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Shinnie Kim joined the Asian Cultural Council (ACC) as its director of programs in January, and oversees its fellowship and grant programs and manages its alumni network. Established in 1963, ACC advances international dialogue, mutual understanding, and respect by supporting cultural-exchange activities between Asia and the U.S. and between Asian countries. For its 2024 global grant cycle, ACC issued unrestricted grants of over $2.3 million to individuals and organizations to carry out this mission. Kim previously served as the chief program officer at the Vilcek Foundation, where she worked for eight years. Prior to that, she was at the International Studio and Curatorial Program for 11 years. 

Cai Guo-Qiang speaking on ACC’s panel on Arts, Philosophy, and Cultural Exchange at Christie’s on March 2, 2020

In the Western world, the vast diversity of culture in the continent of Asia is commonly overlooked. These cultures bring about widely different ways of life and thinking. This, in turn, translates into unparalleled creativity in the artistic field. For the longest time, New York was considered the center of all things culturally creative and innovative. It is still highly relevant and influential today. However, other attractive and exciting cultural hubs have emerged throughout the decades, especially in Asia.

Asia is now more and more open to cultural exchanges and collaborative work. It’s undoubtedly becoming the new hot destination for many artists and creatives from all corners of the world. I believe that’s what makes our work at the Asian Cultural Council (ACC) more relevant and compelling than ever. We, as an organization and individuals, are discovering and rediscovering the diversity and potential of the region from an artistic point of view. We are in a privileged position to make sure that this incredible potential does not go to waste.

ACC New York Fellows visit the Brooklyn Academy of Music on November 17, 2022

The notion of cultural boundaries has evolved significantly over the past six decades. Although the mission of ACC has remained fundamentally unchanged, we remain flexible in how we interpret and perceive the needs in cross-cultural engagements. For instance, our Intra-Asia grants were added as a response to the growing importance of fostering understanding within Asia. What will not change is our continued emphasis on physical travel and interactions.

More than once, I have come across comments like, “ACC is only for Asian Americans or people who live in Asia.” It is not! For our most recent 2024 grant cycle, about 40 percent of fellows who will travel from the U.S. to Asia are Americans from different backgrounds and ethnicities. I hope to continue to increase this number and build a stronger presence for ACC in the U.S. Also, visual and performing artists have always been our primary grantees, but our grants are open to other professions, such as architects, arts administrators, conservators, curators, and writers, etc.

Yin-Ying Lee (ACC 2022) performing at the ACC Year of the Dragon Gala on May 14, 2024 in New York City. (Photo by Michael Kelley/aguyandagirlphotography.com)

To date, ACC has supported approximately 6,000 exchanges through its grants program. Being a two-time immigrant, I understand the value of cultural fluency and awareness, and the differences in cultures do not only exist between borders but also between individuals. I see our grantees as small seeds that we transfer across borders. The impact always starts on the personal level, but it is not always tangible or measurable and never immediate. It takes time for a tree to grow, let alone an entire forest! Our emphasis is on experience and activities. This is why ACC does not accept production-focused proposals. Many of the alumni I have met so far described their fellowship experiences as lifechanging. In the coming years, we plan to bring our alumni and fellows closer to activate a global ACC network, amplifying our impact and meaningful engagement with each other.

ACC awards grants to support cultural activities in 26 Asian countries and regions. We are working hard to foster and build strong connections with local organizations and relevant stakeholders in these areas for more organic partnerships and collaborations to better assist our fellows. In Asia, the level of support and the number of resources made available to develop the use of technology in the arts are on another level compared to what is being done in the U.S. Many Asian countries provide private and governmental-level grants and opportunities for technology-driven arts projects. I look forward to seeing how this carries over and inspires others via the ACC fellows in the coming years. ACC also encouraged proposals that focus on the relationship between the arts, technology, and culture for its 2024 grant cycle.

—As told to Cathy Fan. This article was originally published in The Asia Pivot on July 10, 2024.