Arts Journalism Matters Fellowship: The Green Angle | Open Call
culture360.ASEF.org's Arts Journalism Matters Fellowship, a hybrid residency and mentorship programme for emerging arts journalists, returns for its 4th edition!
Organised by ASEF's arts and culture portal, culture360.ASEF.org, in collaboration with the University of the Philippines Open University (UPOU), Arts Journalism Matters Fellowship: The Green Angle, aims to equip emerging journalists in the Philippines with skills, insights and tools necessary to navigate the landscape of writing in and for the arts.
This year's Fellowship will focus on arts and environmental sustainability in the Philippines, in conjunction with the launch of the Creative Responses to Sustainability, Green Guide for the Philippines in October 2025.
Theme of Fellowship
As sustainability is increasingly embedded in the programming of arts organisations, one distinct point that came up from conversations during the research, was the importance in thinking of new ways to present, engage and respond to sustainability issues.
The Green Guide for the Philippines is only the tip of the iceberg in highlighting a handful of organisations that give attention to their artistic practices as responses to environmental sustainability. The broader conversation – on how the arts and cultural sector can creatively advocate for sustainability – must continue.
With this Fellowship, we invite emerging journalists to take the time to collectively reflect upon the significance of innovative approaches in art and sustainability in the Philippines, under the guidance of a mentor.
What will the #ArtsJournalismMatters Fellowship offer?
Not more than 3 selected participants based in the Philippines will be selected for the Fellowship.
🗓️ Application stage (18 September to 16 October 2025)
Applicants must propose a list of 3 arts events in the Philippines they plan to cover during the virtual residency.
- The proposed arts events may include performances, panel discussions, film screenings, exhibitions etc.
- Preference will be given to events with a focus on the arts, climate change and environmental sustainability
🖋️ Virtual residency (10 November to 12 December 2025)
Over 4 weeks, selected participants will:
- Receive virtual mentorship and exchanges with the mentor, Malaya Del Rosario, international arts and creative economy consultant
- Attend at least 1 of their proposed arts events in the city or region where they are based
- Produce 1 output (either in the form of a written article, video interview or podcast), that offers insights in the Philippines arts scene
- Submit weekly video diary updates to be published on ASEF culture360’s social media channels
🍃 In-person event (9 February 2026, Manila, Philippines)
Participants will:
- Attend and cover the on-site launch event of the Green Guide for Philippines
- Produce 1 output (either in the form of a written article, video interview or podcast), based on the content of the launch event and its theme of sustainability and the arts in the Philippines
All content produced during the Fellowship will be published on culture360.ASEF.org’s Insights section.
Fees
Each participant will receive a fee of SGD300, upon completion of all virtual residency deliverables.
Travel support (i.e. costs for domestic travel within Philippines and accommodation) to attend the on-site launch event will be covered by the organisers.
Who can join the #ArtsJournalismMatters Fellowship?
- Open to early to mid-career arts journalists, arts managers, content producers from any of the 51 ASEM member countries, who are currently residing in the Philippines
- 3 to 6 years’ experience as a journalist in the arts and culture sector, with previous experience in writing articles, reviews, essays related to arts and culture in print and/or online platforms
- Demonstrate knowledge and/or involvement in the arts and culture scene, with a keen interest in the intersection of the arts and environmental sustainability
- Excellent command of spoken and written English is a prerequisite
- Applicants who have an existing channel or platform to publish their residency outputs (e.g. via other arts and culture websites, online/offline journals, newspapers, publications etc. that would allow for further dissemination of the content from the residency) would have an advantage
Interested?
Submit your application by Thursday, 16 October 2025, 6pm SGT:
Read what our previous Arts Journalism Matters Fellowship participants wrote:
- Culture and arts as a bridge between Central Europe, Southeast and East Asia, written by Vojtěch Pulda (Czech Republic), our Arts Journalism Matters: Virtual x Prague participant, who shares how the arts and culture can bridge Central Europe, Southeast and East Asia
- Culture, Diplomacy, and Cultural Diplomacy, written by Esther Yeon (Singapore), our Arts Journalism Matters 2.0 participant, who shares what cultural diplomacy means through a Gen Z perspective
- Cultural Diplomacy: What's in it for the artists?, written by Carla Castle (Singapore), our Arts Journalism Matters 2.0 participant, who highlights what's in it for an artist to engage in cultural diplomacy
- Why Internationalisation Matters and How It Can Be Done, written by Tola Say (Cambodia), participant of Virtual Crossovers, who reports on the key topics and trends from the ENCATC Congress that took place in Brussels, Belgium in October 2022