ABOUT THIS GRANT: Alumni who hold a BFA degree and have graduated within the last ten years are eligible to apply. Grants of up to $1,500 will be awarded through a competitive review process. ELIGIBILITY: Applicants must be working in the crafts field, including, but not limited to metalsmithing, jewelry, woodworking, furniture design, ceramics, or fiber arts. Must have received a BFA degree from Maine College of Art & Design within the last ten years. Eligible graduating classes are 2015–2024. Must not have received a grant from this fund within the past 12 months. Non graduated alums, SALT graduates, Post Baccalaureate graduates, MFA graduates, MAT graduates, Continuing Studies faculty and students are ineligible to apply. ACCEPTABLE USE OF FUNDS include, but are not limited to: travel and fees associated with professional conferences; tuition or travel funds related to residencies or other educational opportunities to enhance professional practice; equipment or materials critical to grow/enhance professional and studio practice; costs related to starting a business in a relevant craft field. In general, grant funds will not cover operating expenses such as rent/lease, utilities, or other routine expenses, or tuition to a degree-granting program.
Grant must be spent within 12 months of receipt of funds. Must provide documentation of expenses and a written summary of use of funds within one year of receipt (no additional funds will be granted if reports are not completed). APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS:
- A written request for funds detailing how the grant will be used to advance one’s professional career in the crafts, not to exceed two pages in length.
- Resume
- Budget, detailing how funds will be used. Maximum request amount is $1,500.
- 10 digital images: Only digital images will be reviewed for submission. Format all images as jpgs with minimum dimensions of 600 x 800 pixels and a maximum of 1024 pixels per side, saved at a resolution of 72 dpi. Name digital images with the following format: LastNameFirstNameNumber.jpg (i.e NyguenJon01.jpg) etc. Do not include any spaces, dashes, or other symbols in the file name. Images size must not exceed 1M each. All works submitted must be completed within the last two years.
- Image descriptions: title, date, media, and physical dimensions.
All submissions must have been completed within the last two years. All documents listed above should be saved as a Word document or a PDF. Late and incomplete proposals will not be accepted. Only online applications via Submittable will be accepted. TIMELINE: Deadline for applications is 11:59PM EST on January 31, 2025. Notification of awards will be made in March of 2025. CONTACT: If you have any questions contact: Jenny McGee Dougherty, Associate Director of Artists at Work & Alumni Relations at jmcgee@meca.edu or 207.699.5018.
ABOUT THE RESIDENCY: In 2008, MECA&D alumna Barbara Rita Jenny MFA ’02 and her family donated the use of her family’s summer home in New Edinburgh, Nova Scotia with the intention of creating a unique artist residency program that is inclusive of artist’s partners and families. The house is situated directly across the road from Baie Sainte-Marie/Wagweiik and the property includes 200 feet of water frontage and several outbuildings.
TIME FRAME: Two to four week residencies are offered for May 15-July of 2025.
ELIGIBILITY: This residency is open to MECA&D degree-holding alumni, faculty, and staff who are visual artists, writers, and/or scholars. Non graduated alums, SALT graduates, Post Baccalaureate graduates, Continuing Studies faculty and students are ineligible to apply.
TEAM / GROUP RESIDENCY: Please use the 2025 Jenny Family Team Residency to apply as a group.
FAMILY FRIENDLY: The Jenny Family Residency is a family-friendly program. The spouses, partners, and children of selected artists are welcome for the full stay. All other non-family members must apply as part of a team residency.
APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS: Prepare the following information in advance of submitting your application. Incomplete applications will not be considered for review. Please upload online the following documents and images, not zipped, but individually uploaded.
APPLICATION MATERIALS:
- One-page statement of purpose explaining why you want to attend this residency
- Biography
- Resume / CV
- 10 Work Samples
- Image descriptions that correspond to your images which include title, medium, size and year of completion.
All submissions must have been completed within the last three years. All documents listed above should be saved as a Word document or a PDF. Late and incomplete proposals will not be accepted. Only online applications via Submittable will be accepted.
