2027 Craft Apprentice Program
Current Status: Open
Application Portal Opens: October 7, 2026
Deadline: December 4, 2026 at midnight
Program Period: March 1 through September 30, 2027
Mentor Honorarium: $5,000
Apprentice Honorarium: $3,000
Application Resources
Review the full program guidelines and application questions before beginning your application. We recommend preparing your responses and support materials in advance.
Program Overview
The Craft Apprentice Program (CAP) is offered through a partnership between the Maine Crafts Association, the Maine Arts Commission, and the League of New Hampshire Craftsmen.
The program supports 100 hours of one-on-one training over seven months between a mentor and apprentice. The learning experience is designed for apprentices who demonstrate a commitment to acquiring new skills, tools, and management habits while furthering their craft practice through a significant relationship with a mentor artist.
CAP celebrates the mentor-apprentice relationship as a way to generate creative entrepreneurship and support a sustainable and resilient craft sector in Maine and New Hampshire.
Program Objectives
- Provide makers with relevant and alternative educational experiences.
- Promote and facilitate craft as a viable career path.
- Foster deliberate mentoring.
- Facilitate professional development of emerging makers.
- Increase the pool of craft makers in the state.
- Provide makers with alternative means of professional funding.
- Develop and promote peer learning in the Maine craft community.
Partners & Funding
The Craft Apprentice Program was established in 2016 through a partnership between the Maine Crafts Association and the Maine Arts Commission. In 2023, the League of New Hampshire Craftsmen joined the partnership, expanding the program to serve craft artists in New Hampshire.
Watershed Center for the Ceramic Arts serves as an organizational partner and hosts the annual CAP Alumni Gathering and Capstone Exhibition, sponsored by Maine Home + Design Magazine and Kennebec Savings Bank.
The 2027 Craft Apprentice Program is funded by the Maxwell | Hanrahan Foundation and funded in part by a grant from the Maine Arts Commission, an independent state agency supported by the National Endowment for the Arts.
2027 Program Timeline
October 7, 2026: Applications open; Applicant Info Session, 12:00 to 1:00 p.m.
October 15, 2026: Applicant Info Session, 5:30 to 6:30 p.m.
December 4, 2026: Application deadline
January 5, 2027: Applicant notifications; finalists scheduled for interviews
January 13-14, 2027: Finalist interviews via Zoom; attendance required
January 15, 2027: Finalists notified of results
January 29, 2027: 2027 CAP participants announced
March 1, 2027: Apprenticeships begin
April 2027: CAP cohort introduction session via Zoom, date to be determined
June-July 2027: Mid-session studio visits, dates to be determined
September 30, 2027: Apprenticeships end
October 8, 2027: Alumni Gathering and Capstone Exhibition Opening at Watershed Center for the Ceramic Arts, Edgecomb, Maine
October 2027: Capstone Exhibition at Watershed Center for the Ceramic Arts, date to be determined
November 5, 2027: Capstone Exhibition Opening at League of New Hampshire Craftsmen, Concord, New Hampshire, 5:00 to 6:30 p.m.
November 2027: Capstone Exhibition at League of New Hampshire Craftsmen, date to be determined
Need a Mentor or Apprentice?
Applicants apply as a mentor-apprentice pair. Apprentices who need a mentor may search the prospective mentor artist database, and mentors interested in participating may register to be added to the database.
Applicant Information Sessions
Prospective applicants may attend either of two virtual information sessions:
- October 7, 2026: 12:00 to 1:00 p.m.
- October 15, 2026: 5:30 to 6:30 p.m.
Eligibility
The Craft Apprentice Program is intended to be a hands-on skill development experience for craft artists using appropriate equipment and tools.
- Participants must be at least 18 years old.
- Participants must be current residents of Maine or New Hampshire.
- Apprentices must demonstrate foundational skills in the medium they wish to pursue.
- The program supports artists working in craft media. Photography, painting, and drawing are not eligible craft media for this program.
Questions about eligibility or assistance with an application may be directed to Lizz Brown at the Maine Crafts Association at gro.stfarceniam@zzil or 717-372-1541.
