MINNEAPOLIS (May 12, 2009) — The American Craft Council announced today a call for nominations for student scholarships to attend its 2009 conference, “Creating a New Craft Culture,” to be held October 15-17 in Minneapolis.
Students at both the graduate and undergraduate level of study are invited and encouraged to apply for scholarships. All applicants must be nominated by a current faculty member or administrator at their current place of study. Additionally, students will be asked to submit a brief (no more than 500 words) essay, outlining their basic reasons for wanting scholarship support to attend the conference.

A committee will select both local and national scholarship recipients. The Council will underwrite all conference registration fees and hotel stay expenses (three nights) for the awardees.  Scholarship recipients are expected to cover their own costs of travel to and from Minneapolis . The deadline for scholarship applications is June 1 and recipients will be notified by June 29. 

The three-day conference will bring together dynamic voices from the field and beyond to discuss craft’s changing role and will feature keynote presentations, interactive panels and sessions. The star-studded line-up of presenters include Dr. Richard Sennett, professor of sociology at New York University and the London School of Economics, and author of The Craftsman; Rob Walker, columnist for the New York Times Magazine and author of Buying In: The Secret Dialogue Between What We Buy and Who We Are; and Garth Clark, esteemed curator, scholar, historian and gallerist.

“The Council has a strong history of giving emerging makers opportunities to bring their work to the marketplace and platforms for engaging in ongoing dialogue about the future of craft,” said Monica Hampton, director of education, American Craft Council. “In continuing this tradition, we’re pleased to offer student scholarships to our 2009 conference.”

For additional details including how to apply and the criteria for student scholarships, as well as conference details and registration, please visit http://www.craftcouncil.org/conference09