Asian Cultural Council

08/27/2026

Yayoi Kusama (ACC 1964, 1996) was a singular force in contemporary art whose visionary work transcended borders and generations. Her passing marks the loss of an extraordinary artist whose legacy will endure for generations to come.

We are grateful to have played a small part in her remarkable journey and to continue to celebrate the lasting impact of her work.

Portrait Yayoi Kusama, 2020
Photo: Yusuke Miyazaki
C YAYOIKUSAMA. Courtesy the artist, David Zwirner, Ota Fina Arts, and Victoria Miro

07/27/2026

“Lose yourself!”

Meet Ayos (aklampanyun), an art curator exploring the provenance of histories and international mobility of Papuan cultural artifacts. ✨

We interviewed Ayos PURWOAJI (ACC 2024) at Bryant Park to hear about his ACC New York Fellowship, and how it gave him the freedom to be curious, and to explore new things.

Interested in our fellowship programs? Stay connected through our newsletter, ACC Connects, and social media to learn more about our upcoming 2027 Global Grant Cycle.

07/13/2026

I'm delighted to be speaking at the upcoming Heritage Around Us (Sembrani 2.0) webinar series organised by ICOMOS Malaysia's National Scientific Committee on Intangible Cultural Heritage (NSC ICH).

📍 Impermanent Spaces, Enduring Traditions: How Temporary Places Sustain Intangible Cultural Heritage

🗓 14 July 2026 (Tuesday)
⏰ 4:00–5:00 PM (Malaysia Time)
💻 Online via Zoom

Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICH) is often discussed through rituals, festivals, crafts, and oral traditions. Yet these practices rarely exist in isolation—they depend on places, however temporary, where communities gather, perform, transmit knowledge, and continually reinvent tradition.

Drawing from case studies in Malaysia, this presentation explores how temporary bridges, festival structures, roadside eateries, processional routes, ceremonial kitchens, marketplaces, and other impermanent spaces function as critical cultural infrastructure. Although these physical settings may disappear after days or weeks, the relationships, knowledge systems, memories, and cultural practices they enable continue to endure across generations.

The session argues that safeguarding ICH is not only about documenting traditions, but also about recognising and sustaining the spatial conditions that allow living heritage to flourish.

This conversation also reflects ideas that have informed my current curatorial work, Echoes in Between: Penang as Living Archive, which opens later this month in George Town, as well as my ongoing research into cultural mapping, living heritage, and community-centred heritage conservation.

Many thanks to Dr. Elena Chai and the ICOMOS Malaysia NSC ICH committee for the invitation. I'm looking forward to sharing ideas alongside Asst. Prof. Ts. Dr. Irina S. Zen, who will be presenting on "The Tagal System: Indigenous Knowledge & Intangible Cultural Heritage in Sabah."

If these themes resonate with your work or research, I would be delighted if you could join us.

07/13/2026

Every poster tells a story before anyone steps into the exhibition.

I'm delighted to finally share the official poster for Echoes in Between: Penang as Living Archive.

At first glance, it may appear as a series of flowing abstract forms. But each layer carries meaning. For centuries, Penang has been shaped by confluences—of people, cultures, languages, beliefs, memories and trade.

Civilisations rarely emerge in isolation; they flourish where different worlds meet. Penang's identity was never singular. It has always been one of exchange.

The intertwining streams evoke the continuous movement of people, cultures, and ideas that have shaped Penang over centuries. Their textures draw from batik, decorative patterned floor tiles in historic homes, Indian sari motifs, Malay songket, and ornamental patterns found across temples, shophouses, and everyday life. Each carries its own story, yet together they flow into a shared visual language that reflects Penang's richly layered identity

Look closely at the background, and you'll notice another subtle layer. The contour lines are derived from the geography of George Town, tracing the island's most densely inhabited historic tip. Like an archaeological map, they remind us that every street, every neighbourhood and every community has left traces that continue to shape the city today.

This exhibition invites us to see heritage not as something frozen in museums or protected behind glass, but as something living—carried through memories, conversations, rituals, artworks, family collections and the countless ordinary acts of care that sustain a place.

My deepest appreciation goes to all participating artists, collaborators, sponsors and partners who have made this journey possible. Thank you for trusting this vision and contributing your own stories to this living archive.

I look forward to welcoming everyone to Echoes in Between, where Penang's many voices continue to resonate—between past and present, memory and imagination, people and place.

📍 ChinaHouse, George Town
🗓 29 July – 11 August 2026
🕙 Daily from 10:00 AM

07/13/2026

07/02/2026

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06/11/2026

"The Asian Cultural Council's 2026 gala honored Academy Award-winning actress Michelle Yeoh with the 2026 Gala Honoree distinction, recognizing her groundbreaking career in global cinema and her humanitarian work as a Goodwill Ambassador for the United Nations Development Programme."—Regina Russo, Private Air Luxury Homes Magazine

The Asian Cultural Council celebrated more than six decades of cultural exchange and global impact at its 2026 Biennial Gala, raising $1,631,500 in support of its mission to advance international dialogue, understanding, and respect through the arts.

06/05/2026

"The Asian Cultural Council (ACC) awarded over $1.6 million to 70 grantees across four fellowship categories: New York, Individual, Graduate, and Organization."—Valentina Di Liscia, Hyperallergic

Also, the Asian Cultural Council awards $1.6M in grants to artists, and at least one sector of the art market is hot as hell.

05/22/2026

"The Asian Cultural Council (ACC) has announced the recipients of its 2026 Grant Cycle program, awarding over USD 1.6 million to 70 artists, scholars, art professionals, and institutions to facilitate cultural exchange between the US and Asia."—ArtAsiaPacific

20th Venice Architecture Biennale announces theme, 2026 Sovereign Asian Art Prize winners revealed, Dubai to build its first digital art museum, and more. The Editors