2025 Irene Yamamoto Arts Writers Fellowship

The Daniel K. Inouye National Center for the Preservation of Democracy (Democracy Center) at the Japanese American National Museum (JANM) announces the 3rd annual Irene Yamamoto Arts Writers Fellowship. This year's fellowship will award $5,000 unrestricted awards to two emerging writers of color who write critically about music. The fellowship seeks to encourage critics of color starting out in the field to continue writing about works from their own cultural and political perspectives, enriching and broadening cultural criticism as a practice and profession.

The 2025 focus is music. Writing samples must provide critical, analytical, or interpretive perspectives on music, defined as a creation experienced primarily as sound. Examples of appropriate submissions include reviews of live or recorded music, criticism of audio recordings of songs from operas or musicals, and critical views on the music industry directly related to the artistry, production, or reception of music. Applicants may submit between one and three writing samples, not exceeding 3,000 words total, and should include information about where and when pieces were published.

Awards are unrestricted and may be used for any purpose that helps fellows advance their careers, including paying themselves to write. In addition to the cash award, fellows will have the opportunity to write a piece of criticism or review for the Democracy Center blog and deliver a talk at JANM on their work. A brief written report in the form of a letter accounting for the use of funds is required at the end of the fellowship period.

Eligibility: Applicants must be US citizens or currently reside in the US, be at least 18 years old, 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 less than two years of publication experience (including blogs or self-publishing), and have demonstrated commitment to writing about music. Previous fellowship recipients and immediate relatives of JANM or Democracy Center employees or funders are not eligible. Application opens February 3, 2025, and closes March 17, 2025. Awardees will be notified June 2, 2025.