Event Type

Maker Opportunities

Please browse our opportunities listings for the craft sector. This section includes news, opportunities, commissions, calls for makers, awards and funding opportunities.

To submit an opportunity to be listed on the website, please complete the submission form.

Click here for submission form.

Call for Submissions: Backstage Craft Special Issue for Decorating Dissidence

Calls for Makers26-May-2020 - 10-Jul-2020

Decorating Dissidence is an interdisciplinary project exploring the political, aesthetic & conceptual qualities of craft from modernism to the contemporary. The project brings together art practitioners, makers, curators, activists and academics to break down disciplinary boundaries and find new ways to critically engage with feminist art history.

Deadline: Friday, 10 July 2020.
Call for Expression of Interest: Belfast PEACE IV

Calls for Makers25-May-2020 - 01-Jun-2020

Creative Communities artist-in-residence project is part of Belfast’s PEACE IV Action Plan which is financed through the European Union and managed by the Special EU Programmes Body (SEUPB).
Creative Communities is an engaging and exciting creative arts and heritage programme taking place as part of Belfast’s PEACE IV Action Plan and aims to bring people together from all sections of the community to engage in a wide range of bespoke arts or heritage projects. Creative Communities has been working across 8 themes and areas of the city to co-design these projects with various groups and individuals, and are now at an important stage of the process in which they are ready to recruit Artists-In-Residence for some of these themes / areas.

Deadline: Monday, 1 June 2020.
Call for Applications: The Great British Sewing Bee S7

Calls for Makers11-May-2020 - 07-Jun-2020

Call for Applications: The Great British Sewing Bee S7
"We’re looking for the next collection of talented home sewers for the seventh series of The Great British Sewing Bee.

We hope that it will be safe to film The Great British Sewing Bee later in the year as planned and we are still encouraging applications. Filming will only take place when it is safe to do. We are closely monitoring the situation and following the advice of Public Health England. As a result, we may adjust how or when we carry out auditions. The safety and welfare of everyone involved in our productions is always paramount."

Deadline: 7 June 2020.
Call for Jewellers: Hand Medal Project

Calls for Makers11-May-2020 - 30-Oct-2020

Hand Medal Project

"As we witness how health professionals give their best to the community, risking their lives for us, we want to find a way to honour them. They should receive a medal, an offering given in gratitude and devotion. At some point this crisis will pass and there will be time to thank them for everything they did.

We intend to present as many healthcare workers as possible with a medal inspired by a traditional ex-vote to also mark that moment when we can glimpse the future."
UKNA City Takeover: Leicester 2021 Micro-Residencies

Calls for Makers12-May-2020 - 01-Jul-2020

UK New Artists is seeking up to 70 new artists from across the UK to takeover the city of Leicester for a long weekend.

Exhibitions, performance, music, writing and film will animate cultural spaces and unusual places, presenting the work of emerging practitioners at the leading edge of contemporary arts.

Deadline: 1 July 2020
UKNA City Takeover: Leicester 2021 Presentation

Calls for Makers12-May-2020 - 01-Jul-2020

UK New Artists is seeking up to 70 new artists from across the UK to takeover the city of Leicester for a long weekend.

Key Dates:

Applications open: Thursday 30 April
Deadline for Applications: Wednesday 1 July at 5pm
Selected artists notified by: Friday 28 August 2020
City Takeover: Friday 26 Feb - Monday 1 Mar 2021
Launch night for artists: Thursday 25 Feb
Call for Applications: Craft Council Nederland - HOW & WOW Linen

Calls for Makers20-Apr-2020 - 10-May-2020

Crafts Council Netherlands presents: HOW&WOW Linen

This is an open call for designer makers, museums, organisations and collectives to apply to be part of presentation during Dutch Design Week 2020. The aim of the presentation is to showcase surprising ways in which flax and linen can be seen. This will be showcased during Dutch Design Week 2020, depending on COVID-19 developments.

Deadline for proposals: Sunday, 10 May 2020.
ACNI Artists Emergency Programme

Funding & Grants27-Apr-2020 - 31-May-2020

The Arts Council has designed this programme to support individual artists, creative practitioners and performers.

This is a rolling programme.

Deadline for applications: Ongoing
Handmade Chelsea - Open Call for Makers and Artists

Calls for Makers03-Mar-2020 - 30-Apr-2020

Handmade Chelsea - Open Call for Makers and Artists
Deadline: Thursday, 30 April 2020.
Call for Applications: Rosy James Memorial Trust Award

Awards & Competitions16-Mar-2020 - 24-Apr-2020

This unique award is directed at makers steeped in practice using materials singly or in combination. Such materials might include fired clay or glass; fine or base metals; textiles using any kinds of applications; wood; plastics; paper or other materials not included in this list, where the emphasis is based upon the transformation of materials through the use of sustained practice towards a series of critical outcomes.