TIMELINE: Deadline for applications is 11:59 EST on January 31, 2025. Notification of awards will be made in February of 2025. FOR MORE INFORMATION, visit the Jenny Family Residency page on Meca.edu
CONTACT: If you have any questions concerning the residency or requirements contact: Jenny McGee Dougherty, Associate Director of Artists at Work & Alumni Relations, jmcgee@meca.edu or 207.699.5018
ABOUT THE RESIDENCY: In 2008, MECA&D alumna Barbara Rita Jenny MFA ’02 and her family donated the use of her family’s summer home in New Edinburgh, Nova Scotia with the intention of creating a unique artist residency program that is inclusive of artist’s partners and families. The house is situated directly across the road from Baie Sainte-Marie/Wagweiik and the property includes 200 feet of water frontage and several outbuildings.
ELIGIBILITY: This residency is open to MECA&D degree-holding alumni, faculty, and staff who are visual artists, writers, and/or scholars. Non graduated alums, SALT graduates, Post Baccalaureate graduates, Continuing Studies faculty and students are ineligible to apply.
FAMILY FRIENDLY: The Jenny Family Residency is a family-friendly program. The spouses, partners, and children of selected artists are welcome for the full stay. All other non-family members must apply as part of a team residency.
APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS: Prepare the following information in advance of submitting your application. Incomplete applications will not be considered for review. Please upload online the following documents and images, not zipped, but individually uploaded.
TEAM / GROUP RESIDENCY: If more than one person is applying for the residency, the group should select a lead contact person who is a MECA&D faculty member, staff member or an alum. The lead contact person should submit a single application, a combined statement of purpose for the entire group, and is responsible for including all group members’ documents (resume, work samples, etc) into the application.
APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS: Prepare the following information in advance of submitting your application. Incomplete applications will not be considered for review. Please upload online the following documents and images, not zipped, but individually uploaded.
APPLICATION MATERIALS:
- One-page statement of purpose explaining why you want to attend this residency as a team or group
- Biographies for each artists
- Resume / CV for each artists
- Work Samples (20 for teams)
- Image descriptions that correspond to your images which include title, medium, size and year of completion.
All submissions must have been completed within the last three years. All documents listed above should be saved as a Word document or a PDF. Late and incomplete proposals will not be accepted. Only online applications via Submittable will be accepted.
TIMELINE: Deadline for applications is 11:59PM EST on January 31, 2025. Notification of awards will be made in February of 2025.
CONTACT: If you have any questions concerning the residency or requirements contact: Jenny McGee Dougherty, Associate Director of Artists at Work & Alumni Relations at jmcgee@meca.edu or 207.699.5018
Current BFA sophomores and juniors in all majors are eligible to apply for a summer textile workshop at Haystack. The Allison Cooke Brown '01 MECA&D fellowship will provide tuition, room, and board (in a triple and/or comparable housing other than a dorm) with up to $500 in travel assistance, and up to $255 in workshop-related shop or materials fees. Within two months of completion, the fellow is expected to submit a reflection about the impact and outcome of the experience that will be shared with the college, Haystack and the alumni donor.
Application requirements:
Deadline: Midnight, January 1, 2025
- Identify which workshop you would enroll in.
- Paragraph: How would your chosen workshop impact your practice?
- Paragraph: Describe the importance of fiber/textile processes or traditions in your work
- Provide a faculty contact
- Submit 2-5 images of current work
A jury will review applications and select one awardee.
You will be notified by January 3, 2025. For those applicants who are not selected, there is an additional opportunity to apply for a scholarship directly from Haystack with a deadline of January 17.
ABOUT THIS GRANT: Epic grants from Canopy Portland Waterfront support Maine College of Art & Design alumni who make a positive impact in Portland through their work.
Canopy recognizes that artists play a critical role in the quality of life for residents and visitors of Portland. The Epic Grant supports creative activities that contribute to the culture of the city. MECA&D and Canopy Portland Waterfront will grant an artist or artist team $2,500 to support their work. In exchange, the artist(s) will host an activation at Canopy Portland Waterfront that will engage the community. This does not have to be a new project, it can be operational support for existing efforts as an individual artist, collective, business or organization. Grant recipients are expected to create an activation on site at Canopy Portland Waterfront within six months of receiving funds. Possible examples include a pop-up shop, a workshop, a retail display, or an event. The activation does not need to be tied to the use of funds, but is a part of the partnership between the artist and Canopy.
