The Queen Elizabeth Scholarship Trust (QEST) awards scholarship and apprenticeship funding of up to £18,000 to talented and aspiring craftspeople working in a broad range of skills, from farriery and cheese maturing to jewellery design, silversmithing, dry stone walling, glassblowing, textiles and sculpture. Our next application round is open 11 January – 15 February 2021

QEST celebrates its 30th anniversary in 2020 and since 1990 has awarded nearly £5million to 600 individuals working in over 130 different crafts. We define craft broadly and welcome applications from all areas including rural skills, contemporary craft, conservation, luthiery and much more. A directory of all our alumni can be seen on our website, along with more details on how to apply. There are two application rounds each year – in January and July.

The Theo Moorman Trust for Weavers aim to encourage and support weavers in the United Kingdom to enjoy artistic freedom so that they may contribute to the development of handweaving and the education of future weavers.

Biennially they award grants to younger weavers in the early stages of their careers who show potential and commitment, as well as to more experienced weavers for a particular project or for time out to develop their work.

Those who have recently completed higher education need to have two years working experience before applying.

Grants are available to enable weavers to purchase equipment and materials; take a sabbatical to reassess the creative nature of their work; pursue a specific project; or develop in any other way approved by the Trustees.

Trust information
The Theo Moorman Trust for Weavers has been in existence since 1990 and aims to be a valuable resource for both young and experienced weavers. The Trustees want to ensure that the grants that are made enable individual weavers to maintain a high standard of work, and through this, to promote weaving as an art form.

Often a small grant can make all the difference at a key stage of development, by allowing time to think through ideas, train in a particular technique, or through the provision of a physical space or equipment. Short-listed applicants are interviewed, so that they can talk through their work in detail with Trustees.

Full details of the application process can be found on their grants page.

Grant details
Grants are awarded biennially.
The closing date for the next application is 1st March 2020.
Applications received after this date will not be considered.

Selection date: 9 March 2020 Interview date: 23 March 2020