Craft Research Fund Exhibition Grant

The Craft Research Fund Exhibition Grant provides up to $15,000 to support innovative exhibition research in craft scholarship across the United States. It aims to encourage critical explorations of craft theory, history, and practice, promoting new insights into American craft artists and their work. Eligible applicants include museum and gallery curators, as well as independent researchers. The program emphasizes cross-disciplinary approaches and requires financial remuneration for artists involved in funded projects.

Grants up to $15,000 awarded to support exhibition research that encourages, expands, and supports scholarly craft research in the United States.
The Craft Research Fund - Exhibition grant is one of four categories that make up the Craft Research Fund, a visionary program dedicated to supporting scholarly craft research in the United States. Since 2005 the Center annually grants $95,000 to academic researchers, independent scholars, curators, and graduate students writing, revising, and reclaiming the history of craft. In 2019, the Center added an additional $40,000 Artist Fellowship category to support the creation of new research and knowledge through craft practice.
The Craft Research Fund program is administered by the Center for Craft and supported by the Windgate Foundation.
Grant Goals
Encourage: To encourage innovative research on critical issues in craft theory and history.Expand: To investigate neglected questions on craft history and criticism.Support: To support new cross-disciplinary approaches to scholarship in craft.
Examples of exhibition research might include:

• Research providing new insight into work by historical or contemporary craft artists in the United States
• Presenting a new understanding of the relationship between hand-made production and digital technologies
• Providing a new contribution to the history of craft in the United States
• Projects that place American craft in a global context
• Or other topics that offer fresh perspectives within the craft field

Eligibility

Proposals are welcome from museum, non-profit gallery, and independent curators. This grant is intended to support scholarly research and is not for the creation of artwork
This grant is not for the dissemination of already completed researchApplicants must be: Applicants must be able to receive taxable income in the U.S. for the duration of the grant and report this grant as income
Applicants must be 18 years of age or olderCollaboratives 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.Use of Funds:Grant funds may be used to support research activities including travel and living expenses, commissioning essays for contributors, documentation such as images or rights to use images or text, photocopies or other reproductions, and other incidental research expenses.For museums, galleries, universities, and organizations who are applying to the grant, please limit staffing and overhead costs to 15% of your total budget ask, i.e. if applying for $15,000 in support, total personnel and overhead costs should be a maximum of $2,250.For individuals who are applying to the grant, please provide your rationale for your stipend or honorarium in the budget narrative.For the purpose of this grant, the Center for Craft requires that all grant recipients provide financial remuneration to working artists for their time, labor, and services rendered towards the awarded project scope and goals. For remuneration estimates, we recommend consulting the floor wages listed on the Working Artists and the Greater Economy (W.A.G.E.) fee calculator website.When working with community members, the Center for Craft requires that all grant recipients provide financial remuneration for their time, labor, and services rendered toward the awarded project scope and goals.For travel purposes, the Center for Craft recommends recipients follow the Federal Travel Regulation and Reimbursement Rates.Grant Period: 18 months

Ineligibility

Applicants cannot be: 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.If an applicant has been previously awarded a Center for Craft grant but did not complete the project or is still in the progress of completing the project they are not eligible to apply. Applicants may either apply for the Craft Research Fund Project Grant or the Craft Research Fund Exhibition Grant, but may not apply for both grants in the same year. 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 grant awards are not for exhibition production, installation, exhibition travel or management.This award does not cover publication printing costs or distribution.No capital equipment purchases are eligible for support. Capital equipment is defined: laptops, recorders, printers, or other items not listed.