Belvedere Fund

2021 Applications are now open. The deadline for the 2021 Belvedere Grant Application is 11:59PM EST on February 28, 2021. Notification of awards will be made in mid-April 2021.

Apply now!

• Applicants must be working in the crafts field, including, but not limited to metalsmithing, jewelry, woodworking, furniture design, ceramics, or fiber arts.
• Must have received a BFA degree from Maine College of Art & Design within the last ten years. Eligible graduating classes are 2011–2020.
• Must not have received a grant from this fund within the past 12 months.

Non graduated alums, SALT graduates, Post Baccalaureate graduates, MFA graduates, MAT graduates, Continuing Studies faculty and students are ineligible to apply. 

Acceptable use of funds include, but are not limited to: travel and fees associated with professional conferences; tuition or travel funds related to residencies or other educational opportunities to enhance professional and studio practice; equipment or materials critical to grow/enhance professional practice; costs related to starting a business in a relevant craft field.

Professional Practice: Booth/ Application fees for regional and national shows, crafts association membership fees, webinar fees, related popup or exhibition expenses (vinyl, design costs, custom displays), business development and entrepreneurial consulting.

Studio Practice: Attending a conference, workshops, intensive, and/ or residencies. Acquiring new tools or equipment, or for materials for a specific project that will grow the artist's practice/career.

The most important determining factor for the grant is a demonstration of how the grant will help facilitate professional growth.

In general, grant funds will not cover operating expenses such as rent/lease, utilities, or other routine expenses, or tuition to a degree-granting program.

Grant must be spent within 12 months of receipt of funds.

Must provide documentation of expenses and a written summary of the use of funds within one year of receipt (no additional funds will be granted if reports are not completed).

Application Deadline

2021 Applications will open January 1, 2021. The deadline for the 2021 Belvedere Grant Application is 11:59PM EST on February 28, 2021. Notification of awards will be made in mid-April 2021.

Review Process

A committee consisting of the Dean of the College, two members of the BFA faculty, one member of the crafts community, and one member of the Advancement office will review the applications.

Grant proposals will be reviewed on a competitive basis using the following criteria: artistic excellence, evidence that funds will advance the professional development of the applicant, ability to use the funds appropriately.

Jordan Carey ’19: funding to purchase a large-format color printer for printing custom fabrics
Aaron Patrick Decker ’12: funding to purchase a jeweler’s microscope for small-scale, detailed enamel work
Tim DeMuth ’17: funding to to purchase a mortising tool to expedite and improve his woodworking practice.
Kincaid Pearson ’19: funding to purchase a tufting gun to fabricate his rug designs
Naomi Russo ’19: funding to to purchase a mortising tool to expedite and improve her woodworking practice.
Sam Thompson ’13: funding to purchase a new kiln.

Addison de Lisle ’11: funding for a bandsaw to upgrade his metalsmithing studio
Peter Dore ’17: funding fo to purchase the 3D rendering software, Keynote which he uses to create prototypes and proposals for his design and fabrication studio, Boothby
Bryan Hansen ’18: funding to purchase a sandsaw and a belt grinder upgrade his metalsmithing studio
Matthias Rand ’12: funding to purchase a new workbench for his studio

Emily Rogstad ’13: For upgrading ventilation in her metalsmithing studio
Melinda Aste ’17: For the purchase of a desktop CNC system to accelerate her product experimentation with woodworking

• Danielle Gerber '12: For the purchase of a jewelry bench.
• Shelby Goldsmith '14: For studio ventilation.
• Seth Gould '09: For video production documentation.
• Miles Spadone '13: For purchasing an upgraded kiln to increase production.

• Patrick Aaron Decker '12: funding to purchase an enameling kiln.
• Hannah Merchant '13: funding to purchase a dust collector for a woodshop.
• Matthias Rand '12: funding to purchase a leather rotary punch.
• Nathan Willever '11: funding to purchase a pugmill for mixing clay

• Ren Albon ‘14 funding for tools to help set a woodshop
• A. Rose Allard ‘14 funding to help purchase a knitting machine
• Adam Bogosian ‘08 funding for bricks to complete a kiln
• Chloe Darke ‘11 funding to help to purchase a kiln
• Emily Diaz Norton ‘07 funding to help to purchase a kiln
• Forest Gagne ‘14 funding for an assortment of woodworking tools
• Ella Sevy ‘14 funding for tools for weaving

