Grants up to $15,000 awarded to support exhibition research that encourages, expands, and supports scholarly craft research in the United States.
This grant is open and accepting applications! Get more info→
Olga de Amaral Pueblo V (Town V), 2013. Courtesy Casa de Amaral. Photo: Diego Amaral
Grant goals
To encourage innovative research on critical issues in craft theory and history
To investigate neglected questions on craft history and criticism
To support new cross-disciplinary approaches to scholarship in craft
The Craft Research Fund was created to encourage, expand and support scholarly craft research in the United States.
- Proposals are welcome from museum, non-profit gallery, and independent curators.
- Grant funds may be used to support research activities including travel for research, commissioning essays for contributors, documentation such as images or rights to use images or text, as part of the research for future exhibitions.
- The grant awards are not for the printing or web-based dissemination of already completed research, exhibition production, installation, exhibition travel or management.
- General overhead (indirect administrative expenses) is not eligible.
- No capital equipment purchases are eligible for support.
- For the purpose of this grant, the Center for Craft requires that all grant recipients provide financial renumeration to working artists for their time, labor, and services rendered towards the awarded project scope and goals. For renumeration estimates, we recommend consulting the floor wages listed on the Working Artists and the Greater Economy (W.A.G.E.) fee calculator website at https://wageforwork.com/fee-calculator#top
- Applicants must be able to receive taxable income in the U.S. for the duration of the grant or a charitable or educational organizations as defined under the appropriate provisions of the U.S. Internal Revenue Code, and report this grant as income.
- Applicants must be 18 years of age or older.
-Applicant 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.
- This grant is intended to support scholarly research and is not for the creation of artwork.
Examples of exhibition research might include:
- Addressing work by historically important or contemporary craft artist/s
- Presenting a new understanding of the relationship between hand-made production and digital technologies
- Providing a new contribution to the history of the studio craft movement
- Placing American craft in a global context
- Or other topics that offer fresh perspectives within the field
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 under-represented populations. Submitting an application does not constitute a promise or guarantee of being awarded a grant or fellowship.
- Seventy percent of the grant will be awarded upon execution of the grant agreement and receipt of the awardee’s W9.
- Recipients will provide a status report on the project half way through the grant period (September 30, 2021).
- Recipients must provide content for at least one blog post.
- The final thirty percent of the grant will be awarded upon receipt of a final report to include a project narrative, a budget report and two copies of any publication produced as a result of the research grant. Project and final report must be completed in 18 months, with a deadline of July 31, 2022. If there is no publication, then provide a copy of the completed research in full.
- Recipients will acknowledge support from “Center for Craft Craft Research Fund” in any publications or presentations resulting from the grant.
- The Center for Craft reserves the right to limit support of a project to a particular portion(s) or cost(s).
- This application requires a $5 fee to be paid through SlideRoom. We are able to waive a limited number of fees per grant. If you would like your fee to be waived, please email grants@centerforcraft.org with the message, “I would like my fee for the Craft Research Fund Exhibition Grant to be waived” by September 1, 2020. No further information is required. To waive your fee, you must first create your SlideRoom portal and access the application through SlideRoom before making the request to waive the fee. Application fees cannot be waived after applications are submitted.
- If the timeline proposed by the applicant is affected by COVID-19, requests for extensions up to 6 additional months may be made after the grant is awarded.
Proposals will be reviewed by staff of the Center for Craft for completeness and evaluated by peer-review of readers, who are recognized craft scholars, faculty and/or curators, free of any conflict of interest, based on the following criteria:
- If completed properly, the proposal will advance scholarship and knowledge on craft in the United States
- The plan for dissemination identifies the audience, is reasonable, and has supporting documentation as appropriate
- The project is feasible based on the timeline, expertise, and budget reflected in the application
- The project addresses the goals of the Craft Research Fund
- Representation and/or visibility - priority will be given to those who are underrepresented in the field.
-The project is consistent with and furthers the mission of the Center for Craft.
Considerations in final selection:
The Center for Craft reserves the right to limit support of a project to a particular portion(s) or cost(s).
DEADLINE: The application for 2021 Craft Research Fund - Exhibition grants must be submitted via SlideRoom no later than 11:59 pm EST on October 1, 2020.
NOTIFICATION: Notification of the results will be sent via e-mail in December 2020 for a start date of January 1, 2021. The e-mail address listed on the application form will be used to send out notifications. Please be sure that it is a valid account that you check regularly.
