On September 15, 2026, the National Center for Art Research (NCAR) and AWARE: Archives of Women Artists, Research and Exhibitions opened applications for the FY2027 NCAR × AWARE Women Artists Research Fellowship, which supports research on women artists connected to Japan. Approximately two projects will each receive an amount equivalent to 5,000 euros (approximately 850,000 yen). The application period runs until October 31, 2026.
The Fellowship was jointly launched in December 2025 with the aim of advancing and enriching studies on Japanese women artists and strengthening their international foundations, and NCAR and AWARE selected sculptor, critic, and publisher Nodoka Odawara and Tokyo Photographic Art Museum curator Yuri Yamada as the fellows for the inaugural 2026 edition. AWARE, which is dedicated to compiling and sharing knowledge about women and non-binary artists of the 16th to 21st centuries, is now part of Centre Pompidou – Musée national d’art moderne.
Eligible research includes studies related to women artists connected to Japan, defined as individuals who are active in the field of visual arts and who identify as women or as non-binary persons. Applicants must be researchers, curators, or professionals with relevant experience who have a demonstrated record in research on women artists, and who, in principle, reside or stay in Japan during the research period, regardless of nationality or residency status. Research may be conducted individually or jointly. The grant period is April 1, 2027, to March 31, 2028, and the results of the selected research will be published on the NCAR and AWARE websites. Applicants will be notified of the selection results via email by late February 2027.
FY2027 NCAR × AWARE Women Artists Research Fellowship
Application Period: September 15–October 31, 2026
Grant Period: April 1, 2027–March 31, 2028
Eligibility: Researchers, curators, or professionals with relevant experience who reside or stay in Japan during the research period
Eligible Research: Research on women artists connected to Japan who are active in the field of visual arts
Number of Awards: Approximately two projects
Grant Amount: An amount equivalent to 5,000 euros per project (approximately 850,000 yen)
Notification of Results: By late February 2027, via email
Organized by: National Center for Art Research, Japan, AWARE: Archives of Women Artists, Research and Exhibitions, Centre Pompidou – Musée national d’art moderne
With support from: Kathy Matsui, the Per Ardua Ad Astra endowment fund, in collaboration with its residency programme for Japanese artists in France, Maison Kochimi
National Center for Art Research: https://ncar.artmuseums.go.jp/en/
AWARE: https://awarewomenartists.com/en/
Application Guidelines: https://ncar.artmuseums.go.jp/upload/events/FY2027-NCAR-AWARE-Women-Artists-Research-Fellowship-Application-Guidelines-1.pdf