2026 Irene Yamamoto Arts Writers Fellowship

The Daniel K. Inouye National Center for the Preservation of Democracy at the Japanese American National Museum announces the 4th annual Irene Yamamoto Arts Writers Fellowship. This fellowship provides $5,000 unrestricted awards to two emerging writers of color who write critically about visual art. Writers of color have knowledge and experiences that differ from dominant Eurocentric perspectives, and their voices give art produced by marginalized communities the depth of attention it deserves. The fellowship encourages critics of color starting out in the field to continue writing about works from their own cultural and political perspectives, enriching cultural criticism as a practice and profession.

The 2026 fellowship focuses on visual art, defined as a creation that is primarily visual in nature or shown in a museum, gallery, or other space dedicated to visual art. Eligible writing includes reviews of performance, sound art, film, or video in museum or gallery settings; analytical writing about immersive or interactive art spaces; criticism of visual art in public spaces or online; and critical views on the visual art market directly related to aesthetics, production, or reception of visual art. The fellowship does not support creative writing or artistic production; submissions of poetry, fiction, screenplays, plays, or memoir are not eligible.

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 $5,000 award to be spent over six months, fellows receive the opportunity to write a piece for the Democracy Center blog and deliver a talk at JANM. A brief written report accounting for fund use is required at the end of the fellowship period. Applicants must reside in or be a citizen of 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, and have demonstrated commitment to writing about visual art. Application deadline: March 16, 2026 at 11:59 p.m. PDT. Contact [email protected] with questions.