Teaching Artist Cohort

Teaching Artist Cohort
Congratulations to the 2020 Craft Research Fund Artist Fellows!
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for Artists & Makers
Teaching Artist Cohort
Thirty mid-career craft artists who teach will receive $10,000 grants and join a six-month cohort experience that supports their artistic and teaching career development with programs, mentorship, and peer-to-peer learning.
Meet the 2025 Cohort
Meet Our Craft Education Fellow
Watch the Application info Session
Grant Kit
Chenlu Hou, "A long-haired figure diving into the water to grasp the reflection of the moon,” 2023, terracotta, underglaze, zip-ties, high-temp wire hooks. 28 x 16 x 16.5 in. Photo courtesy of the artist.
The Center for Craft Teaching Artist Cohort awards unrestricted grants of $10,000 to 30 mid-career craft artists who teach.
Grant goals
Opportunities
To provide craft artists opportunities and resources that help sustain a generative practice
Support
To support craft artists in continuing their teaching practice and create an enriching impact on the communities they engage
Development
To develop and strengthen networks of craft artists through peer-to peer learning and connection
Overview
Eligibility
Requirements
Review Process
How to Apply
FAQ
Overview
Teaching Artist Cohort
Thirty mid-career craft artists who teach will receive $10,000 grants and join a six-month cohort experience that supports their artistic and teaching career development with programs, mentorship, and peer-to-peer learning.
Read the press release
Details
Award Amount
$10,000
Grant Period
Six months
Download grant kit
Download Grant Kit
View most recent recipients
Timeline
Applications Open
April 3, 2026
Application Information Session
April 15, 2026
Application Deadline
May 4, 2026
Public Announcement
June 2026
Grant Period Begins
July 2026
Grant Period Ends
December 2026
ELIGIBILITY
Proposals are welcome from mid-career craft artists who teach. For the purpose of this grant, the Center defines a teaching artist as a practicing craft artist and/or maker who utilizes their skill sets and sensibilities to integrate their work and perspectives into a wide range of settings.
For this grant, the Center for Craft understands craft to include 3D work produced primarily by hand.
Craft is commonly recognized as being made of clay, glass, fiber, metal, and wood.  We also welcome craft made from other materials, such as concrete, plastic, gourds, shells, bones, leather, natural, and recycled materials, among others. We look for works in which the artist transformed the materials into something new.
Examples of craft include but are not limited to jewelry, ceramics, basket making, furniture, wood carving, sculpture, weaving, tapestry, knitting, sewing, bookmaking, paper-making, blacksmithing, knife-making, glass blowing, casting, and mask-making, among others.
Proposals must be timely, meaning applicants are in a prime position to benefit from this opportunity. Applicants should demonstrate evidence of a continued practice within the craft field, including a practice as a craft artist and educator.
Artists working in tenured or tenure-track positions may not apply.
Funding for the Teaching Artist Cohort is geared toward artists and/ or makers whose practice includes community engagement, experience as adjunct faculty, workshop facilitator/instructors, visiting artists, museum education, community college instructors, and/ or lecturers.
Applicants must:
Be 21 years of age or older
Be eligible to receive taxable income in the United States
Have resided and worked in the United States for the last two years and continue to do so for the duration of the grant period
Have had a studio practice for a minimum of five years and worked as a teaching artist for a minimum of three years
Applicants cannot:
Be tenured faculty at a college or university
Be in a tenure-track position at a college or university
Apply as a collective, group, or partnership
Have received a 2022 Career Advancement Grant
Have received a previous Teaching Artist Cohort grant
Be a disqualified person, such as a substantial contributor to the Center for Craft, as well as a current employee, consultant, or board member of the Center for Craft, or an immediate family member of such a person
Priority will be given to applicants who have not been previously awarded a Center for Craft grant or fellowship.
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.
TEACHING ARTIST COHORT
A leading component of the Teaching Artist Cohort is to support a diverse cohort of mid-career artists with varying practices and career aspirations. Ideally, awards will be given to a dynamic group of craft artists whose practice includes working as teaching artists in schools or the community, non-tenured or non-academic educators, adjunct instructors, visiting artists, museum educators, and community and workshop instructors.
REQUIREMENTS OF TEACHING ARTIST COHORT
The initial 70% of funds will be awarded upon completion of the grant agreement and receipt of the awardee’s W9.
The final 30% of the grant will be awarded upon completion of the grant cycle and an evaluation interview.
Recipients grant permission to the Center for Craft to use the language and images from their application, including high-resolution images, in press releases, social media, and/or reports of work about recipients of the Teaching Artist Cohort.
Recipients will be required to participate in the six-month cohort experience by attending 80% of the virtual workshops and convenings. Workshops and convenings will take place virtually from July 2026–December 2026. More information about the workshops and convenings will be provided upon receipt of the Teaching Artist Cohort award.
