The Alberta Craft Council is often called upon to answer inquiries about granting opportunities for the start up of a craft production business...

While there are no grants available, that we are aware of, to help finance the start up, or operation, of a craft business there are many grants, purchase awards, scholarships, bursaries and other monies available to assist craft artists to develop their technical and artistic skills. The two largest funding institutions available to Alberta craft artists are the Alberta Foundation for the Arts and the Canada Council. There are others available.

How to Maximize Your Chances for a Grant

(reprinted with permission from the Alberta Foundation for the Arts web site www.affta.ab.ca)
To access the AFA web site


1. Take your time filling out the application form.
2. Ensure that it is completed fully with the appropriate signatures.
3. Complete your application well in advance of the program deadline.
4. Proof-read and review all the information you plan to submit. While a flawless grant application may not greatly improve your chances of success, typographical and arithmetical errors can be costly.
Errors may be seen as carelessness by jurors.
4. Be clear and brief in your project description.
5. Provide only the information and documents required.
6. Try to introduce your project description with a one sentence summary, explaining the what, the how and the why.
7. Use plain language.
8. Your application will be photocopied. Do not include bound material, coloured paper, odd-sized pages or other materials that may not copy well.
9. Make sure your project is feasible.
10. Complete the checklist to be certain that you have provided everything needed.

Promotes public/private collecting of works of fibre and offers grants to organizations for exhibitions, scholarships, critical writing and projects dealing with contemporary fibre art.

Send a SASE for application and guidelines.
Contact: Friends of Fibre Art International, Box 468, Western Springs, IL 60558, USA.

Awards overseas scholarships to Canadian citizens for undergraduate or post graduate studies including crafts.

Send 20 slides of 20 original works.

Contact Awards Division, AUCC, 151 Slater Street, Ottawa, ON. K1P 5N1 Tel: 613-563-1236

Awards for porcelain sculpture totaling $25,000.

Contact Marcel Brandstat, President Goebel Canada, 1200 Carnforth Road. Toronto, ON, M4A 2K7

Alberta Craft Awards
Call for Nominations

The purpose of the Foundation is to aid artists in the early stages of their careers. Awards are limited to candidates working in the following: Painting, Drawing, Printmaking, Sculpture

Work must be representational. The Charter of the Foundation precludes the consideration of non-objective art.

Applicants must have started or completed art school training or must demonstrate, through past work and future plans, a commitment to making art a lifetime career.

Grant amount: CAN$12,500

Interested candidates please write, call or e-mail us:

The Elizabeth Greenshields Foundation
1814 Sherbrooke Street West, Suite 1
Montreal, Québec
H3H 1E4 CANADA
Tel: 514-937-9225
Fax: 514-937-0141
E-mail:
greenshields@bellnet.ca

The Marie Walsh Sharpe Art Foundation offers 14 free studio spaces in New York City - Manhattan. Visual artists 21 years and older are invited to submit proposals for work space. Studios are non-living spaces for the making of new works of art and will be available for up to one year.

For information contact: The Space Program, The Marie Walsh Sharpe Art Foundation, 711 North Tejon St., Ste B, Colerado Springs, CO USA 80903; (719) 635-3220.

The Canadian-Scandinavian Foundation's program includes scholarships and grants for studios, stays, and research in Scandinavian/Nordic countries.

For more information and an application form please contact: Canadian-Scandinavian Foundation c/o Dr. J Lundgren Geography Department McCill University 805 Sherbrooke West Montreal,QC H3A 2K6 Telephone: (514) 398 - 4304 Fax: (514) 398 - 7437

The Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade, Arts and Cultural Indusrty Branch has many programs and grants available to Canadians working in the arts and cultural industries to devlop internation markets and exposure for Canadain artists. For information visit their website here

Canadian Native Arts Foundation
Assists talented aboriginal artists with financial aid for education and training in the arts, including crafts.
Contact Canadian Native Arts Foundation, 70 Yorkville Ave., Suite 33A Toronto ON, M6R 1B9 Phone: 416-926-0775

Lillian Nunn Scholarships for persons over 50
The Lillian Nunn Scholarship provides no less than $300 per award, to assist recipients with expenses to further their art or art education through the University of Alberta's (Edmonton) Faculty of Extension. All recipients must be members of the Alberta Community Art Clubs Association.

Submission deadline is March 1 (annually).

For more info contact the Faculty of Extension, U of A, Room 4-46, University Extension Centre, 93 University Campus, Edmonton, AB T6G 2T4

Arts and Education Awards Available

The Ukrainian Resource and Development Centre (URDC) at Grant MacEwan College is calling for applications for six awards in the categories of writing, music, visual and Ukrainian folk art, Broadcast and Media arts, film/video and International initiatives in deaf studies.

