
Irene Yamamoto Arts Writers Fellowship
The Fellowship
The National Center for the Preservation of Democracy (Democracy Center) is thrilled to announce that Raquel Gutiérrez and Chrystel Oloukoï are the recipients for the inaugural Irene Yamamoto Arts Writers Fellowship, which provides two $5,000 unrestricted awards to promising writers of color who are focused on art criticism and/or reporting.
The next opportunity to apply for the fellowship will be in early 2024. Sign up for our mailing list and follow us on social media for the latest news about the 2024 call for applications.
About
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.
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 Democracy Center convenes and educates people of all ages about democracy to transform attitudes, celebrate culture, and promote civic engagement. The Democracy Center 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 World War II in Gila River, Arizona. 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.
Press Releases
Democracy Center Announces Recipients of the Inaugural Irene Yamamoto Arts Writers Fellowship
August 1, 2023
The National Center for the Preservation of Democracy (Democracy Center) has awarded the first annual Irene Yamamoto Arts Writers Fellowship to Raquel Gutiérrez and Chrystel Oloukoï, two emerging cultural critics of color who are making outstanding contributions to the art world.
NCPD@JANM Announces the Irene Yamamoto Arts Writers Fellowship for Emerging Writers of Color
March 27, 2023
The National Center for the Preservation of Democracy at the Japanese American National Museum (NCPD@JANM) announces the Irene Yamamoto Arts Writers Fellowship (Yamamoto Fellowship).
The Yamamoto Fellowship will be awarded to two emerging writers of color 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. Each writer will receive a $5,000 award to be spent over six months.