In honour of the WorldExpo Osaka 2025, the Mondriaan Fund, with the support of the Dutch embassy in Tokyo, is offering the Voucher Aichi Triennale. The voucher is intended to boost the international position of visual artists from the Netherlands and the Caribbean part of the Kingdom by encouraging them to be present at important international events, such as the Aichi Triennale and giving them the opportunity to develop their international network.
Additionally, with the support of the Dutch embassy in Tokyo, an extra budget will be made available in order for the selected artists to be able to travel throughout Japan and strengthen their network in other parts of the country.
About Aichi Triennale 2025
Founded in 2010, the Aichi Triennale has grown into one of Japan’s leading arts and culture festivals. The triennial brings together local and international artists and curators to explore urgent social issues and view them in a new perspective.
The Aichi Triennale takes place in Nagoya and other parts of Aichi Prefecture.
This edition of the triennial, titled A Time Between Ashes and Roses, focuses on the relationship between people and their environment, and has an extra focus on the knowledge that originates in a local context. The festival will take place from September 13 to November 30, 2025 and will be led by artistic director Hoor Al Qasimi. She is the first non-Japanese person to lead the triennial. Hoor Al Qasimi is the Chairman and Director of the Sharjah Art Foundation. She has also curated international biennials, including the second Lahore Biennale (2020) and the United Arab Emirates Pavilion at the 56th Venice Biennale (2015).
Click here for more information about the Aichi Triennale.
For who
Visual artists with a professional practice of at least one year from the Netherlands or the Caribbean part of the Kingdom. The selection procedure aims for a good mix of background, gender and discipline.
In addition, the selection will place a strong emphasis on artists who have been internationally active for a number of years and whose experience the committee believes will be of added value in exchanges with Japan and the Japanese arts field.
For what?
The contribution is intended to boost the international position of visual artists from the Netherlands and the Caribbean part of the Kingdom by encouraging their presence at important international events. The Mondriaan Fund offers visual artists the opportunity to gain insight into the field of international visual arts, strengthen their own international network and support them in their international profile.
The Mondriaan Fund is making 20 travel vouchers available (from September 11 to 15), for the preview and opening of the upcoming Aichi Triennale in 2025.
Additionally, with the support of the Dutch embassy in Tokyo, an extra budget will be made available so that the selected artists can travel throughout Japan to strengthen their network in other parts of the country.
How much?
Receiving this grant includes entrance to the preview and opening of the Aichi Triennale and a hotel stay during the visit from September 11 to 15, 2025. Additionally, the Mondriaan Fund contributes to travel costs to and from Nagoya with a maximum of €1600.
The contribution for travel costs to and from Nagoya for visual artists based in the Caribbean part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands is a maximum of €2600. This is because travel costs from the Caribbean are higher.
There are 20 tickets available for the preview day (September 12) and opening program courtesy of the Aichi Triennale.
With the support of the Dutch embassy in Tokyo, an additional €500 will be made available to the selected artists. This amount is intended to support the selected artists as they travel through Japan in order to strengthen their network in other parts of Japan.
How and when to apply?
Visual artists can submit an application until 24 October 2024, before 16.00 (Netherlands Time zone)/ 10.00 (Caribbean Time zone) via the Open Call Manifestation application form.
You can request an account on the website, which you will need to submit an application. The applications are assessed by an advisory committee. Contributions from the Mondriaan Fund cannot be awarded retroactively. Those selected will receive notification of their application in December.
Conditions
- You have worked as a professional visual artist for at least 1 year.
- As an artist, you must be artistically active and embedded in the professional visual arts in the Netherlands and/or the Caribbean part of the Kingdom.
- You will be present at Aichi Triennale at least from September 11 to 15, 2025 during the preview days and will be present at the activities organised by the Mondriaan Fund and the meet-up organised by the Dutch embassy.
- You will stay from September 11 to 15, 2025 in the hotel that the Mondriaan Fund has reserved for you.
- Before or after the Aichi Triennale, you will travel to another part of Japan and become acquainted with the visual arts field there.
- Afterwards, you will write an evaluation of your visit to the Aichi Triennale and Japan. Please clearly indicate how this trip has helped to strengthened your international network in Japan.
Assessment
This will be based on the artist’s CV, motivation and website (if there is no website, then e.g. Instagram), the quality of the practice, the international potential of the artist, and the relevance and urgency of possible participation are assessed.
Employees of the fund make a shortlist based on your CV, motivation and website (if no website, e.g. Instagram) and submit it to the committee. The committee has insight into the complete list and has the option to put artists who are on the long list on the agenda. The advisory committee also assesses your application based on your CV, motivation and website (if no website, e.g. Instagram). The committee makes the final selection. Those selected will receive notification of their application in December.
An information meeting for the selected artists will take place at the Mondriaan Fund on June 13, 2025
Applications are assessed on the following criteria:
- Quality of your artistic performance;
- International experience;
- The relevance of the visit for the further internationalisation of your practice and the broadening of your existing international network
In your motivation, at least the following aspects must be described:
- How this visit contributes to the internationalisation of your practice and the broadening of your international network.
- Who you hope to meet during your visit to the Aichi Triennale and why.
- How will the additional resources be used? Which other city(s) do you hope to visit and which people do you hope to speak to and why.
Checklist
In order to process your application, the Mondriaan Fund needs information: data that you can enter in the application form plus documents that you can upload. Below you will find a checklist that follows the layout of the application form.
Tip: Collect the information before you start filling out the online application form. You can upload the attachments as PDFs. Please note: make sure that your documents meet the stated conditions. Otherwise we will unfortunately not be able to process your request. Do not exceed the number of pages where a maximum is indicated.
Checklist
Motivation (max. 1 page)
Explain your motivation, why it is of added value for you to be present during the preview and opening of the Aichi Triennale. Indicate how this visit can contribute to the internationalisation of your practice and the broadening of your international network. The visit to the biennial is organised primarily to strengthen your international network. It is important that you indicate in your motivation who you hope to meet and why this visit is relevant for your internationalisation and your professional development. Furthermore, additional resources are made available to visit other parts of Japan and strengthen your network there. Where would you like to go and why? Who do you hope to meet and speak to? Please include this in your motivation.
CV (max. 2 pages)
Upload the most important data about your professional practice, with an emphasis on the last 1 to 4 years. Consider exhibitions (indicate: solo or group), manifestations, assignments, prizes, publications, possible sales, stating years. Also mention any additional activities, such as teaching positions, advisory and committee positions.
If applicable:
Extract Personal Records Database
Do you not have Dutch nationality? Please enclose a recent extract (not older than 1 year) from the population register.
Bank details and/or Chamber of Commerce Extract
We need your bank account number to transfer the amount if your application is approved. If you have not previously submitted an application to the Mondriaan Fund or if the account number has changed since the previous application, please upload a recent bank statement clearly stating the name of the account holder and IBAN/bank account number of the applicant. Applicants located in the Caribbean part of the Kingdom can provide a bank statement or other document from the bank showing the account holder’s name and bank account number.
Do you have a business account number for your own sole proprietorship? Please also upload a recent extract from the Chamber of Commerce (not older than 3 months), so that we can determine that the account number is linked to a sole proprietorship.
Diploma/deregistration or Chamber of Commerce extract
Have you been working professionally for less than 3 years? Then we need a copy of the diplomas of the art academy(s) followed or a statement from the academy if the study has been terminated prematurely. If you have not completed any art education, you can send a recent extract (not older than 3 months) from the Chamber of Commerce or a comparable foreign organisation to check that you are registered as a visual artist.