Silent Auction Raises Nearly $10,000 for ACRF

Attendees at the 23rd national Arts & Crafts Conference at the Grove Park Inn last month showed their support for the Arts & Crafts Research Fund by raising nearly $10,000 in the two-day Silent Auction. More than 60 items in the auction were donated by antiques dealers, craftsmen and craftswomen, and other Arts & Crafts collectors and businesses.

The non-profit Arts & Crafts Research Fund was formed in 2004 with the purpose of providing funds for individuals and organizations who are actively engaged in a research project of interest to Arts & Crafts collectors. Each year the Research Fund committee reviews applications as they are received and awards grants to those whom they feel are most relevant.

Grants typically range from $1500 to $3500. They often are used to cover travel expenses to a specific location, photography, imaging or duplication costs, or similar expenses.

Included in the list of former recipients are Rosalie Berberian (jewelry), David Cathers (Stickley textiles), Daniel Lees (leather), Lawrence Kreisman (Arts & Crafts in the Pacific Northwest), Marilee Boyd Meyers (Marblehead Pottery), Angela Mills (Alice Moore Hubbard), Kitty Turgeon (Roycroft Renaissance) and the Education Department of the Stickley Museum at Craftsman Farms.

Applicants for future grants need only to submit a written proposal discussing the importance of their project, their goal, and the present status of their research. They should also explain exactly how they would use the grant and should include a breakdown of the expenses they expect to incur in this aspect of their research. There is no deadline for applications, as the review committee considers each one as it is received.

Applications should be submitted to The Arts & Crafts Research Fund, %Bruce Johnson, 25 Upper Brush Creek Road, Fletcher, NC 28732 or via email to BJ1915@charter.net.