From Canopy:
At the core of Canopy, we have our EPIC team members or enthusiasts- they're Enthusiastic, Positive, Intuitive and Caring. The expectation is for this EPIC heartbeat of ours, to trickle into our local community and enrich the neighborhood we hold so dearly. For us at Canopy Portland Waterfront, we focus on the waterfront, the love for our furry companions and the incredible art scene. The purpose of the EPIC Grant is to connect with talented MECA&D grads and help to launch their work here in the city of Portland and beyond. We look forward to collaborating with these artists to showcase work on property and promote the talent from this school to our visitors and neighbors.
ELIGIBILITY: Open to Maine College of Art & Design BFA, MFA, and MAT graduates in the Greater Portland area.
ACCEPTABLE USE OF FUNDS Funds are unrestricted and can be used to support the artist's work in many ways including operational support, rent, supplies, technology, etc. The use of funds does not need to be directly tied to the artist's activation event. In exchange for this funding, the artist agrees to host an activation that will engage the community on site at Canopy Portland Waterfront.
APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS:
- A narrative about how you add to the culture of Portland and how these funds would assist you (500 words max)
- A proposal for your suggested activation project at Canopy Portland Waterfront (250 words max).
- 10 digital images: Only digital images will be reviewed for submission.
- Image descriptions: title, date, media, and physical dimensions.
All text documents listed above should be saved as a Word document or a PDF.
Late and incomplete proposals will not be accepted. Only online applications via Submittable will be accepted.
TIMELINE: Deadline for applications is 11:59PM EST on January 31, 2025. Notification of awards will be made in February-March 2025.
ELIGIBILITY: Applicants must be MECA&D alums.
Non graduated alums, SALT graduates, Post Baccalaureate graduates, Continuing Studies faculty and students are ineligible to apply.
ABOUT THE RESIDENCY: Monson Arts is a new artists’ residency and arts center in Monson, Maine. Programs in development include residencies for artists and writers, intensive shorter workshops, and educational partnerships with area secondary schools.
Monson is located at the edge of Maine’s North Woods - a 3.5 million acres of forest bordering Canada. It is the last town on the Appalachian Trail before the beginning of the 100-Mile Wilderness that leads to Mount Katahdin.
Since it was founded in 1822, the community has had an economy based on natural resources. In the late 19th through the early 20th centuries, slate quarries supported a thriving industry. Moosehead Manufacturing produced wood furniture from the 1945 until its closure in 2007. The region also has a rich arts tradition— ranging from Henry David Thoreau, who wrote about the area in The Maine Woods to photographer Berenice Abbott who lived in nearby Blanchard, to traditional makers such as the North Woods Canoe Company in Atkinson.
In the spring of 2017, Maine’s Libra Foundation began investing in the development of an arts program for Monson as a way to spur economic and creative growth in the region. The foundation has purchased and renovated over 20 buildings in the community to be used for residences and studios. Stuart Kestenbaum, former director of the Haystack Mountain School of Crafts and Maine’s poet laureate, is advising the foundation on the development of the programs.
The program is open to visual artists and writers. All artists are given a studio which is a large empty classroom in a former school. In that same building, there is a clay studio with as kiln that offers classes to the public.
RESIDENCY DATES:
AMENITIES
- Basic studio space
- Housing (private room, shared bath)
- Meals
- Access to basic wood shop and metal shop
- Stipend of $250 for two week residencies and $500 for month-long residencies
APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS: Prepare the following information in advance of submitting your application. Incomplete applications will not be considered for review. Please upload online the following documents and images, not zipped, but individually uploaded.
APPLICATION MATERIALS:
- One-page statement of purpose explaining why you want to attend this residency (PDF)
- Biography
- Resume / CV
- 10 Work Samples
- Image descriptions that correspond to your images which include title, medium, size and year of completion.
