The Japanese Literature in Art Colloquy (JLAC) intends to serve as a catalyst or a facilitating organ for the exchange of ideas related to the study of Japanese cultural history. It specifically aims to nurture cooperation between scholars based in the UK and their counterparts abroad. Each of the projects normally involves one or more scholars with a close affiliation to the Sainsbury Institute, whether members of staff, Sainsbury and Handa Fellows, or Japanese specialists at SOAS and the British Museum. JLAC projects are designed to promote an interdisciplinary study of Japanese visual culture. The colloquy series supports research and publications that take new approaches to text-image relationships in Japanese art, focusing especially on the interaction of literary or performing arts with calligraphy, painting and prints. The colloquies, usually once or twice a year, are not restricted to any specific type of forum and are flexible in their organization - ranging from full-fledged symposia to smaller workshops. The research results of the colloquies are published in various forms: proceedings volumes, collaborative publications on specialized topics, exhibition-related publications, or on-line image databases stored on the Institute?s server. Many of the JLAC projects complement or support other individual research projects of participants.