MAAP F.A.Q.s

Question: I know a master/apprentice who I’d really like to work with. Will you pair me with him/her when I apply?
Answer: We do not have the ability to pair artists with partners; however, a great way to find a potential partner is to look in the MAAP Registry (located on the TACA Website) to read profiles on other artists who have also expressed interest in participating. We encourage you to complete your own profile* which will be uploaded to the registry so that others can learn more about you and your artwork. If you see a profile you like, or if someone sees your profile and wants to learn more about you, every artist will have the ability to provide contact information for follow up communication.
Note: No prior working relationship with your mentor/apprentice is necessary, but you and your partner must agree to work with one another and apply for the apprenticeship together.

Question: Do the master and apprentice have to work in the same craft medium?
Answer: No, applicants may work in different craft categories. For instance, an apprentice in fiber may choose to work with a master in paper, thereby allowing the apprentice to incorporate papermaking skills into his/her fiber artwork upon completion of the apprenticeship.


Question: Do I have to be a TACA member to apply?
Answer: Applicants do not have to be TACA members to be eligible to participate.


Question: If I am selected to participate, what can I use the money for?
Answer: In general, funding may be used for a broad range of purposes, as long as an artist can show how it relates to furthering his/her craft and the apprenticeship; however, funding may not be used for: general operating expenses, hospitality or food costs, travel outside Tennessee or any scholarly research, curriculum development, enrollment in an arts-related degree program, book publication or exhibits of historical objects.


Question: I’ve never applied for an apprenticeship grant before and am a little intimidated by the process. What do I have to do to apply?
Answer: The application is four (4) pages long and includes three sections: questions for the master (part A), questions for the apprentice (part B) and developing an apprenticeship plan (part C). Proof of Tennessee residency, two (2) letters of recommendation and eight (8) images of artwork for both master and apprentice must accompany the completed application.

The majority of artists participating in previous MAAP programs had never applied for a grant before and reported that while the application took time to complete, it was very straightforward. Additional advice from previous applicants included:
•    Not waiting until the last minute to get started on an application. A lead time of 5-10 days is recommended to adequately complete an application. All applications must be postmarked by October 31, 2011 and no late applications will be accepted.
•    Not getting bogged down in specifics when completing the apprenticeship plan / part C of the application. Keeping the learning objectives broad gives the apprenticeship flexibility should the master and apprentice later decide to take a different direction.
•    Getting to know the master/apprentice you’ve chosen to apply with before completing the application. The mentorship runs almost seven months and a minimum of 80-120 hours. Allowing time to get to know one another before committing to a concentrated apprenticeship helps prevent possible incompatibility.


Question: How will I know if my application is chosen to receive funding?
Answer: A jury panel of three (3) experts in the craft field will score each application, with top scoring applications advancing to face-to-face interviews. If selected, masters and apprentices will be interviewed together. Interviews will take place in Nashville within two weeks of the application deadline. Award notifications will be mailed within two weeks of interviews.

*Participant Disclaimer: Submitting an artist profile does not imply or infer any commitment to participate in the TAC/TACA MasterArtistApprenticeProgram.