The Maine Craft Apprentice Program (CAP) spans 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, 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-based professionals for a fi rst round elimination. The panel also interviews the fi nalist 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 ($3,000 to the mentor, $1,500 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, MaineCAP also allows for adaptations as the pair sees fi t to maximize the experience for each. MaineCAP requires that the pair submit interim and fi nal reports.

Alumni Network

To promote sustainability, current participants and alumni are invited to convene annually to discuss outcomes of MaineCAP, as well as to develop networking and foster further mentoring.

Program Partnerships

The Maine Craft Apprentice Program was established in 2016 by the Maine Crafts Association in partnership with the Maine Arts Commission. The Maine Crafts Association manages the program with program logistics support and funding in part by a grant from the Maine Arts Commission, an independent state agency supported by the National Endowment for the Arts. The Craft Apprentice Program is also supported by other annual program partners, sponsors and foundations. In 2023, we began partnering with the League of New Hampshire Craftsmen to expand the program into our neighboring state, offering more opportunities for artists in New England.

Mentor Artists and apprentices apply together, you need to have paired up prior to applying for CAP. Review the application questions & support material, prepare your text and uploads, create a MAC login and complete the application online.

The application will be accepted though the Maine Arts Commission’s new grant system, Submittable. If you had an account on the old GMS site, you’ll need to create a new login (the two will later be linked). Additionally, the new system supports collaborative grants—one person starts the application and can invite the other to join and edit through their own account.

Once you have an account, find the Craft Apprentice Program in the grant list and follow the prompts to complete the forms, answer the questions and upload the support materials (images).

Detailed Intructions

1. Visit the Maine Arts Commission new grants and opportunities management system, the Cultural Access Portal via Submittable.
2. Locate the Craft Apprentice Program on the page and click the ‘APPLY NOW’ button. If you are not already logged in, it will prompt you to do so now.
3. Read the “Grant Guidelines” information at the top of the page for full details on the program, applicant instructions, support materials and budget.
4. Fill out sections 1-7, which will be laid out as follows:
   • Section 1: Overview Questions
   • Section 2: Mentor Contact Information
   • Section 3: Mentor Application Questions
   • Section 4: Apprentice Contact Information
   • Section 5: Apprentice Application Questions
   • Section 6: Both Mentor & Apprentice Application Questions
   • Section 7: Apprenticeship Plan Goals
   
   You can save your work at any time, and return at a later date to fi nish your application.
5. When uploading your support material (ten images: fi ve each for mentor & apprentice), please be sure to fi ll out the fi le description box for each. Image fi les only, no A/V files.
6. Finalize your answers, and when ready, hit “Submit”. At this point your submission is complete and you will not be able to make any changes to the application.

View and print this pdf with a list of the application questions. We recommend that you pre-write your answers so that you can quickly paste them into the application and have a back-up copy of your text, however, you can type directly into the form.

PDF Link: mainecap.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/CAP-Application-Prep-List-2026-1.pdf

For specific questions about the Maine Craft Apprenticeship

Lizz Brown, Program Manager of Maine Crafts Association

Email: gro.stfarceniam@zzil
Phone: 717-372-1541

Julie Horn, Assistant Director of the Maine Arts Commission

Email: vog.eniam@nroh.eiluJ
Phone: 207-287-2790

For specific questions about the New Hampshire Craft Apprenticeship

Miriam Carter, Executive Director of the League of NH Craftsmen

Email: gro.stfarchn@retracm
Phone: 603-224-3375 x119