Each year, the Windgate-Lamar Fellowship identifies ten graduating college seniors with exemplary skill in craft. Awardees receive $15,000 — one of the largest awards offered nationally to art students.
Photo courtesy of Marley White
Continue Reading
“The Windgate-Lamar Fellowship provides critical financial support as a bridge between college and graduate school or life as a working artist,” says Stephanie Moore, Executive Director. “The Fellowship instills confidence and fosters bravery to take risks and the chance to seek and engage in career-enhancing opportunities.”
The results of such early support are already beginning to emerge. Today, Windgate-Lamar Fellows hold full-time faculty positions, are accepted into nationally renowned residence programs, mount solo shows, and establish successful studios. Over half have gone on to earn a Masters of Fine Arts degree. Their work can been seen in nationally traveling exhibitions, represented in galleries, and published in periodicals such as American Craft. Supporting the next generation is one of the Center for Craft’s main focus areas identified to build a thriving national craft field.
Grant goals
To provide visibility and networking opportunities for emerging makers
To financially support the careers of emerging makers
To recognize and affirm emerging talent
This grant is based on a closed nomination process. To inquire about become a nominating institution, please e-mail grants@centerforcraft.org for more information.
Participating institutions develop the selection process in order to identify two graduating seniors who meet the following criteria:
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
Nominee applications are reviewed by staff of the Center for Craft for completeness and evaluated by a panel of jurors using the following criteria to evaluate each application:
Considerations 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 compose a set of recipients deserving of further recognition while prioritizing diversity and representing a range of geographies & materials.
Applicants must apply using the online application program SlideRoom using the private link provided to nominees by e-mail. 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 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.
Budget
Provide a budget that fully outlines the following items (if applicable) to your proposal, accounting for the full amount of $15,000. For the 2021 Fellowship application, up to 15% (or $2,250 of the total $15,000 award) can be requested as "Personal Expenses" without further explanation required within the application.
Provide a timeline for the 12 months you have to complete the proposal beginning May 1, 2021 or from the date of your graduation if later. Due to COVID-19, upon request, recipients will be permitted a 6 month extension of the grant period to October 2022 to complete the Fellowship.
If you receive an award, 70% of the funds will be released in May 2021 (once terms of grant agreement are reviewed and agreed to) and the remaining 30% will be released once you have completed the final report (at the end of the 12 month funding cycle). The second payment of 30% can be disbursed no sooner than 9 months following the first payment of 70%. A Fellowship is considered income by the IRS and is reported for the year(s) in which you receive funding.
Please designate two individuals who support your proposal (e.g. an advisor, teacher, dean or community member) as references. You will need to request through your SlideRoom application that they complete a reference form, due on the same date as the application, no later than 11:59 pm EST on February 1, 2021.
Images
Please submit 10 high quality images or video clips of your work. Images should feature your work only and should not be a collage of multiple pieces in one slide. Video clips should be submitted ONLY if they are necessary to demonstrate your work. Each clip should be no longer than 1 minute. All images should include a description to include how the piece was fabricated.
Allowed Media Types:
How do I become a nominating institution?
Please e-mail grants@centerforcraft.org to receive more information.
Is my institution on the list of nominating institutions for the Windgate-Lamar Fellowship?
Please inquire by e-mail to grants@centerforcraft.org.
Where can I find information about previous recipients of the Windgate-Lamar Fellowship?
Check out our online Grant Recipient Archive here. You can sort by grant opportunity by clicking on “Grant” or search “Windgate-Lamar” in the search Filter.
What is the final deadline for submitting my online application form?
The application for 2021 Windgate-Lamar Fellowship must be submitted via SlideRoom no later than 11:59 pm EST on February 1, 2021.
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.
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
Four panelists reviewed a national pool of 92 applicants on the basis of artistic merit. They also discerned the potential of each applicant to make significant contributions to the field of craft.
Field Building