Program Details
Honorariums
Both the mentor artist and apprentice receive honorariums supporting 100 hours of one-on-one training.
- Mentor Artist: $5,000 to support the mentor’s time, expertise, and transfer of specialized knowledge and skills.
- Apprentice: $3,000 to support the apprentice’s learning goals and future studio practice.
Of the apprentice’s $3,000:
- Up to $2,000 may be used for supplies, equipment, or software that directly supports the learning process.
- Up to $1,000 may be used for travel costs associated with the apprenticeship.
Apprentice funds may not be used for rent, ongoing existing overhead costs, or computer hardware.
Mentor-Apprentice Relationship
The majority of training takes place in the mentor artist’s studio, with occasional visits to other studios, workshops, events, exhibitions, or sites relevant to the apprentice’s goals.
Mentor and apprentice must be able to meet in person regularly. No more than 10% of instruction may be conducted remotely.
CAP provides a defined structure for the apprenticeship while allowing each pair to adapt the experience to best support the apprentice’s professional and creative goals. Each pair must submit interim and final reports documenting progress, accomplishments, and experience.
Capstone Exhibition & Alumni Network
The Capstone Exhibition and Alumni Gathering take place in October, celebrating completion of the program and showcasing new work created by the current cohort.
The annual alumni gathering provides an opportunity for current participants and alumni to share their experiences, maintain connections, and build professional networks through continued communication and exchange.
In November, the Capstone Exhibition travels to the League of New Hampshire Craftsmen Headquarters in Concord, New Hampshire.
Application Review
Applications are reviewed by a panel of Maine- or New Hampshire-based professionals. Finalist mentor-apprentice pairs participate in interviews before final awards are made to three or more joint applicants.
How to Apply
Mentors and apprentices apply together. Applicants must identify their mentor-apprentice partner before applying, although an existing working relationship is not required.
Before beginning the online application, review the application questions and prepare your written responses, proposed apprentice budget, and support materials. The 2027 Application Prep List provides the full list of questions and materials so both applicants can prepare and review responses in advance.
Applications are submitted through the Maine Cultural Access Portal via Submittable. If you used the former grant management system, you will need to create a new Submittable account. Submittable supports collaborative applications, allowing one member of the mentor-apprentice pair to begin the application and invite the other to participate through their own account.
Prepare Before You Apply
Applicants are encouraged to prepare their responses offline and review them together before entering information into the online application.
Support materials include:
- Five mentor work images with descriptions.
- Five apprentice work images with descriptions.
- Optional short bios for the mentor and apprentice.
Application Steps
- Visit the Maine Cultural Access Portal.
- Locate the Craft Apprentice Program and select Apply Now. Sign in or create a Submittable account when prompted.
- Review the 2027 Craft Apprentice Program Guidelines for full program details, applicant instructions, support-material requirements, and budget information.
- Complete the seven application sections: Overview Questions; Mentor Contact Information; Mentor Application Questions; Apprentice Contact Information; Apprentice Application Questions; Mentor & Apprentice Application Questions; and Apprenticeship Plan Goals.
- Upload ten work images, five from the mentor and five from the apprentice, and complete the description field for each image. Image files only; audio and video files are not accepted.
- Review your application carefully and submit it when complete. Once submitted, the application cannot be changed.
You may save your work and return to the application before submitting.
Questions or Application Assistance
For questions about eligibility or assistance with the Craft Apprentice Program application, contact Lizz Brown at the Maine Crafts Association at gro.stfarceniam@zzil or 717-372-1541.
Accessibility
Grant information is available in large print format by request.
If you require an alternate format or need assistance accessing the guidelines or application, please contact ADA Accessibility Coordinator Eli Cabañas by email at vog.eniam@sanabac.ile or by phone at 207-215-5872.
It is the policy of the Maine Arts Commission not to discriminate on the basis of disability. The Commission is dedicated to making our programs accessible and inclusive for people with disabilities and assisting individuals with disabilities in connecting with resources for access to the arts. All programs funded by the Maine Arts Commission must also be accessible.