If you work in the arts and culture world and you have ever wished policymakers actually listened to practitioners, ASEF LinkUp is the room where that happens. Run by the Asia-Europe Foundation (ASEF) in partnership with Slovenia's Motovila Institute, this cultural diplomacy lab brings together mid-career cultural professionals from across Asia and Europe for a fully funded hybrid program — five online sessions, five days in Ljubljana, and a collaborative fieldbook project — all centered on rethinking how cultural relations should work.
In short: ASEF LinkUp 2026 is the 4th edition of ASEF's Asia-Europe Cultural Diplomacy Lab, fully funded, for up to 10 mid-career arts and cultural professionals holding citizenship in an ASEM partner country. The in-person lab runs 23–27 November 2026 in Ljubljana, Slovenia, covering airfare, accommodation, per diem and visa fees. The 2026 application closed on 27 August 2026, so this article is your honest preparation playbook for the next annual call.
● Applications Closed
Quick Overview
- Host Country: Slovenia (in-person phase; hybrid program overall)
- Host Institution: Asia-Europe Foundation (ASEF), with Motovila Institute
- Degree Level: Mid-career professionals (no degree requirement stated)
- Program Duration: October 2026 – February 2027, across 3 phases
- Funding Type: Fully funded (airfare, accommodation, per diem, visa fees)
- Deadline: 27 August 2026, 6:00 PM Singapore Time (2026 round closed)
Benefits of the ASEF LinkUp Program 2026
ASEF and its co-organisers cover the real costs of participation, and there is no application or registration fee at any stage. Per the published program benefits, selected participants receive:
- Return economy airfare — Your round-trip flights to Ljubljana, Slovenia, fully covered.
- Six nights of accommodation — Free hotel stay in Ljubljana for the in-person lab week.
- Daily per diem — A living allowance to cover your incidental daily expenses during the program.
- Visa fee reimbursement — The cost of your Schengen visa application is covered.
- Meals during the lab — Lunches and refreshments provided throughout the five-day in-person workshop.
- Zero fees — No registration or participation fee whatsoever; participation is genuinely free of cost.
- A rare professional circle — Only up to 10 participants join each edition, alongside government and public sector representatives, for deep exchange rather than conference-hall small talk.
- The Fieldbook project — A collaborative publication you co-create after the lab, giving you a tangible output to carry into your career.
Eligibility Criteria for the ASEF LinkUp Program 2026
The official call is aimed at practitioners, not students. These are the published criteria:
- ASEM partner country citizenship — You must hold citizenship in an ASEM (Asia-Europe Meeting) partner country, which spans most of Asia and Europe plus the EU and the ASEAN Secretariat.
- Mid-career professional — The call seeks up to 10 mid-career cultural practitioners, arts managers, academics, curators, researchers and representatives from arts organisations, museums and cultural networks.
- Arts and culture sector — You should be actively working in the arts, culture, heritage or creative sectors; this is not for students or early-career applicants.
- Professional experience — Consistent reporting on the call places the expectation at several years of professional practice in the cultural field; the Open Call Guidelines carry the exact detail.
- Age 21 or older — You must be at least 21 at the time of application; there is no upper age limit.
- English fluency — You need to be comfortable working, discussing and writing in English, since the entire lab runs in English.
- Full-phase commitment — You must be able to take part in all three phases: the October–November online pre-sessions, the five days in Ljubljana, and the December–February fieldbook sessions.
- Passion and commitment — The call explicitly looks for people passionate about facilitating international cultural exchanges and committed to deepening Asia–Europe collaboration.
How to Apply for the ASEF LinkUp Program 2026
The 2026 application was a single online form with a firm closing time. For reference — and so you are ready the moment the next call opens — the process was:
1. Read the Open Call Guidelines and FAQ. ASEF published detailed guidelines alongside the call; reading them first is how you learn exactly what the selection panel values. 2. Complete the online application form. The 2026 form was hosted on Formstack and linked from the official ASEF culture360 call page. 3. Submit by the deadline. The 2026 call closed on Thursday, 27 August 2026 at 6:00 PM Singapore Time. Late submissions were not accepted, and Singapore Time means evening in Europe and afternoon in much of Asia — plan your submission for the day before. 4. Await selection. With only up to 10 spots, selection is competitive; ASEF notifies selected participants directly. 5. Attend all three phases. Phase 1: five online pre-sessions from 15 October to 12 November 2026. Phase 2: the in-person lab in Ljubljana from 23 to 27 November 2026 — workshops, site visits, group discussions and networking. Phase 3: up to three online sessions between December 2026 and February 2027, contributing to the ASEF LinkUp Fieldbook.
