ELIGIBILITY 

Proposals are welcome from a range of emerging to established scholars, including artists researchers. Funding is intended to support independent research and is not intended to support research conducted on behalf of an institution, organization, or 501c3. 

Archives are repositories for and collections of primary source materials where people can conduct research. However, the histories preserved and stored within institutional libraries and archives often reflect the dominant cultural narratives, limiting the types of histories that can be told. Therefore, this fellowship takes an expansive understanding of what an archive is, to delimit what an archive can be. For the purpose of this grant, the Center for Craft understands archival craft research to be, but not limited to: 

• Digital and in-person archives: Recipients can direct their research towards a digital or site-specific archive, such as institutional archives that feature underrepresented craft communities. An in-person visit is not required.
• Objects as archives, the study of a new collection of materials, such as oral histories, community-created archives, site or place as an archive.
• Funding from this grant can be used to visit more than one archive, as funding and time permits. However, engagement with just one archive is all that is expected.
  

Applicants must be: 

• 21 years of age or older 
• Eligible to receive taxable income in the U.S. 
  

Applicants cannot be: 

• Disqualified persons, such as substantial contributors to the Center for Craft as well as current employees, consultants, or board members of the Center for Craft, or immediate family members of such a person 
  

The Center for Craft prohibits discrimination, harassment, and retaliation based on sex, sexual orientation, race, color, religion, national origin, disability or perceived disability, age, marital status, gender identity, veteran status, or any other protected category. The Center encourages applications from historically underrepresented populations. Applying does not constitute a promise or guarantee of being awarded a grant.

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USE OF FUNDS

Award funds may be used to cover travel and living expenses, personal stipends/honoraria, image rights, photocopies or other reproductions, subcontracted research assistance, purchase of primary source materials, and other incidental research expenses. Award funds may be used towards rent, childcare, and healthcare, as needed. 

• For travel purposes, the Center for Craft recommends recipients follow the Federal Travel Regulation and Reimbursement Rates.
• When working with artists (to conduct oral histories or otherwise), the Center for Craft requires recipients to provide appropriate compensation. See Working Artists in the Greater Economy.
• When working with community members, the Center for Craft requires that all grant recipients provide financial remuneration for their time, labor, and services rendered towards the awarded project scope and goals
• Award funds can be used towards course buyouts, as possible.

REQUIREMENTS

• Sixty percent (60%)  will be awarded upon mutual completion of the grant agreement and receipt of the recipient’s W9. 
• Twenty percent (20%) will be awarded upon submission of a draft 1,200 word article to be published in a Special Issue by Hyperallergic due April 1, 2023. 
• Twenty percent (20%) will be awarded upon receipt and approval by the Center for Craft of the final report, participation in a joint Center for Craft and American Craft Council virtual public program in Summer 2023, and finalized article for a Special Issue by Hyperallergic due June 1, 2023. 
• Grant permission for the Center for Craft to use the language and images from the recipient's application or other high-resolution images the recipient may want to provide in press releases, social media, and/or reports of work by recipients of the 2022 Craft Archive Fellowship.
• Recipients must acknowledge support from the Center for Craft by: 
• Including the tag: “2022 Center for Craft Archive Fellow” in their email signature, website, and/or social media page for the duration of the Grant Period
• Any publication or presentations resulting from the grant carry the Center for Craft’s logo or credit line: “This research was supported by a Center for Craft Archive Fellowship.”
• Projects must be completed in 9 months, with a start date of September 1, 2022 and a end of June 1, 2023. Fellows must submit a short (2 page) final report, including an explanation of the research process, findings, and use of budget is required by June 1, 2023.
• Fellows are required to disseminate their research through a 1,200 word article to be edited and published by Hyperallergic in a Special Issue. Article drafts are due April 1, 2023 and final edits are due June 1, 2023. Applicants will maintain rights to their work. Hyperallergic Special Issue will be published in Summer 2023. 
• Fellows will participate in a joint virtual program presented by Center for Craft and American Craft Council in Summer 2023, to include a 10 minute verbal presentation of their research method and findings and participate in group discussion. 
• There is no time requirement for how long the archival visit is (3 days, 2 weeks, etc), as this may depend on cost, size of the collection, permissions, etc. Fellows are not expected to be “in residence” for the full grant period, but rather are expected to conduct their research within that six month period.