HOW TO APPLY: Applicants must apply using the online application program SlideRoom at http://www.centerforcraft.slideroom.com. Please review the sample application below before beginning your application. Please note there is a separate application for each Craft Research Fund category.
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 will be able to review your form and return to edit or delete your uploaded files as needed. Once you submit your application, you will not be able to access your form again. Applicants will receive a confirmation email once the application form has been successfully submitted.
2021 Craft Research Fund – Exhibition Grant SAMPLE APPLICATION
This is only a sample application, all applications much be completed in SlideRoom.
Cover sheet
1. Name (applicant/s and/or organization)
2. Your Title
3. Your Personal Website or Project Website
4. Grant Amount Requested (up to $15,000)
5. Are you over 18 years old (yes or no)
6.Are you able to receive taxable income in the U.S. for the duration of the project period (yes or no)
7.Please provide a project title (up to 15 words)
8.Please provide a summary of your research proposal (no more than 50 words)
Application
1. Please summarize the following (500 words):
2. Please provide a historiography for the ideas central to this exhibition. Identify three other scholars who have written significant works on/around your topic, and describe how your work parallels and pushes the topic forward (500 words or less).
3. Timeline and schedule for completing the project. Projects must be completed by June 30, 2022 (18 months from start date).
4. Budget Form. Provided in SlideRoom.
5. Please provide a budget narrative if necessary.
6. CV of relevant education and experience (no more than 2 pages).
7. The exhibition description (no more than 5 pages, in no less than 12 point type).
8. A bibliography of at least ten sources.
9. One letter of support from the hosting institution that includes why this exhibition is supported.
10. Optional page for image/s that compliment or add clarity to the proposal.
What is the final deadline for submitting my online application form?
The application for 2021 Craft Research Fund - Exhibition grants must be submitted via SlideRoom no later than 11:59 pm EST on October 1, 2020.
What if my project timeline is affected by COVID-19?
If your project timeline is affected by COVID-19, requests for extensions up to 6 additional months may be made after the grant is awarded.
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 at the time of submitting your application as you will not be able to log-in again to access the payment page again.
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I have a question that wasn’t answered. How can I reach the Center for Craft?
If you have any further questions, please contact grants@centerforcraft.org.
recipients
The Center for Craft is pleased to announce the recipients of 2020 Craft Research Fund grants. This year 11 organizations, curators, scholars, and graduate students will receive a total of $94,310.04 to support craft-centered research, exhibitions, catalogs, and projects in the United States.
4 out of 9 Exhibition Grant proposals awarded.
Museum of Arts & Design
,
Materials that Make a Difference
$15,000
Support for Materials that Make a Difference (opening February 2020), a multi-year exhibition featuring the Museum’s permanent collection that highlights the multiple historical, cultural, and aesthetic contexts for craft in the post-World War II era.
View SiteLearn more
Milwaukee Art Museum
,
Currents 38: Christy Matson
$5,000
Support of a publication and the production of educational materials related to the exhibition, Currents 38: Christy Matson, presenting the work of the highly skilled weaver, Christy Matson.
View SiteLearn more
Shannon Stratton
,
$6,000
Support for SOFTWARE, an exhibition that overlays histories of weaving, technology, and women's labor with modern and contemporary artworks drawn from the digital and fiber studio disciplines at The Mint Museum and Arizona State University Art Museum.
View SiteLearn more
Cranbrook Art Museum
,
$8,000
Support for the monograph publication and concurrent exhibition Olga de Amaral: Alchemy.
View SiteLearn more
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The Community Foundation of Western North Carolina is a trusted partner in philanthropy. We help donors and nonprofits achieve their charitable goals, now and forever.
In order to increase the value and relevance of craft to society, the Center works to advance the understanding of craft in higher education, museums and cultural institutions, and across disciplines. Field building strategies include convening thought leaders, creating, documenting and disseminating research, and launching innovative leadership initiatives. We provide grants and fellowships to emerging and established craft artists, curators, and scholars in order to build a future for the field of craft.
Recognizing that Asheville and the surrounding area has been a bastion for craft in the United States dating back to the Cherokee, the Center is actively working to preserve and advance the craft legacy of Western North Carolina through the development of our property in downtown Asheville, North Carolina and through a series of exhibitions and community-focused initiatives.
67 Broadway St, Asheville, NC 28801
(828) 785-1357 | info@centerforcraft.org
Gallery Hours: Tues–Sat, 10–6 get more info
Gallery Hours: Closed — Reopening Fall 2019
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