Recipients must acknowledge support from the Center for Craft by:
Including the tag “Center for Craft Teaching Artist Cohort” in their email signature, website, and/or social media page for the duration of the Fellowship period
Adding the following credit line to any creation of work resulting from the grant: “This work was supported by a Center for Craft Teaching Artist Cohort grant.”
Recipients agree to conduct a follow-up interview and survey about their experience as a Teaching Artist Cohort recipient within four months of the grant period’s end.
CRITERIA/REVIEW PROCESS
The adjudication process will take place virtually. Applications will be reviewed by staff of the Center for Craft for completeness and then evaluated by a selection panel through the SlideRoom online application review portal. The panel will consist of three to four people recognized as craft-informed experts working across sectors, such as writers, educators, artists, curators, and creative catalysts, in order to provide great insight into the grant-making process. Panelists free of any conflict of interest will evaluate the applications based on the following criteria:
Evidence of a continued practice within the craft field, including a practice as an artist and educator
Timeliness within the artist’s career trajectory and demonstrated financial need or other not specified
Artistic merit and/or quality of work samples
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 prioritizing diversity, representing a range of geographies, materials, practices, and types of artist-educators. Priority will be given to applicants who have not previously been awarded a Center for Craft grant or fellowship.
HOW TO APPLY
Applicants must apply using the online application program SlideRoom at
no later than 11:59 ET on May 4, 2026.
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 cannot be accessed once submitted. Applicants will receive a confirmation email once the application form has been successfully submitted.
Notification
Notification of application status will be sent via email in June 2026. The email address listed on the application form will be used to send out notifications. Please be sure it is a valid email address that you check regularly.
2026 Teaching Artist Cohort – SAMPLE APPLICATION
This is only a sample application. All applications must be completed in SlideRoom.
Cover Sheet:
Applicant name
Link to online portfolio or artist website
Are you 21 years of age or older?
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 grant period?
Have you lived and worked in the United States for the previous two years and will you continue to do so for the duration of the grant period?
Do you self-identify as a mid-career artist; a maker with a committed practice for at least five years?
How long have you worked as a teaching artist?
If you currently work for a school, organization, or community space, what is your position (select all that apply):
Please identify your primary form of teaching.  If you currently teach in a variety of ways, please select all that apply or select “other” and list the types of teaching you engage with.
How did you learn about this opportunity?
Application Questions:
Currently, what portion of your practice is dedicated to your artistic practice? What portion of your practice is dedicated to teaching (no more than 1,500 characters/about 250 words)?
Please describe your creative process and how that translates into the classroom (no more than 3,000 characters/about 500 words)?
Please describe your short- and long-term career goals. How would the Teaching Artist Cohort further your practice as an artist and educator? (no more than 3,000 characters/about 500 words)?
Please attach a CV of relevant experience (no more than four pages).
Up to 10 work samples. Please include title, date, medium, size, and a short description for each.
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
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 two minutes of each video sample will be reviewed, so please edit your materials accordingly. Images should be in a JPEG format no larger than 1600 pixels on the longest side @72 dpi.
Name each jpeg file with “LastNameImageTitleNumber.jpg” 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.
Demographic Survey
Please note that the demographic survey data will only be used anonymously. Your participation in this survey helps us and our local and national funders understand who the Center for Craft is reaching so that we can continue to develop equitable and accessible programming. Completion of this survey will in no way affect your application. We require all applicants to complete this form; however, you may answer each question with the “ I prefer not to answer” option.
If I receive a grant, will I need 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 Crafts 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 and 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.
I have previously received a Center for Craft grant but did not complete the project or am still in the process of completing the project. Am I eligible to apply?
No.
I received a 2023, 2024, or 2025 Teaching Artist Cohort Grant. Am I eligible to apply?
No.
I am a student. Am I eligible to apply?
Yes.
Are art collectives eligible to apply?
No.
Who can I contact with questions?
Craft Education Fellow Leia Lewis,
llewis@centerforcraft.org
828.785.1357
recipients
Meet the 2025
Teaching Artist Cohort
2018 Center for Craft Windgate Fellows
Pilar Agüero-Esparza
Jasmine Baetz
Jeremiah Barber
Liene Bosquê
Molly Jo Burke
Dee Clements
Arleene Correa Valencia
Jillian Crochet
Zak Foster
Sophie Glenn
Sarah Madeleine T. GUERIN
Nicole Havekost
Chenlu Hou
Lesley Jackson
Samantha Jacobs
Jenn Kaplan
David King
Laura Kishimoto
steven KP
Melissa Leandro
Hallie McNeill
Photo credit: Na Forest Lim
Kit Parks
Photo credit: Anna-Alexia Basile
Meryl Pataky
Chris M Rodgers
George Rodriguez
Luis Sahagún
Juliane Shibata
Sorrel Stone
Charles Thompson
Benjamin Wright
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To Ayumi Horie who through conversations with the Center for Craft planted the seed for the Craft Archive Fellowship, helped with grant development and generously contributed funding to make this program possible! Read more in our interview with Ayumi
here
Selection Panelists
Makda Amdetsyon
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Makda Amdetsyon is an educator, researcher, and maker. She currently is the education coordinator at Art21, where she leads professional development programs for K–12 teachers. Makda has a background in facilitating reflective and inquiry-driven museum visits and art-making classes for students and teachers at the Brooklyn Museum. In addition to her work as an educator, Makda is experienced in artist engagement and communication. During her time at the Smithsonian Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage, she co-produced public programs for the annual Folklife Festival. Makda’s work as a researcher focuses on craft, bridging her art practice and academic studies on American craft and material culture.
