2027 Craft Apprentice Program
2027 Craft Apprentice Program supports Maine and New Hampshire mentor-apprentice pairs with individualized craft training and professional development to advance makers’ skills and careers.
Funder: Maine Arts Commission
Due Dates: December 4, 2026 at midnight (Application) | January 13–14, 2027 (Required finalist interviews)
Funding Amounts: $5,000 mentor honorarium and $3,000 apprentice honorarium for seven months of training
Summary: Supports Maine and New Hampshire craft mentor-apprentice pairs through 100 hours of individualized training and professional development.
Key Information: Apply with an identified partner; both participants must be current Maine or New Hampshire residents aged 18 or older.
Description
The Craft Apprentice Program is offered by the Maine Crafts Association in partnership with the Maine Arts Commission and the League of New Hampshire Craftsmen. It supports 100 hours of one-on-one training over seven months, helping apprentices develop skills, learn new tools and management habits, and advance their craft practice through a sustained relationship with a mentor artist.
The program promotes craft as a viable career path, deliberate mentoring, emerging makers’ professional development, and peer learning. Most instruction takes place in the mentor’s studio, with each pair adapting the experience to the apprentice’s creative and professional goals. A capstone exhibition showcases new work, while an annual alumni gathering supports continued exchange and professional connections. The program aims to encourage creative entrepreneurship and strengthen a sustainable, resilient craft sector in Maine and New Hampshire.
