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, November 1, 2026
- 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 November 17, 2026. For those applicants who are not selected, there is an additional opportunity to apply for a scholarship directly from Haystack in January.
Maine College of Art & Design
The Above and Beyond Grant at MECA&D helps currently enrolled BFA, MFA, and MAT students access structured learning opportunities and experiences that take them above and beyond MECA&D's classrooms and facilities. By applying to this grant, students will learn basic skills in grant writing, budgeting, and formatting work samples while assembling proposals to fund activities such as conferences, workshops, or professional events. This grant does not support self-directed research or learning.
You will be asked to name the professionals who are involved in supervising this activity. Eligibility: For BFA applicants: students need a minimum GPA of 3.0 in the most recent semester. Freshmen, sophomores, and juniors must be enrolled for the upcoming semester to qualify. Funds cannot be used for:
+equipment
+ projects that do not have professional supervision + projects that are part of the curriculum + activities that earn academic credit + resources that are available at or through MECA&D + day-to-day creative practice expenses (rent, materials, marketing, etc.)
Requests are capped at $750.
Students may only receive this grant once. Review Criteria: Quality of proposed activity Quality of artwork Clear goals for how this relates to artists' professional development Timing:
For activities taking place before December 1, 2026. Grant Recipients: + All funds are contingent on prior pre-registration or anticipated graduation. Freshmen, sophomores, and juniors must be enrolled for the upcoming semester to qualify. + All grant recipients are required to provide a summary report within one month of completing the funded activity.
This form is only for use by students who applied for and received money supporting professional development from the Maine College of Art & Design.
Congratulations on receiving a grant from the Maine College of Art & Design 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.