REVIEW PROCESS

Applications will be reviewed first by the Center for Craft for staff for completeness and then evaluated by a panel of jurors through the SlideRoom online application review portal. The panel will consist of three expert jurors, such as scholars, archivists, curators, and artist researchers. 

Jurors free of any conflict of interest will evaluate the applications based on the following criteria: 

• Rigor - Research proposals should thoughtfully, accurately, and strategically contribute to contemporary scholarly dialogue commensurate with the applicant's level of practice.
• Representation - Research foregrounds critical issues in historically non-dominant and underrepresented craft histories and communities. 
• Contribution - Research demonstrates a new, significant, timely contribution to the field of craft. 
• Feasibility. Can this research effectively be conducted within the timeframe and budget? 
  

Consideration in final selection: 

The Center for Craft respects, values, and celebrates the unique attributes, characteristics, and perspectives that make each person who they are. We foster open communication of diverse perspectives and bring a broad range of individuals together to enrich and support programming. Ultimately we will ask the Selection Panel to identify a set of recipients representing a range of scholars, such as independent, artist, and emerging to established researchers, diversity, geographies, materials, approaches, and underrepresented histories.

HOW TO APPLY  

Deadline

 The 2022 Craft Archive Fellowship application must be submitted via SlideRoom no later than 11:59 pm ET on June 27, 2022. Notification of awards will be released by August 2022, for a grant period beginning September 1, 2022. The grant period will be completed on June 1, 2023.   Fellows will present their resulting research through a publishing opportunity in a Special Issue on Hyperallergic and a joint Center for Craft and American Craft Council virtual public program in Summer 2023.     

Notification

Notification of the results will be sent via email in August 2022, for a start date of September 1, 2022. The email address listed on the application form will be used to send out notifications. Please be sure that it is a valid email account that you check regularly. 

How to Apply

Applicants must apply using the online application program SlideRoom at https://centerforcraft.slideroom.com/#/permalink/program/66371. Applicants will not be required to pay an application fee. Please review the sample application below before beginning your application. All applicants should create a login to be able to partially complete the form and return to finish it at a later date. Before submitting your application, you will be directed to a confirmation page where you can review your form and return to edit or delete your uploaded files as needed. Your application can not be accessed once submitted. Applicants will receive a confirmation email once the application form has been successfully submitted. A virtual application information session will be held on Tuesday, May 31 from 3 - 4 pm ET. The information session recording will be made available on the Center for Craft website.

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2022 Craft Archive Fellowship - SAMPLE APPLICATION 

This is only a sample application. All applications must be completed in SlideRoom. ‍

Proposal to be submitted via SlideRoom as follows: 

Demographic Survey

Please note that the data from the demographics section will only be used anonymously for grant writing and reporting and as part of an overall understanding of who the Center for Craft serves. Center for Craft has and upholds an organizational nondiscrimination policy. Completion of this survey will in no way affect your application. You must complete the form; however, you may answer each question with the “prefer not to answer” option. Thank you.

• What is your age?
• What is your gender identity?
• What are your pronouns?
• Do you identify as LGBTQ?
• Do you identify as Latinx/Hispanic? 
• What category best describes your race?
• How did you hear about this fellowship opportunity? 
• Have you previously applied for a Center for Craft grant? 
• Would you like to receive the Center for Craft newsletter?
  

Cover sheet

1. Applicant name 
2. Your personal or project specific website 
3. Are you over the of 21 (yes or no) 
4. Are you able to receive income in the United States or U.S. territories taxable by the United States or U.S. territories for the duration of the project period? (yes or no)   
5. Please provide a project title 
6. Please provide a short summary of your research proposal (no more than 50 words, 300 character limit) 
7. Please provide the name of the archive(s) you wish to conduct research in?