• Adam Chau '10 Funding to help support the purchase of a CNC machine for both prototyping and producing designed objects, with the intention to merge digital technology with traditional craft into discursive objects.
• Maisie Broome '08 Fundin to help put her designs into production and feed her growing demand.
• Andrew Haviland '12 Funding to help support the creation of inventory to apply to shows and meet growing product demand.
• John Huckins '08 Funding to purchase a blacksmith forge
• James Mitchmeyer '03 Funding to help support the purchase of a desktop CNC machine.
• Natalie Squillante '09 MAT '10 Funding to help develop her work as a ceramicist through Anagama style firing. The funds requested will help support kiln firing, material, and travel costs.
• Allen West '10 Funding to design and create a full series of wool garments.

• Eric Drzewianowski ’04 of Portland, Maine
  Funding to help purchase a Kwikprint Hot Stamping Machine to help diversify his bookbinding business. $1,000
• Nikki Farrand ‘11 of Richmond, Virginia
  Funding to purchase an Ashford table loom. $775
• Jack Mauch ‘06 of Tamworth, New Hampshire
  Funding to accompany metalsmith Hiroko Yamada on a two-week trip to Japan to study traditional Japanese crafts, especially metalwork. $1,000
• Matthias Rand ‘12 of Portland, Maine
  Funding to help purchase a Consew 206RB-5 industrial sewing machine to increase productivity for his business, Rand Leather. $1,000
• Nathan Willever ‘11 of Damariscotta, Maine
  Funds to help purchase a test kiln for experimentation with new ceramic techniques and glazes. $600
• Sarah Yakawonis ‘09 of Portland, Maine
  Funding for a year’s subscription to Adobe Creative Cloud to support her innovations in the obscure craft of quilling. $600

• Alex Asplund ’11 of Portland, ME
  For the purchase of woodworking hand tools in order to broaden the spectrum of his work.
• Addison de Lisle ’11 of Nobleboro, ME
  For the purchase of a coal forge for the purpose of learning traditional forge-welding and a swage block to facilitate more efficient production of marketable goods.
• Jordan Gehman ’06 of Oakland, CA
  For travel expenses to the Furniture Society conference at MECA&D and for studio equipment development.
• Seth Gould ’09 of Penland, NC
  To develop the hammers he makes into a higher caliber of tool. He will make ten hammers and send them to ten working metalsmiths with the requirement that he receives feedback about how they function.
  Erika Naigle ’11 of Portland, ME
  For the purchase of a clay mixer to further her professional ceramics studio.
• Daria Norvlaan ’05 of Damariscotta, ME
  To supplement capital needed for the production of her spring/summer 2012 clothing line.
• Molly Vogel ’09 of Portland, ME
  To purchase enameling equipment that will aid in the creation of a new body of work. This work will become her post-baccalaureate portfolio that she will use to apply to the Philadelphia Museum of Art Craft Show.
• Sarah Wilson ’07 of Syracuse, NY
  To assist with the cost of travel to an artist residency in Jingdezhen, China for professional research and development.

• Olan Boardman ’01
  $1,400 to purchase equipment to create hand-printed decorative fabrics for home goods and upholstery.
• Benjamin Carpenter ’01
  $1500 to purchase a new welder for metalsmithing and fabrication business.
• Tanya Casteel ’06
  $1000 for materials to create a professional craft show booth display.
• Kaitlin Duggan ’07
  $1500 to purchase a computerized kiln for a growing ceramics business.
• Ted Lott ’05
  $1252 to purchase a band saw and dust collector for his woodworking studio.
• Mali Mrozinski ’04
  $500 to support her residency in the textile and fashion program at the Quimby Colony in Portland.

Cat Bates ‘09
Medium: Jewelry
Purchase tools and materials to produce a new body of work. $1050.

Vivian Beer ‘00
Medium: Metal/ Furniture
Build or purchase a 50-100 ton hydraulic press. $1500.

Nina Petrochko ‘08
Medium: Sculpture
A collaborative sculpture design combines traditional Russian tutu design and fine woodworking to create a line of tutu tables. $1250.

Hope Rovelto ‘01
Medium: Ceramics
Funding to purchase a digital camera. $905.

Farrell Ruppert ‘00
Medium: Blacksmithing
Advance studio space for the instruction of youths through the purchase of a gas forge. $1000.

Patti Sandberg
Medium: Ceramics
Funding for expenses to attend the 2010 ceramics conference (NCECA) in Philadelphia. $500.