Makda is also a textile artist and sewist. She has spent the past several years honing her craft in weaving, dyeing, and sewing at craft schools across the country. She holds a BA in Communications from University of Maryland, College Park, and an MA in Art, Education, and Community Practice from New York University.
Photo credit: Tinashe Chidarikire
Demetri Broxton
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Demetri Broxton is a Bay Area artist, independent curator, and the executive director of Root Division in San Francisco. Born and raised in Oakland, he earned a BFA at UC Berkeley with an emphasis in painting and an MA in Museum Studies from San Francisco State University. Broxton was a 2024 Teaching Artist Cohort awardee. His artwork has been exhibited internationally and most recently at For-Site, Art Gallery of Alberta, de Young Museum, Crocker Art Museum, Kala Art Institute, and the Norton Museum of Art. Broxton’s artwork is held in several private and public collections, including the Monterey Art Museum, de Young Museum, and Crocker Art Museum. He is represented by Patricia Sweetow Gallery in Los Angeles.
Jennifer Ling Datchuk
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Trained in ceramics, multidisciplinary artist Jennifer Ling Datchuk works with porcelain and other materials often associated with traditional women’s work, such as textiles and hair, to discuss fragility, beauty, femininity, intersectionality, identity, and personal history. Her work is an exploration of her layered identity—as a woman, a Chinese woman, as an “American,” as a third culture kid.
Datchuk holds an MFA in Artisanry from the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth and a BFA in Crafts from Kent State University. She has participated in residencies at Künstlerhaus Bethanien in Berlin; Pottery Workshop in Jingdezhen, China; European Ceramic Work Center in The Netherlands; Artpace in San Antonio; and the John Michael Kohler Arts/Industry Residency in Sheboygan, Wisconsin. In 2017, she received the Emerging Voices Award from the American Craft Council and in 2020 was named a United States Artist Fellow in Craft. Her work is in the permanent collections of the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, San Antonio Museum of Art, Ogden Museum of Art in New Orleans, and Los Angeles County Museum of Art. She is an Assistant Professor of Ceramics at Arizona State University in Tempe and lives and maintains a studio in Phoenix.
Selection Panelists
Alana Hernandez
— Senior Curator, Arizona State University Art Museum
carole frances lung
— Executive Director, Antenna; retired Professor of Fashion, Fiber, and Materials, California State University, Los Angeles
Geoffrey Bowton
— Artist
Margaret Jacobs
— Artist, educator, and independent curator
Field Building
see our family of past fellows
recipients
Meet the 2022
Craft Research Fund Artist Fellowship Grant Recipients
The Center for Craft is pleased to announce the recipients of 2022 Craft Research Fund Artist Fellowship. This year 2 mid-career artists will receive $20,000 each to support research projects that advance, expand, and support the creation of new research and knowledge through craft practice.
2 out of 97 Artist Fellowship proposals were awarded.
A special thanks
To Ayumi Horie who through conversations with the Center for Craft planted the seed for the Craft Archive Fellowship, helped with grant development and generously contributed funding to make this program possible! Read more in our interview with Ayumi
here
Thank you to the advisers who provided invaluable insights to help us develop the Teaching Artist Cohort opportunity.
Everett Hoffman
, cross-disciplinary artist, object maker, workshop instructor, and curator; 2020–2023 Penland School of Craft Resident Artist; co-founder, Spectral Matter
Gowri Savoor
, co-founder, Teaching Artists Connect; visual teaching artist with a practice in sculpture, illustration, and writing
Katie Rainey
, co-executive director, Teaching Artists Guild; writer, teaching artist, and editor
Jen Delos Reyes
, artist
Michele Anderson
, Rural Program Director, Springboard for the Arts
This program is funded, in part, by the Windgate Foundation and the Maxwell | Hanrahan Foundation.
Craft
Research
Fund
is
administered
by
the
Center
for
Craft
and
supported
by
the
Windgate
Fund
at
the
Community Foundation of WNC
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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.
We are building a future for craft. We serve makers, museums, academics, and the local community by investing in
creative placekeeping
and
field building
We
believe
that
craft
matters.
We
are
here
to
activate
resources,
catalyze
craft
communities,
and
amplify
craft's
impact
in
the
United
States.
To learn more, please download
Craft Matters
, the Center for Craft’s strategic direction for 2023-2027.
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(828) 785-1357
info@centerforcraft.org
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(828) 785-1357
info@centerforcraft.org
Gallery Hours: Tues–Sat, 10–6
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