Launched in 2025, this innovative project aims to engage new generations of researchers with Japanese art, while simultaneously fostering an international network of exceptional scholars.
Objectives
The Sainsbury Institute is a premier research hub for Japanese arts and culture studies outside of Japan, with an expansive global network of colleagues and scholars. By capitalising on this strength, this project aims to secure a resilient future for Japanese art studies amidst the swiftly evolving global backdrop. This initiative is driven by the critical need for innovative strategies that captivate and inspire a diverse group of MA and PhD scholars immersed in the extensive and multifaceted field of Japanese art. By engaging a group of emerging scholars from across the world, the project aims to both provide support and training for this next generation of scholars through the specialisms of the Sainsbury Institute researchers and its network, while also facilitating the creation of networks amongst these early career researchers.
The ultimate objective of this project is to cultivate a robust network of emerging global leaders in Japanese art studies, who are equipped and ready to shape the future landscape of Japanese art history decisively.
Approach
Each year, the project will select candidates from around the world and invite them to undertake an independent research project of their choosing which may take the form of a publication, exhibition, resource or similar. Deliverable within one year, the projects will focus on an area of Japanese arts and cultures and demonstrate an innovative approach to the field. Each selected scholar will receive a stipend to fund this research.
Alongside this, the IFNet Fellows will be assigned a mentor to provide guidance throughout their project, selected from the Sainsbury Institute’s extensive network of scholars and professionals. Biweekly group sessions will also be held to provide training to the group in aspects relating to Japanese arts, and a residential week will be held in the summer to welcome the Fellows and mentors in person for a series of workshops, sessions and networking opportunities. The project will therefore provide the next generation of scholars with the tools to pursue meaningful research within this field while also connecting them to other researchers and each other to form an international network.
You can read more information on this year’s projects and this year’s Fellows.