- Choice of top three dates
All submissions must have been completed within the last three years. All documents listed above should be saved as a Word document or a PDF.
Late and incomplete proposals will not be accepted. Only online applications via Submittable will be accepted.
TIMELINE: Deadline for applications is midnight EST on January 31, 2025. Notification of awards will be made in February.
ELIGIBILITY: Applicants must be Graduates of the Salt Institute for Documentary Studies.
All Salt graduates are eligible, whether or not they attended Salt at MECA&D.
ABOUT THE RESIDENCY:
Salt’s partnership with the Monson Art's residency program supports emerging documentarians and artists by providing them time and space to devote to their creative practices. Priority will be given to early-career applicants who have not yet done any artist residencies.
Residencies last 2 or 4 weeks. Salt residents will join a cohort of roughly 5 artists and 5 writers to immerse themselves in small town life at the edge of Maine’s North Woods and focus intensely on their work within a creative and inspiring environment.
Residents receive a private studio, private bedroom in shared housing*, all meals, and $250-$500 stipend ($250 for 2-week residencies, $500 for 4 weeks).
Residents’ studios are located in newly renovated Main Street buildings that have been remodeled specifically for artists and writers. All of Monson Arts' studio spaces are outfitted to be as flexible as possible to accommodate a variety of creative practices.
Residents live in newly renovated historic homes throughout town, within walking distance to studios and everything that downtown Monson has to offer. These are mostly 3-4 bedroom structures that are fully furnished and comfortable all four seasons of the year. Houses all have shared kitchens, bathrooms, and common areas with laundry machines, telephone, and other amenities as well. Wifi is available in all of our buildings through high speed fiberoptic service.
ABOUT MONSON :
Monson is located at the edge of Maine’s North Woods—3.5 million acres of forest bordering Canada. It is the last town on the Appalachian Trail before the beginning of the 100-Mile Wilderness that leads to Mount Katahdin.
Since it was founded in 1822, the community has had an economy based on natural resources. In the late 19th through the early 20th centuries, slate quarries supported a thriving industry. Moosehead Manufacturing produced wood furniture from 1945 until its closure in 2007. The region also has a rich arts tradition—ranging from Henry David Thoreau, who wrote about the area in The Maine Woods to photographer Berenice Abbott who lived in nearby Blanchard, to traditional makers such as the North Woods Canoe Company in Atkinson.
In the spring of 2017, Maine’s Libra Foundation began investing in the development of an arts program for Monson as a way to spur economic and creative growth in the region.
RESIDENCY DATES:
Residents will coordinate with Monson Arts to find a two or four-week window in 2025 to complete their residencies.
SPRING
3/24 - 4/17
4/21 - 5/15
5/19 - 5/29
FALL
9/8 - 9/18
9/22 -10/16
10/20 - 11/13
APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS:
Prepare the following information in advance of submitting your application. Incomplete applications will not be considered for review. Please upload online the following documents and images, not zipped, but individually uploaded.
APPLICATION MATERIALS:
- Biography
- Resume / CV
- Work Samples - May be submitted as a pdf, jpgs, web links, etc.
- One-page statement of purpose explaining why you want to attend this residency (PDF)
Late and incomplete proposals will not be accepted. Only online applications via Submittable will be accepted.
TIMELINE: Deadline for applications is midnight EST on January 31, 2025
This form is only for use by students who applied for and received money supporting professional development from the Maine College of Art.
Congratulations on receiving a grant from the Maine College of Art to support your professional development and future creative and career growth!
This report form helps us keep track of what you did with your grant money, what you learned, and whether your experience is something we should encourage other students to pursue.
