Applications Now Open for QEST Grants 2025

QEST offers three grants to support makers and conservators at various career stages, strengthening the pipeline of talented craft professionals in the UK. We support contemporary and traditional craft, as well as the exploration of innovative techniques. We define craft as: the skilled making, by hand, of tangible objects, or the conservation/ restoration of such objects.

Since 1990, QEST has funded the training and education of almost 900 makers. Training can take many forms, from traditional college courses to vocational one-on-one tuition with a master craftsperson, or a bespoke programme of short courses. If you’re looking to develop your skills and have identified training that will enable you to advance your craft practice, then one of our grants may be for you. 

3 Type of Grants Available:

Scholarships

For mid-career to established craftspeople. The Scholarship offers grants between £3,000 and £18,000, plus a place on the Cockpit PDP. These grants support talented individuals to sustain vital skills through targeted training. Applicants should have a high level of skill, a strong body of work and be aiming to elevate their craft further.

Emerging Maker Grant

For early-stage craftspeople, the Emerging Maker Grants aims to develop the next generation of craftspeople, typically those practicing for 4 years or less. The grant provides between £3,000 and £10,000 for essential skills training. Applicants should demonstrate strong potential, a growing body of work and a commitment to progressing their craft. 

Apprenticeship

These grants help enable a hands-on collaboration between a skilled master and a talented apprentice looking to start a career in craft. Focused on the transfer of expertise through practical workplace learning, the apprenticeship offers funding of up to £12,000. The grant is designed to supplement the apprentices wage over the course of the training.