AAH Grants and Prizes

• If applying for the research grant: proposal (500 words maximum) that includes: (1) the scope of the project, (2) the uses for the small research grant, (3) the impact of the proposed research output on the applicant (for example, dissertation research and writing, tenure application, etc.), (4) budget, and (5) CV.
• If applying for the conference travel grant: proposal (500 words maximum) that includes: (1) abstract for accepted paper, (2) the impact of participation in the conference on the applicant (for example, feedback on research, network building, etc.), (3) budget, and (4) CV. Please also include (5) a letter of acceptance or conference program.

The Association for Chinese Art History (ACAH) seeks submissions for two sponsored panels at the 2025 Association for Asian Studies Annual Conference (Vancouver, B.C., Canada, March 12-15, 2026). With support from Bei Shan Tang Foundation, ACAH is pleased to provide funding to two panels for which the majority of the papers (two out of three; three out of four) focus on Chinese art and architectural history and the visual cultures of global and diasporic Chinas, from any historical period. Costs for round trip conference travel, ground transportation, and lodging at the standard room rate will be reimbursed up to a maximum of USD$1500.00 for each panel.

To apply, please submit the following in one pdf file by November 3, 2025 to achinesearthistory@gmail.com: (1) confirmation of panel acceptance, (2) panel and paper abstracts, (3) CVs of each panelist.

Notification will be made by December 12, 2025.

The Association for Chinese Art History (ACAH) is offering up to three Virtual Speaker grants of up to USD$350 each, which is intended to support the honorarium of a guest speaker. The aim of this grant is to provide opportunities for scholars to host virtual lectures that contribute to student and community engagement with Chinese art and architectural history and the visual cultures of global and diasporic Chinas by providing opportunities for interaction with scholars outside of the home institution, and to raise the profile of Chinese art and architectural history and the visual cultures of global and diasporic Chinas more generally.

This grant program will allow a faculty member to invite one guest speaker (art historian, artist, museum or cultural sector professional) to deliver a virtual lecture. The lecture should be made available to the faculty member’s home department and institution, ACAH members, and the general public. The grant is intended to cover the speaker’s honorarium. Faculty applicants must be current ACAH members; guest speakers are not required to be ACAH members. Funds will be paid directly to the guest speaker and the payment request must be submitted within 30 days after the event and not later than 60 days with a final deadline of June 15, 2026 (whichever comes first). The grant recipient will be asked to credit ACAH and Bei Shan Tang Foundation support in the publicity for the lecture, and will be asked to submit a brief report after completion of the programs.

To apply, please submit the following in one pdf file to achinesehistory@gmail.com by November 3, 2025:

• Proposal (500 words maximum) that explains (1) 2-3 potential guest speakers and topics (expressions of interest may be sought, but please do not issue speaker invitations at this point), and (2) how the guest speaker’s area of expertise will enhance the teaching and/or research of the faculty applicant and facilitate engagement with Chinese art and architectural history and the visual cultures of global and diasporic Chinas at the faculty applicant’s home institution.
• ACAH will publicize the virtual lecture through the member listserv. In addition to this, how will the faculty applicant publicize the event?
• Faculty applicant’s CV.

Present ACAH board members should not be considered as potential guest speakers. Only one ACAH funding opportunity will be granted to applicants in the same academic year. Applicants may not receive funding from the same ACAH funding opportunity in consecutive years.

Notification will be made by December 12, 2025.

The Association for Chinese Art History (ACAH) is offering one Visiting Speaker grant of up to USD$1500. The aim of this grant is to lay the groundwork for student engagement with Chinese art and architectural history and the visual cultures of global and diasporic Chinas by providing opportunities for interaction with scholars outside of the home institution, and to raise the profile of Chinese art and architectural history and the visual cultures of global and diasporic Chinas more generally by providing an opportunity to invite a guest speaker for a public lecture.

This grant program will allow a faculty member to invite one guest speaker (art historian, artist, museum or cultural sector professional) to their campus in Spring 2026 for an in-person public lecture and an informal meeting with students to discuss their career and student research interests. Ideally, the guest speaker’s area of expertise and lecture topic will align with the faculty member’s teaching for the Spring 2026 academic term. The grant is intended to cover the speaker’s honorarium and to offset their travel expenses. The remaining expenses (meals, etc.) are expected to be covered by the grant recipient’s home institution. The faculty applicant must be a current ACAH member; the guest speaker need not be an ACAH member. Funds will be paid directly to the guest speaker and the payment request must be submitted within 30 days after the event and not later than 60 days with a final deadline of June 15, 2026 (whichever comes first). The grant recipient will be asked to credit ACAH and Bei Shan Tang Foundation support in the publicity for the lecture, and if possible, to make the lecture available to a broader audience in a hybrid mode, and will be asked to submit a brief report after completion of the programs.

To apply, please submit the following in one pdf file to achinesehistory@gmail.com by December 5, 2025:

• Proposal (500 words maximum) that explains (1) 2-3 potential guest speakers and topics (expressions of interest may be sought, but please do not issue speaker invitations at this point), and (2) structure of the public and student programs, and (3) how the proposed programs align with the faculty applicant’s teaching in the Spring 2026 term and will impact student engagement with Chinese art and architectural history and the visual cultures of global and diasporic Chinas at the home institution.
• Budget for the proposed programs, including possible sources of funding from the home institution.
• Faculty applicant’s CV.

Present ACAH board members should not be considered as potential guest speakers. Only one ACAH funding opportunity will be granted to applicants in the same academic year. Applicants may not receive funding from the same ACAH funding opportunity in consecutive years.

Notification will be made by December 19, 2025.

[administered by the Association for Asian Studies, and announced at the annual conference Presidential Address & Awards Ceremony]

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Established through a grant from Bei Shan Tang Foundation in 2022, the Bei Shan Tang book prizes recognize research in Chinese art history.

Bei Shan Tang Monograph Prize

This award honors an outstanding and innovative sole-authored monograph on Chinese art history of any historical period published in the English language. Monographs published in 2024 are eligible for consideration for the 2026 awards.

Bei Shan Tang Catalogue Prize

This award honors outstanding sole- or co-authored research on Chinese art history of any historical period published in the English language. Catalogues published under the direction of a museum, library, or public or private collection, and exhibition catalogues published in 2024 are eligible for consideration for the 2026 awards.

Prize

$1,000 award for the author(s).

Guidelines for Submission

• Books bearing a copyright date of 2024 will be eligible for the 2026 awards.
• Books may only be nominated for one prize competition within each regional category; please see the main Book Prizes page for regional categories.
• Publishers must complete the book nomination form.
• Each press may nominate a maximum of six books per Bei Shan Tang Prize competition (monographs and catalogues are separate competitions).
• Only publishers may nominate books.
• Upon receipt of a completed nomination form, publishers will be provided with addresses for prize committee members. A copy of each entry, clearly labeled “Bei Shan Tang Book Prize,” must be sent to each member of the committee.

Books published by the Association for Asian Studies, Inc. are ineligible for consideration for prizes administered by the Association for Asian Studies. Employees of the Association are excluded from consideration for AAS book prizes, subventions, and grants. Publishers should check with authors to certify that they are not employed by the Association for Asian Studies, Inc. 

Nominations for the 2026 Bei Shan Tang Prizes are now closed. Winners will be announced in February 2026.

2026 Bei Shan Tang Prize Committee

De-nin Lee (Emerson College), Chair
Adriana Proser (Walters Art Museum)
Stephen Whiteman (Courtauld Institute of Art)