SAVE THE DATE
The 2023 Asparagus Valley Pottery Trail will be on April 28th-30th.
Early Career Fellowship for BIPOC Ceramic Artists
We are pleased to announce our inaugural Early Career Fellowship for BIPOC Ceramic Artists. The Fellowship has been established to support artists of color who are embarking on a career in functional ceramics.
We are a dedicated group of professional potters in Western Massachusetts. Every year since 2004 we have opened our studios to customers for the Asparagus Valley Pottery Trail, held on the last weekend of April. The Trail has continually grown in attendance and sales and has a forward momentum that we feel excited to share with the recipients of the Fellowship. We invite you to apply and experience the thriving pottery community and creative economy in Western MA.
Our customers and collectors travel from near and far to shop, learn, and explore the region. We mail our event brochure to over 10,000 homes and reach thousands through our email and social media campaigns. We feel confident about offering an excellent opportunity to an early career artist through this fellowship.
Recipients will join the 2023 Asparagus Valley Pottery Trail on April 28th-30th 2023 as guest potters at one of our host studios.
The 2023 Fellowship includes:
- Waived booth fee
- Up $300 travel stipend
- Optional lodging in the home of a pottery trail host
- Booth supplies/tables/display (if needed)
- Support with show logistics and planning (if needed)
Criteria for Selection
- The fellowship is open to BIPOC artists making functional ceramics
- Applicants must be in the first 5 years of their professional career
- Applicants can be based anywhere, but will need to arrange their own travel.
Application Process
The deadline to apply is October 15th 2022. There is no fee to apply. Applicants will be asked to submit the following information:
- IG/Website
- Personal statement (1-2 paragraphs) expressing why they are an appropriate candidate for the fellowship and the anticipated impact it would have on their career.
- 5 images of finished work
The Asparagus Valley Pottery Trail Is:
Molly
Cantor
James
Guggina
Tiffany
Hilton
Lucy
Fagella
Stephen
Earp
Donna
McGee
Mary
Barringer
Steve
Théberge
Molly
Cantor
Tiffany
Hilton
Mary
Barringer
Donna
McGee
James
Guggina
Lucy
Fagella
Stephen
Earp
Steve
Théberge
And more!
About The Trail
The annual Asparagus Valley Pottery Trail is a tour of eight studios with 20+ nationally recognized potters. Easily reached from Boston, Hartford, and the Albany area, the free, self-guided tour winds along the beautiful back roads and scenic historic towns of the Asparagus Valley, a local name for the upper Connecticut River valley of western Massachusetts. The Pottery Trail celebrates the rich agricultural history and cultural vitality of the area, as well as the longstanding connection between pottery and food.
Trail Passports
Win beautiful pottery! Grab a passport, have it stamped at all of the 8 studios, and you will have a chance to win a piece from one of the potters on the trail. That’s over 20 chances to win!