ABOUT THE RESIDENCY: Artist Stephen Pace and his wife, Palmina, gave their home and studio overlooking Stonington Harbor to Maine College of Art & Design in 2007 to be used as an artist residency and gallery. We are pleased to be able to offer Maine College of Art & Design alumni, faculty, and staff residency opportunities during the spring and summer months at the Pace House. ELIGIBILITY: Open to degree-holding alumni, faculty, and staff members. Disciplines: visual artists, writers, scholars. Preference for one of the residencies will be given to painters, in accordance with Stephen Pace’s bequest. Preference will be given to artists who have not been awarded a residency at the Pace House in the past. Stipends of $1,000 will be awarded to mid-career artists at the discretion of the jury. Please note: we are in the process of scheduling building repairs which may impact the schedule and the number of residencies permitted for this cycle. Non graduated alums, SALT graduates, Post Baccalaureate graduates, Continuing Studies faculty and students are ineligible to apply. TEAM / GROUP RESIDENCY: Please use the Pace House Residency TEAM Application to apply as a group. FAMILY FRIENDLY: The Pace House Residency is a family-friendly program. The spouses, partners and children of selected artists are welcome for the full stay. The residency is also pet-friendly but does require a pet deposit. All other non-family members must apply as part of a team residency. APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS: Prepare the following information in advance of submitting your application. Incomplete applications will not be considered for review. Please upload online the following documents and images, not zipped, but individually uploaded. APPLICATION MATERIALS:
- One-page statement of purpose explaining why you want to attend this residency (PDF)
- Biography
- Resume / CV
- 10 Work Samples
- Image descriptions that correspond to your images which include title, medium, size and year of completion.
All submissions must have been completed within the last five years. All documents listed above should be saved as a Word document or a PDF. Late and incomplete proposals will not be accepted. Only online applications via Submittable will be accepted. TIMELINE: Deadline for applications is 11:59 EST on January 31, 2025. Notification of awards will be made in mid-April 2025. CONTACT: If you have any questions concerning the residency or requirements contact: Jenny McGee Dougherty '05, Associate Director of Artists at Work & Alumni Relations at jmcgee@meca.edu or 207.699.5018.
ABOUT THE RESIDENCY: Artist Stephen Pace and his wife, Palmina, gave their home and studio overlooking Stonington Harbor to Maine College of Art & Design in 2007 to be used as an artist residency and gallery. We are pleased to be able to offer Maine College of Art & Design alumni, faculty, and staff residency opportunities during the spring and summer months at the Pace House.
ELIGIBILITY: Open to degree-holding alumni, faculty, and staff members. Disciplines: visual artists, writers, scholars. Preference for one of the residencies will be given to painters, in accordance with Stephen Pace’s bequest. Preference will be given to artists who have not been awarded a residency at the Pace House in the past two years.
Non graduated alums, SALT graduates, Post Baccalaureate graduates, Continuing Studies faculty and students are ineligible to apply.
TEAM / GROUP RESIDENCY: If more than one person is applying for the residency, the group should select a lead contact person who is a MECA&D faculty member, staff member or an alum. The lead contact person should submit a single application, a combined statement of purpose for the entire group, and is responsible for including all group members’ documents (resume, work samples, etc) into the application.
FAMILY FRIENDLY: The Pace House Residency is a family-friendly program. The spouses, partners and children of selected artists are welcome for the full stay. The residency is also pet-friendly but does require a pet deposit. All other non-family members must apply as part of a team residency.
APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS: Prepare the following information in advance of submitting your application. Incomplete applications will not be considered for review. Please upload online the following documents and images, not zipped, but individually uploaded.
APPLICATION MATERIALS:
- One-page statement of purpose explaining why you want to attend this residency as a team or group
- Biographies for each artist
- Resume / CV for each artist
- Work Samples (20 for teams)
- Image descriptions that correspond to your images which include title, medium, size and year of completion.
All submissions must have been completed within the last five years. All documents listed above should be saved as a Word document or a PDF.
Late and incomplete proposals will not be accepted. Only online applications via Submittable will be accepted.
TIMELINE: Deadline for applications is 11:59 EST on January 31, 2025. Notification of awards will be made in mid-April 2025.
FOR MORE INFORMATION, visit Pace House Residency page on meca.edu
CONTACT: If you have any questions concerning the residency or requirements contact: Jenny McGee Dougherty '05, Associate Director of Artists at Work & Alumni Relations at jmcgee@meca.edu or 207.699.5018.