Craft Scotland is delighted to invite emerging makers to apply for the Inches Carr Craft Bursaries 2025.
Craft Scotland is delighted to announce that applications are now open for the Inches Carr Craft Bursaries 2025.
Since 2022, Craft Scotland has been entrusted with stewardship of the esteemed Inches Carr Craft Bursaries. Learn more about the history of the bursaries including Deirdre Inches and her husband Malcolm Carr whom the awards were established to commemorate. You can also discover the impact they have had on makers' practice in our article by Amanda Game.
There are two types of Bursary available: Emerging Maker (less than 5 years of practice) and Established Maker (over 5 years of practice).
About the Emerging Maker Bursary
The Inches Carr Craft Bursary: Emerging Maker focuses on makers who are looking to continue advancement in the field of contemporary craft.
Activity may include:
- Innovative investigation of processes and materials
- Exploration of aspects of developing a sustainable practice
- Development of work with the potential for commercial application
- An apprenticeship or mentoring arrangement
- Further learning in the field of contemporary craft (not including formal college or university diploma or degree courses)
Please note this is not an exhaustive list. We are keen to hear from you about areas you have identified for your development. Any of these activities may be undertaken in the UK or abroad.
There will be four bursaries awarded in 2025. Each Emerging Maker Bursary is for an amount of £2,000.
Emerging makers are defined as those living and working in Scotland, who have been practicing professionally for between one and five years.
Application Pack & Guidance
Full information about the programme, maker profile, and eligibility is available in the Application Pack & Guidance. We recommend reading through the information provided before applying.
>>> Download the Application Pack & Guidance (Opens PDF)
Alternative formats: Application Pack & Guidance
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Download a simplified version for screen readers (Downloads a Word document)
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Download a large font version (Downloads a Word document)
Who should apply?
The Emerging Maker Bursaries are open to professional, practicing makers living and working in Scotland who have been in business between one and five years. You should be producing one-off pieces or small batch production of handmade objects. You may be:
- A self-taught maker or one who has come to the profession via informal education routes (community education, evening classes etc.)
- A formally trained maker
- A maker moving into a craft profession later in life, or as a second career
- A maker who is now looking for ways to develop a new or relatively new craft business
For the Inches Carr Craft Bursaries, we are looking for Scotland-based makers who produce works of contemporary craft and:
- Can demonstrate an in-depth knowledge of materials, excellence in making (process and skill), and an artistic vision
- Work within the craft disciplines that Craft Scotland support.
How to apply
Applicants should apply through the Craft Scotland online application form.
Equal Opportunities & Access
We are committed to equality and opposed to all forms of unfair discrimination. We welcome applications from those underrepresented in the craft sector; including those who may be:
- Black, Asian, Mixed Heritage and/or a Person of Colour
- Have experience of displacement, such as refugees and asylum seekers
- Come from a disadvantaged socio-economic background
- Identify as d/Deaf or living with a disability
- Identify as neurodivergent
- Identify as LGBTQIA+
- Have grown up in the care system
- Experience of being carers
- Are Gaelic or Scots speakers or do not speak English as a primary language
- Live in geographic locations which may inhibit opportunities for engagement
We welcome applicants from all backgrounds. For the Inches Carr Craft Bursaries, we will employ score weighting during the selection process for applicants who identify in the above groups and meet the maker and eligibility criteria.
Where required, we can offer non-financial access support to bursary awardees to enable them to take their projects through to completion. This strand of work is part of Craft Scotland’s Equalities, Diversity and Inclusion Policy.
Support with your application
Please do get in touch, if you are interested in this opportunity but feel there are barriers limiting your ability to apply. Examples include, but are not limited to:
- Accessibility
- Travel
- Slow internet
This application form is available in large and word formats, and we are happy to accept video applications.
Please get in touch if you require any assistance to complete your application. We can offer scribing, if you would prefer to share your answers with a member of the team who can fill out the form on your behalf.
Please contact us by 12 noon Monday 1 September 2025 to allow us time to assist you in advance of the closing date.
We are happy to answer any questions you might have about your application.
Contact the team via email programmes@craftscotland.org.
Deadline for applications is 5pm, Thursday 25 September 2025.
Applicants will be notified of the outcome of their application in mid-December 2025.