Required Documents
The application itself was a single online form, but the published guidance indicates you should have these ready:
- Completed online application form with your professional details
- Updated CV or resume showing your cultural sector experience
- Copy of your passport (to confirm ASEM partner country citizenship)
- Statement of motivation explaining your interest in cultural diplomacy
- Professional profile or portfolio links demonstrating your work
- Any supporting documents the Open Call Guidelines request for your track
ASEF LinkUp Program 2026 Deadline
The 2026 call closed on Thursday, 27 August 2026, at 6:00 PM Singapore Time. That deadline has passed, so if you are reading this now, you cannot apply for this edition. Here is the useful part: ASEF LinkUp has run every year since 2023 — Singapore, Prague, Yogyakarta, now Ljubljana — and each edition's call has typically opened in mid-summer. The 2025 call opened in the spring, the 2026 call opened in July, so it is reasonable to expect the next call around mid-2027. Use the months ahead to build your cultural diplomacy profile: publish, collaborate across borders, and be ready with a strong motivation statement the day the next call drops.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the ASEF LinkUp Program really fully funded?
Yes. ASEF and the co-organisers cover return airfare, six nights of accommodation, a daily per diem, visa fees, and lunches and refreshments during the in-person lab. There is no application or participation fee at any stage, so participation costs you nothing out of pocket beyond getting yourself to your home airport.
How many people are selected?
Up to 10 participants from the arts and cultural sector join each edition, alongside government and public sector representatives who attend the lab. Ten spots across all of Asia and Europe makes this one of the more competitive cultural programs out there — treat the application accordingly.
Do I need to be a student to apply?
No — quite the opposite. ASEF LinkUp specifically targets mid-career professionals already working in the arts and cultural sector: curators, arts managers, museum professionals, academics, researchers and cultural network representatives. Students and early-career applicants are not the target audience.
Is the whole program in person?
No, it is hybrid. Phase 1 is five online pre-sessions (15 October – 12 November 2026), Phase 2 is the five-day in-person lab in Ljubljana (23–27 November 2026), and Phase 3 is up to three online sessions (December 2026 – February 2027) where you collaborate on the ASEF LinkUp Fieldbook.
Is there an age limit?
You must be at least 21 years old when you apply, but there is no upper age limit. The program is designed for mid-career professionals, so the typical participant has years of practice behind them.
Which countries are eligible?
Citizens of ASEM partner countries — the Asia-Europe Meeting brings together 51 countries plus the EU and the ASEAN Secretariat, spanning most of Asia and Europe. If your country participates in ASEM, you are eligible on the citizenship criterion.
What is the 2026 theme?
"Sustainability, Ethics and Equity in International Cultural Relations" — the lab asks how cultural cooperation can become more reciprocal, equitable and co-created, who sets the terms, and who actually gets access to international cultural exchange.
Do I need a degree in arts or culture?
The official call does not state a degree requirement. What matters is that you are an active practitioner or professional in the arts and cultural sector, with the experience and perspective to contribute to cultural diplomacy discussions.
What is the Fieldbook?
The ASEF LinkUp Fieldbook is a collaborative publication the participants produce in Phase 3, building on the discussions and learnings of the lab. Each edition's fieldbook feeds into the next, so you are contributing to a growing body of thinking on Asia–Europe cultural relations.
When will the next call open?
Not announced yet. Following the pattern of previous editions — calls opening in spring or mid-summer each year — expect the next call around mid-2027. Bookmark the official ASEF culture360 opportunities page and check it periodically; with only 10 spots, you want to apply in the first weeks, not the last days.
Final Words
ASEF LinkUp is not a mass program — ten funded spots, a real theme, and a room full of practitioners and policymakers who actually talk to each other. If you work in culture and care about how Asia and Europe engage, this deserves a place on your annual watchlist. The 2026 door has closed, but the 2027 edition will come, and now you know exactly what it takes to walk through it.