Deadline: Friday, 24 April 2020.
AUGUST CRAFT MONTH 2020

Calls for Makers23-Mar-2020 - 12-Jun-2020

At the time of writing, Northern Ireland’s festival of craft is due to return this August, funding permitting and public health permitting. While we can’t say with certainty that August Craft Month will go ahead, we hope that it will. If it does not, we will work with funders, makers and other stakeholders in the sector to develop alternative plans to promote and showcase craft at a regional level across Northern Ireland this year.

Deadline for event submissions: Friday, 12 June 2020.
Handmade in County Down Exhibition

Calls for Makers13-Mar-2020 - 01-May-2020

South Down Craft collective is seeking expressions of interest from County Down based artists and makers to submit work for an August Craft Month exhibition at Down Arts Centre titled ‘Handmade in County Down’

Deadline to apply: 1 May 2020
Future Makers Award

Calls for Makers10-Feb-2020 - 31-Mar-2020

Awarding makers, designers and craftspeople who will shape the future.

Future Makers is a Design & Crafts Council Ireland (DCCI) initiative. It offers a range of awards and supports to students and emerging makers. It is one of the largest prize-funded award programmes in Europe.

Deadline: Tuesday, 31 March 2020.
Celebrating 10 Years of the Armagh Craft Fair

Calls for Makers28-Feb-2020 - 20-Mar-2020

Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon Borough Council invite you to apply for participation in the 10^th annual Armagh Craft Fair 2020. Armagh Craft Fair also includes demonstrations, workshops, Food and Non-Craft Stands.

Date: Saturday, 23 May 2020, 10.30am – 5.00pm

The Palace Stables, Palace Demesne, Armagh

You may apply to take a stand as part of the Craft Fair, to provide a demonstration, workshop or all three. Craft and food produce should be handmade by the Artist/Designer/Maker or Craft Company.

Application deadline: by 5pm, Friday, 20 March 2020 by Post Only
Sell your products on our website - drop ship

Calls for Makers24-Feb-2020 - 10-Mar-2020

BOUT YEH is a popular online magazine celebrating people and places in Northern Ireland.
They are now looking for makers of arts and crafts products interested in selling their products on Bout Yeh - as listings on their online store and Social Media, as stories on their web site and Social Media, and promoted through ongoing photo and video posts in their Social Media, PR and marketing activities.
Theo Moorman Trust for Weavers

Funding & Grants15-Feb-2020 - 01-Mar-2020

Weavers living and working in the United Kingdom may apply. Whilst the Trust may fund some specialist weaving courses formal under-graduate and post-graduate studies will not be funded. Applicants need to have at least two and a half years working experience of their weaving independent of higher education (including post graduate courses) before applying. Applicants must be able to supply images of work done in the last two years.

Trustees make grants of between £500 and £5000 to weavers.

Application closing date: Sunday, 1 March 2020.
NDCG Open Call for Exhibition Proposals 2021-23

Calls for Makers10-Feb-2020 - 30-Mar-2020

National Design & Craft Gallery invite innovative, ambitious and engaging exhibition proposals from professional curators, practitioners, galleries, partners and museums. Established by the Design & Crafts Council Ireland in 2000, National Design & Craft Gallery is Ireland’s leading centre for contemporary craft and design.

Deadline: Monday, 30 March 2020.
Studios Available in East Belfast

Classifieds20-Jan-2020 - 10-Feb-2020

Sugary Studios in East Belfast have 2 studios available for rent from 1 February 2020.

Two private studios with sinks and 24hr access.

Studio rent includes bills and broadband.

1 medium/large studio £160

1 small studio £80

Please text Robyn on 07902952502 for a viewing.
ACNI Collection Acquisitions Open Submission Scheme

Calls for Makers20-Jan-2020 - 14-Feb-2020

This scheme gives artists an opportunity to submit details of an artwork for consideration to be purchased for the Arts Council of Northern Ireland Art Collection.

Arts Council of Northern Ireland recognises the importance of purchasing contemporary work as a vital support mechanism for artists.

Deadline: Friday, 14 February 2020, 4pm.
Call For Facilitators For The Bushmills Courthouse Creative Programme

Calls for Makers17-Jan-2020 - 31-Jan-2020

Enterprise Causeway wishes to receive Expressions of Interest from enthusiastic, freelance creative facilitators to join our workshop facilitator panel to deliver engaging arts and creative workshops.

Deadline: Friday, 31 January 2020
Call for Applications: Goldsmiths’ Fair 2020

Calls for Makers13-Jan-2020 - 27-Feb-2020

Are you an independent contemporary jeweller or silversmith with no more than six people at the bench?
Would you like the opportunity to present your collections to the most discerning buyers and collectors, at the most prestigious fine jewellery and contemporary silver Fair in the UK?

Applications for Goldsmiths’ Fair 2020 are now open!

Deadline: Thursday, 27 February, 12 noon.