About

The Belvedere Fund for Professional Development in the Field of Crafts at Maine College of Art was established in 2008 following the death of Deborah Pulliam of Castine, Maine.  Deborah was a lover of history, land preservation, animal welfare and the arts, and she supported many causes generously throughout her life.  Deborah was particularly devoted to needlework and functional crafts.  She led workshops on textiles and spinning and was a regular contributor to Piecework magazine, a needlework publication. She was pursuing a master's degree in material culture from the University of Maine at the time of her death.  The traditional crafts were a passion for Deborah, and, through this fund, she will continue her legacy of support for the next generation of craftspeople. Thanks to the Maine Community Foundation for its stewardship of Deborah’s legacy and for its support in establishing the Belvedere Fund.

Applications are now being accepted for the Belvedere Fund for Professional Development in the Field of Crafts at Maine College of Art. Alumni who hold a BFA degree and have graduated within the last ten years are eligible to apply.  Grants of up to $1,500 will be awarded through a competitive review process.

For the Winter 2009 awards, BFA graduates from the classes of 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, and 2009 are eligible.  Applicants must be working in the crafts field, including, but not limited to metalsmithing, jewelry, woodworking, furniture design, ceramics, or fiber arts.

All applicants must submit an application packet including a written request for funds detailing how the grant will be used to advance one’s professional career in the crafts.

Criteria

• Must have received a BFA degree from Maine College of Art within the last five years. Winter ’09 eligible graduating classes are 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008 and 2009.
• 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 practice; equipment or materials critical to grow/enhance professional practice; costs related to starting a business in a relevant craft field
• 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 use of funds within one year of receipt (no additional funds will be granted if reports are not completed).
• Must not have received a grant from this fund within the past 12 months.

Application Requirements

To be considered for review, application packets must include the following:

1. Completed Application form (please print and mail)
2. A written request for funds detailing how the grant will be used to advance one’s professional career in the crafts not to exceed two pages in length.
3. Resume
4. 10 digital images on CD:Only digital images will be reviewed for submission.  Format all images as jpegs with minimum dimensions of 600 x 800 pixels and a maximum of 1024 pixels per side, saved at a resolution of 72 dpi. Name digital images with the following format: yourlastname1.jpeg, yourlastname2.jpeg, etc. Do not include any spaces, dashes, or other symbols in the file name. All CDs must be labeled with the artist’s name. All works submitted must be completed within the last two years.
5. Image list with title, date, media, and physical dimensions.  Image list should    correspond to the image label number: yourlastname1.jpeg, title, media, dimensions.
6. Send completed application to: Maine College of Art, Alumni Office, Belvedere, 522 Congress Street, Portland, ME 04101

Deadlines

Application deadline is 5:00pm December 15, 2009. Late and incomplete proposals will not be accepted. Notification of awards will be made in January. 

Review Process

The Dean of the College chairs a review committee including two members of the BFA faculty, one member of the crafts community, one member of the Advancement office. Grant proposals will be reviewed on a competitive basis using the following criteria: artistic excellence, evidence that funds will advance professional development of the applicant, ability to use the funds appropriately.

For more information

Jill Dalton ’99 

Alumni Relations Coordinator

(207) 699-5018

jdalton@meca.edu