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Application 

1. (Project Description) Describe your research project. How will it advance underrepresented craft histories? (500 words or less/ 3,000 character limit):

• Research question(s) and relevance to the advancement of craft in the United States
• Research methodology - What is your ideological framework 

2. What archive(s) do you intend to study? What collections or materials are housed there and how will they advance your project? 
3. How do you relate to your area of study? Please describe your community-engaged experience over time. 
4. Timeline and schedule for completing the project. Grant begins September 1, 2022. Projects must be completed by June 1, 2023.
5. Please complete a budget expense form for your proposal (form provided in SlideRoom).
6. Optional Media Attachment: Up to 5 work samples. A page for image/s that compliment or add clarity to the proposal

Allowed Media Types: 

• Images (up to 5MB each) 
• Video (up to 250MB each) 
• Audio (up to 30MB each) 
• PDFs (up to 10MB each)
• 3D Models via Sketchfab 
• External media from YouTube, Vimeo, and SoundCloud Only

You have the option of uploading any combination of images or video links (from hosting sites such as Vimeo, Flickr, or YouTube.) During the review process, only the first 2 minutes of each video sample, so please edit your materials accordingly. Images should be in a JPEG format no larger than 1600 pixels on any side @ 300 dpi. Name each jpeg file with “Last NameImageTitleNumber.jpg,” i.e., “SmithUntitled1.jpg”, “SmithUnititled2.jpg” etc. Each uploaded image or video link must be accompanied by a corresponding image description (up to 50 words). Please include title, date, medium, size, and a short description of each uploaded image or media file. 

FAQs 

If I win, will I have to pay taxes on my award? 

‍Yes, all cash funding is taxable income.

May I mail a hard copy of my application materials to the Center for Craft’s office?

No, hard copy submissions will not be accepted. The application must be completed and submitted through SlideRoom.  

Can I work on my application and return to complete it at a later date?  

Yes, creating a login account will enable you to complete the form in several online sessions.  

I just submitted my application, but I want to return to it and make an edit. Is this possible?  

No, once your application is submitted, you will not be able to return to the form or change any submitted information. The application fee must also be paid when submitting your application, as you will not be able to log in again to access the payment page again. 

I am a student. Am I eligible to apply? 

Yes 

I work for an institution, organization, or 501c3; however, I am applying as an individual and conducting research independent from the institution, organization, or 501c3 I work for. Am I eligible to apply? 

‍Yes 

I have previously received a Center for Craft grant. Am I eligible to apply? 

Yes 

I have previously received a Center for Craft grant but did not complete the project or am still in the progress of completing the project I was funded for. Am I eligible to apply? 

No

If awarded, can I use the funds to archive my own work/practice? 

No 

Are applicants responsible for obtaining copyrights to documents, images, manuscripts included in their research? 

Yes

Are collaboratives allowed to apply?

Collaboratives are welcome to apply. There must be one fiduciary agent for the group or one person who will receive the award funds as this person will be responsible for paying taxes on the award amount funded.

Who can I contact with questions? 

For any questions, please contact Mellanee Goodman, Grant Program Manager, at mgoodman@centerforcraft.org or call (828) 785 - 1357 ext. 103.

About our Program Partners

The American Craft Council (ACC) is a national nonprofit organization that connects and galvanizes diverse craft communities and traditions to advance craft’s impact in contemporary American life and to keep craft artists and the community connected, inspired, and thriving. With a focus on stewardship and legacy, the ACC holds one of the largest and preeminent archives of American craft and invests in documenting and preserving intergenerational knowledge and supporting new research and scholarship in the field. The Center for Craft and ACC will partner to host a joint, virtual public program featuring Center for Craft Artchive Fellows in order to raise the visibility and appreciation for craft scholarship in the United States.

Hyperallergic is a leading voice in arts publishing, offering contemporary perspectives that “challenge the art world status quo.” With over 1 million unique visitors per month, working with Hyperallergic expands the impact of the research to a broader arts audience. The Center for Craft is partnering with Hyperallergic to feature up to six Center for Craft Archive Fellow’s research in a Summer 2023 Special Issue, thus ensuring the grantees' research is not only accomplished, but free to access online and easily searchable for future researchers. This strategic partnership draws on the strengths of each organization in order to decrease physical and economic barriers to archival research, tell more accurate craft histories, and raise the visibility and appreciation of craft scholarship in the United States.