AMCAW Grants & Awards Program
AMCAW developed this program to honor and recognize those who support the growth of our metal clay community. We are especially interested in supporting and encouraging those who help others advance their knowledge and skills as well as innovators who improve or create new products and methods available to metal clay artists everywhere.
The 2026 Grant and & Awards are open September 1 – October 15, 2026.
Grants & Awards of up to $500 are available in 4 categories:
Education and MultiMedia
Do you spread the word and connect others to metal clay? We’d like to reward you for that! Spreading the word can take many forms: posting metal clay videos online; producing a metal clay podcast or online exhibition; writing articles about metal clay for a newsletter or for a magazine; authoring a book or exhibition catalog. If you’re doing any of these, you are working to promote metal clay and help educate others. Therefore, you are eligible for this award.
Honoraria of up to $500 will be paid to selected applicants in 2026. This grant will be awarded to the most outstanding project. The selection process is not dependent on financial need.
Innovation in Metal Clay
Are you a tinkerer—improving and/or creating new tools, applications or methods? A mad scientist who loves experimenting with materials and processes? We want to encourage, recognize, and support innovators working to improve products and methods available to our community. This grant will be awarded to the most innovative project. The selection process is not dependent on financial need.
Honoraria of up to $500 will be paid to successful selected applicants in 2026.
AMCAW Event Assistance
AMCAW hosts an educational event every year. In odd-numbered years, we offer a virtual learning program, Metal Clay Live; in even-numbered years, we bring our community together in person for the SINTER conference.
To make these events as accessible as possible, we offer a limited number of registration fee waivers for artists for whom cost would otherwise be a barrier.
Mastery Modules
Are you ready to test your skills with metal clay and take on a structured creative challenge? The Mastery Modules program gives artists the opportunity to sharpen their technique, explore new materials and ways of working, and receive expert feedback on their projects.
Participants have a generous nine months to complete seven projects, with extensions available if needed. Those who finish receive public recognition: a Certificate of Accomplishment, a downloadable badge for social media and marketing materials, publication of their work in the Mastery Modules online gallery, and a feature in AMCAW’s monthly newsletter.
AMCAW wants to support our members as they strive to be the best artists they can be. This grant covers $500 toward registration for either the self-guided or guided Mastery Modules option.
For more information, visit the Mastery Modules website.
If you like the Grants & Awards Program as well as the work AMCAW does and would like to support us with a donation, please click here.