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Maine Crafts Association Programs

The Maine Crafts Association offers workshops, events and programs designed to enhance appreciation of fine crafts, connect artists with one another and to support the advancement of individual artists’ studio and business practices.

Craft Apprentice Program (CAP)

The MCA in partnership with the Maine Arts Commission (MAC) offers a state-wide apprentice program for contemporary craft practitioners. CAP apprenticeships are paid, concentrated learning experiences for emerging craft artists who demonstrate a commitment to further their abilities as specialized craft practitioners. They accomplish this through a significant relationship with a mentor artist.
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Craft Classifieds

Source craft equipment, materials, rentals, gigs, displays, and more.
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Co-op Advertising Program

Several co-op advertising opportunities are offered to MCA members each year. The MCA negotiates low rates and passes the savings onto our members, our full page ads are featured in: DownEast, The Maine Studio & Gallery Guide, Portland Monthly Magazine, Maine Magazine and Maine Home & Design.
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Educational Workshop Series

The MCA’s Workshop Series connects Maine Craft Artists with one another and with other resources within our community. The series offers opportunities to learn something new, engage with other artists and, in for some workshops, spend time in a peer’s workspace. Workshops are open to member and non-member teachers and students.
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Exhibitions of Fine Craft

The Center for Maine Craft mounts multiple solo and group exhibitions throughout the year, promoting MCA member work and/or in collaboration with regional arts organizations and like-missioned Maine non-profits. Additionally, MCA collaborates with organizations and institutions to mount fine craft exhibitions featuring MCA members. More info

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Textile Artist Retreat

The 2023 Textile Artist Retreat is offered in partnership with Monson Arts. It is a four-day retreat for ten of Maine’s experienced and emerging textile artists to develop ideas for new work and build community. The retreat takes place on the Monson Arts campus, in Monson, Maine and with funding will continue in future years with a different media focus.

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Maine Craft Artist Awards

In 2009, the Maine Crafts Association began to honor individual Maine craft artists each year by awarding  recognition for a body of work that is exceptional. This award will confer the prestige and acknowledgement that comes with having the artist’s work achieve a distinguishing mark of excellence.
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Maine Craft Content Project

Through videos, photographs and podcast episodes Maine Crafts Association shares the stories of, and supports craft artists who represent diverse, talented, and skilled craftspeople living and working in Maine.  Each artist participant selects which type of content best suits their needs and is paired with a professional in the field to create the content at no cost to them. This project is funded by the Onion Foundation.
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Maine Craft Interview Project

The MCA Interview Project brings emerging craft artists together with established Maine craft artists in an interview led by the emerging artist.  The project serves to support and engage emerging artists by providing a platform and structure to access first hand craft career experiences one on one. The emerging artist designs interview questions and interviews an established artist of their choosing.
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Maine Craft Weekend

Maine Craft Weekend is an annual, statewide, celebration of craft presented by Maine Crafts Association in partnership with Maine Made, Maine Development Foundation, dedicated Featured Cities and hundreds of artists. This statewide tour features contemporary, traditional and homespun craft, as well as visual and performing arts, local specialty foods and beverages, artist talks, activities for all ages, craft demonstrations with opportunities for visitor participation and education, and live music with new and exciting additions every year as the program grows.
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Pollinators: Maine Craft Mentorship Program

The Pollinator program is designed to support craft artists at various career points (mentees) by connecting them with experienced peers (mentors) with expertise in the area of growth sought by the mentee. Through thoughtful and constructive feedback and sharing resources, the goal is for the mentor to have a positive influence on the professional growth of a mentee.

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STITCH: MAINE DESIGNERS ON THE RUNWAY

A FASHION FUNDRAISER BENEFITING THE MAINE CRAFTS ASSOCIATION

Please join us for an evening of style, celebrating Maine designers in a live runway show at Urban Farm Fermentory: mix and mingle with fellow supporters and followers of design,  art & craft, all in support of one of Maine’s essential non-profit arts organizations: the Maine Craft Association.

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Weekend Workshop @ Haystack

This four-day studio workshop takes place annually in May offering seven workshops to the public. The Weekend Workshop serves multiple purposes of engaging artists in growing and strengthening their skills, networking with other artists from across the state and around the nation, celebrating Maine’s significant craft heritage, honoring our Maine Craft Artist Awardees and hiring Maine craft artists as workshop instructors.
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Artists in Their Studios Photography Project

Artists in Their Studios is a photography project to document Maine fine craft artists in the spaces where they create. MCA Professional Members may apply  to be selected for one a photoshoot in their workspace. Subjects receive ten images for their unlimited use.

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This program has been expanded to be the Maine Craft Content Project as of 2021