The application deadline is November 30, 2006.

To receive application forms and further information, write to: Ukrainian Resource and Development Centre, Grant MacEwan College, P.O. Box 1796, Edmonton, Alberta, T5J 2P2 or phone (780) 497-4374; Fax (780) 497-4377.

The Alberta Craft Council is excited to present our Annual Alberta Craft Awards. We invite you to nominate someone who deserves to be recognized for their dedication to Alberta's fine craft culture, perhaps a colleague, a teacher, a friend, a craftsperson or even yourself.

The ACC Awards Annual Deadline is August 1st.

• Award of Honour
  For a volunteer / supporter / teacher / craftsperson (individual or group) who has made a significant contribution to Alberta's Fine Craft Culture
  
  
• Award of Achievement
  For an emerging craftsperson/student, in recognition of his/her achievement to date and /or potential (ACC members only)
  
  
• Award of Excellence
  For an established craftsperson who excels in his/her area of craft (ACC members only)
  
  
• Linda Stanier & Family Memorial Award
  Celebrating the life of Linda Stanier, an annual endowed award has been created to honour an Alberta professional craftsperson working in clay (Self nominations are acceptable for the Stanier Award)

• Click here for an Alberta Craft nomination form

• Click here for a Linda Stanier & Family Award nomination form

Alberta Foundation for the Arts
Project Grants for Individuals

Deadlines: February 15 and September 1 each year

AFA web site

Alberta Foundation for the Arts
10708 - 105 Avenue
Edmonton, AB
T5H 0A1
Reception: (780) 427-9968
Fax: (780) 422-9132

General Eligibility Criteria: Any established, emerging or student artist is eligible to apply

Applicants may only submit one application per deadline

This program encourages the artistic development of individual Albertan artists in any discipline through support for projects in one, or any combination of the following categories:
· Art Production: The creation of new works in any individual or combination of visual arts media. Visual arts media can include but are not restricted to: drawing, painting, sculpture, printmaking, clay, glass, wood, fibre oar any combination of theses. Projects of a commercial nature are not eligible.
· Training/Career Development: A workshop, master class, retreat, mentorship program, or professional course of study in the visual arts.
· Travel/Marketing: Travel/Marketing may include, but is not limited to: attending an exhibition opening; visual arts festival or workshop be invitation; and acceptance of award by invitation.
· Research: Research in support of any worthwhile project related to the visual arts in Alberta.

The maximum grant is $10,000 and may include up to $2,000 per month subsistence allowance

Alberta Foundation for the Arts
Art Acquisition

The Alberta Foundation for the Arts has an extensive collection of art work created by Alberta artists. They add to their collection twice a year making their purchases through slide submissions from individuals or organizations.

Deadlines:
· April 1 (only artist not currently represented in the AFA Collection are eligible for this deadline)
· October 1 (all Alberta artist are eligible for this date)

Other Grants and awards are available to Alberta artists and art organizations through the Alberta Foundation for the Arts. For complete information on all grants and award including application forms, either visit the AFA web site,

Alberta Foundation for the Arts
10708 - 105 Avenue
Edmonton, AB
T5H 0A1
Reception: (780) 427-9968
Fax: (780) 422-9132

Canada Council

The Canada Council for the Arts offers a broad range of grants and services to professional Canadian artists and arts organizations including grants for craft artists.

For information on Project Grants for craft artists, contact José Niaison, Visual Arts Section Officer, toll-free at 1-800-263-5588, ext. 5269, or (613) 566-4414, ext. 5269.

For more information on Travel Grants for craft artists, contact Shayla Morreau in the Visual Arts Section, at ext. 4082. The fax number is (613) 566-4332.
E-mail: jose.niaison@canadacouncil.ca
or shayla.morreau@canadacouncil.ca

Canada Council has other grants that may be of interest to you. For a complete listing of all grants available, application forms and eligibility requirements visit the Canada Council web site at: www.canadacouncil.ca

Alberta Scholarship Programs
Arts Graduate Scholarships - five awards of $5,000 each - and Arts Career Development Scholarships - up to $3,000 - now being administered by the Alberta Scholarship Programs, offer opportunities for academic or advanced study.

Deadline for Arts Graduate Scholarships:
February 1 for study in the following September. Transcripts and appraisals should be submitted by February 15.

Deadlines for Arts Career Development Scholarships:
March 15 and November 15

Application packages are available from: Alberta Scholarship Programs (780) 427-8640 www.alis.gov.ab.ca/scholarships