writing about art from their own cultural and political perspectives in order to enrich and broaden arts writing as a practice and profession. By supporting and highlighting these voices, the fellowship seeks to broaden public discourse around art and strengthen its ties to diverse communities.
SEEKING
Two promising writers who have demonstrated commitment to writing about the art of communities of color and whose unique perspectives or points of view contribute to arts writing.
SELECTION
All eligible applications will be reviewed by a selection panel of professional writers who cover the arts. Selection criteria is based on the following:
- Your writing ability and promise
- Your demonstrated commitment to writing about the art of communities of color
- The unique perspective or point of view you contribute to arts writing
ELIGIBILITY
Eligible applicants must:
- Reside in the United States
- Identify as a member of a community with ancestry in one of the original peoples of Africa, Asia, the Americas, Oceania, or Pacific Islands
- Have two to five years of demonstrated publication experience, which may include a blog or self-publishing
- Be at least 18 years of age
Immediate relatives of a JANM or NCPD employee, or of a review panelist or funder, are not eligible.
ORGANIZATIONS
Established in 1985, the Japanese American National Museum (JANM) promotes understanding and appreciation of America’s ethnic and cultural diversity by sharing the Japanese American experience. Located in the historic Little Tokyo district of downtown Los Angeles, JANM is a hybrid institution that straddles traditional museum categories and strives to provide a voice for Japanese Americans as well as a forum that enables all people to explore their own heritage and culture.
The National Center for the Preservation of Democracy (NCPD) at the Japanese American National Museum (JANM), convenes and educates people of all ages about democracy to transform attitudes, celebrate culture, and promote civic engagement. NCPD is a place for dialogue about race and social justice, where visitors can examine contemporary and historical frameworks, including the Asian American experience.
The Irene Yamamoto Arts Writers Fellowship is made possible through a gift from Sharon Mizota to honor the late Irene Yamamoto. This project is also supported by Critical Minded, an initiative to invest in cultural critics of color cofounded by The Nathan Cummings Foundation and the Ford Foundation. Irene Yamamoto (1937–2020) was a life-long lover of the arts. Born in Los Angeles, she was incarcerated with her family during WWII in Gila River, AZ. Upon returning to Los Angeles, she attended UCLA and had a long career as a production artist for a number of design and advertising agencies. In her free time, she loved to draw, learn new languages, visit museums, and travel.
