Organizer Information
TextileSeekers is a creative organization and community platform dedicated to connecting contemporary makers, artists, and researchers with global textile traditions and craftsmanship. TextileSeekers focuses on textile heritage, material culture, and sustainable craft practices, encouraging cross-cultural exchange through immersive craft experiences and collaborative projects. The Craft Fellowship Awards—in its fourth year—are part of TextileSeekers’ ongoing mission to celebrate ancestral knowledge, connect designers with indigenous textile communities, and support thoughtful creative exploration rooted in material and cultural understanding.
Title & Description
TextileSeekers Craft Fellowship Awards 2026
The TextileSeekers Craft Fellowship Awards 2026 offer an immersive creative opportunity for one passionate maker, artist, or designer to embark on a 6-day immersive journey in Mai Chau, Vietnam. The fellowship is designed to support work that engages with heritage craft practices, material storytelling, and cultural collaboration—inviting applicants to conceptualize and co-create an original object in close conversation with local artisans and indigenous communities.
In its 2026 edition, the program focuses on deepening creative engagement with textile traditions such as natural dyeing, backstrap weaving, embroidery, and batik, encouraging exploration of both traditional techniques and contemporary interpretations. The selected Fellow will work directly with women artisans, merging conceptual innovation with respect for ancestral knowledge.
Categories
- Craft
- Textile Art
- Design
- Material Culture
- Cultural Exchange
- Sustainable Practice
Eligibility
- Open to individuals from all backgrounds and nationalities (no formal craft or design experience is strictly required).
- Ideal for artists, designers, makers, researchers, and creatives with an interest in material culture, cultural heritage, and craft collaboration.
- Applicants must be willing to travel to Vietnam and engage thoughtfully within local communities.
- Only paid subscribers to the TextileSeekers Substack are eligible to apply (application access is gained via a subscriber-only link).
Program Benefits & Awards
The Fellowship Award includes:
- 6-day immersive craft experience in Mai Chau, Vietnam with local artisans and makers.
- Hands-on workshops in traditional textile techniques such as natural dyeing, weaving, batik, and embroidery.
- Accommodation (including nights at a boutique hotel in Hanoi and at a rural lodge/resort near Mai Chau).
- Ground transportation (private, air-conditioned transfer from Hanoi to Mai Chau and village visits).
- Networking and engagement with local peers, craft practitioners, and creative consultants.
- Creative consulting and support from the TextileSeekers founder and on-site mentor.
Note: Travel to/from Vietnam and additional meals not explicitly covered in the program are typically the responsibility of the participant.
Application Fee
None
Application Requirements
To apply, candidates must submit (via form accessible through the subscription page):
- A concept proposal outlining the idea for the object to be created (max. 500 words).
- A visual moodboard, sketch, or reference images illustrating the concept.
- A CV or portfolio with relevant work or experience.
- (Optional) Notes on specific materials or communities of interest.
Only applications submitted with the same email address used for the paid Substack subscription will be considered.
How to Apply?
Online Application
Key Dates
- Application Deadline: 17 November 2026
- Program/Travel Dates: March 10–15, 2027
Location
Mai Chau, Vietnam
Additional Details
- The TextileSeekers Craft Fellowship Awards emphasize cross-cultural exchange, community engagement, and thoughtful creative practice rather than competitive artistic distinction alone.
- The fellowship celebrates ancestral and Indigenous textile traditions, prioritizing respectful collaboration with local women artisans and craft communities.
- Fellows are expected to engage deeply with material culture and sustainable craft methods, producing an object that reflects story, place, and material transformation.
- The fellowship can incorporate a wide range of creative outputs—sculptural, functional, wearable, or purely expressive—so long as it is conceptually grounded and respectful of cultural contexts.