In partnership with the Maine Arts Commission & the League of New Hampshire Craftsmen, and with generous funding from the National Endowment for the Arts, the Maine Crafts Association offers the Craft Apprentice Program (CAP) – an opportunity for Maine & New Hampshire based mentor craft artists and apprentices to learn and create. A seven month program, a lifetime of connections.

The Craft Apprentice Program (CAP) lasts for seven months, March through September. Applicants apply jointly, providing clear, agreed upon goals, a basic plan for how goals will be achieved, and a proposed budget for the apprentice’s honorarium. Both must submit images of current work.

Eligibility
Eligibility requires participants to be at least eighteen years of age, current Maine or New Hampshire residents (or live within 10 miles of the state border), and apprentices must demonstrate foundational skills in the medium they wish to pursue. The program supports craft artists working in craft media, which does not include photography, painting or drawing. Please contact us if you are unsure if your media qualifies.

Selection Process
Applications are reviewed by a panel of Maine or New Hampshire professionals for a first round elimination. The panel also interviews the finalist pairs with awards given to three or more joint applicants.

Honorarium
Both mentor artist and apprentice receive honorariums based on a recommended one hundred hours of one-on-one training ($5,000 to the mentor, $3,000 to the apprentice). The honorarium for the mentor artist covers their time and transference of knowledge/expertise, while the apprentice’s funds are for supplies/equipment. Apprentice funds may be used on software to aid in the learning process, hardware is not an accepted use for funds.

Relationship
A majority of the training happens at the mentor artist’s studio. Occasionally they visit other studios or events of relevance to their goals. Although we provide a distinct structure for implementation, CAP also allows for adaptations as the pair sees fit to maximize the experience for each. MaineCAP requires that the pair submit interim and final reports.

Apply Here Deadline October 7th