MIA - Four Accomplishments Zeshin

About Heinz Kaempfer Fund

The Heinz M. Kaempfer Fund was founded in 1989 with the aim to promote and make accessible the study of the Japanese arts through, among other means, the provision of financial support for young scholars.

The Fund was named after Heinz Kaempfer (1904-1986), former secretary and chairman of the Society for Japanese Arts. From the 1950s onwards Kaempfer played a prominent role in the promotion and appreciation of Japanese art in the Netherlands. He was involved in several of the Society’s publications and exhibitions. On his 75th birthday, Kaempfer was honoured with a collection of articles, A Sheaf of Japanese Papers, with contributions by scholars from all over the world.

Heinz Kaempfer

Heinz Kaempfer

Heinz Kaempfer Fund Board Members

The board consists of:

  • Anna Beerens - Chair
  • Eva Sprinkhuizen - Secretary
  • Christiaan Kamstra - Treasurer
  • Suzanne Klüver

 
The members of the board do not receive any financial compensation. A policy plan for the years 2023-2027 can be found here (in Dutch).

Public Benefit Organisation

The Heinz Kaempfer Fund is a so-called ANBI (Algemeen Nut Beogende Instelling; in English: Public Benefit Organisation). Note that natural and legal persons who donate to an ANBI can deduct their gifts from their Dutch income tax or corporate income tax. More information (in Dutch)

Heinz Kaempfer Fund Thesis Award

The Heinz Kaempfer Fund Thesis Award is presented biennially and carries a prize of 1000 Euros for the author of an outstanding Master’s thesis in the field of Japanese art and visual culture, written in the context of a Master programme provided by a European university.
For information on the Heinz Kaempfer Fund Thesis Award 2026, please see the Thesis Award page.

HKF IIAS Seminar

New Perspectives on (the Presentation of) Japanese Art

The Heinz Kaempfer Fund and the International Institute for Asian Studies are proud to present a biennial series of seminars on Japanese art. With the New Perspectives series we aim to demonstrate that the study of Japanese art is very much alive and part of a global discussion. We especially invite students and (young) scholars to participate in this event! Please see the Seminar page.

 

The Heinz Kaempfer Fund was host and organiser of the following conferences:

  • Symposium - Topics in Japanese Lacquer Art, Leiden 2017
  • Kunisada Symposium, Leiden 2017
  • Collecting Japanese Art in European Museums, Leiden 2013

Application for Financial Support

The Heinz Kaempfer Fund provides financial support to young and/or independent scholars. The Fund also provides financial support for publication and/or the acquisition of publication permissions for images and awards grants to young researchers as a contribution towards travel expenses connected to research projects.
Grantees may be invited to present the results of their research for publication in Andon, the journal of the Society for Japanese Art.
 
Applicants are kindly requested to submit their proposal using the application form below. Please note the Terms and Conditions.
 
Also note that the HKF has two deadlines per year: before 1 March or before 1 September. Applicants will be notified of the HKF’s decision in the course of March or September. The HKF does not consider any applications in the intervening period, with the exception of applications regarding the acquisition of images for publication.
 
For further information please contact us.

Apply for funding

Please use our application form for funding.