AWARDS & SCHOLARSHIPS
FUSION AWARDS & SCHOLARSHIPS 2023
Deadline for submissions: May 9, 2023
Award recipients will be contacted no later than May 21, 2023.
Recipients will be announced at the Gardiner Museum reception on May 31, 2023.
FUSION is pleased to announce its 2023 Awards and Scholarship program which recognizes the work of clay and glass artists at all stages of their growth and career.
Recipients may also be featured in FUSION Magazine.
The Awards program is open to current FUSION members (except complimentary students) on the date of submission. A current membership for 2023 is needed for all awards recipients.
FUSION Scholarships are open to all clay and glass artists. You do not need to be a FUSION member to apply to the scholarship program.
Honouring diversity, equity and inclusion, FUSION’s Awards and Scholarships program encourages applications from people of all cultures, regions across Ontario, racialized communities, abilities and diverse identities.
Last year, FUSION launched new awards to recognise Indigenous clay and glass artists and Arts Educators and Administrators who contribute to the clay and glass community through teaching and arts management.
The Awards and Scholarships are juried by a peer assessment committee.The jury will have the final decision as to how awards and scholarships are dispersed. In all cases, the decisions of the awards committee are final. The committee reserves the right not to give an award if, in its judgement, there are no suitable candidates.
The 2023 Jury Members are:
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Alison Brannen, Chair
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Judy Donaldson
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Siobhan Lynch
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Chris Snedden
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Donn Zver
To apply, please open the link and follow the guidelines associated with each individual award as they require different materials and statements.
FUSION Award for Clay or Glass Emerging/New Generation Artist
$1000
This award is open to clay and glass artists aged 18-30.
Recognizing excellence as a new generation artist, this award celebrates skill, originality, execution. The jury also requests a short statement on plans for the 2023-2024 year and how you will continue to grow as a new generation artist.
Applications must include:
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A current CV
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Artist statement
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A statement (250 words max.) about plans for artistic and personal growth in the coming year
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10 high quality images in .jpg format
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Please ensure you are between the ages of 18-30 on date of submission
FUSION Award for Established Clay or Glass Artist
$1000
This award is open to clay and glass artists with ten or more years of experience and honours artists who bring varied life experiences and skill development to their craft. Whether you graduated from an established academic program or learned through classes and workshops, this award honours all who have dedicated time to developing as a clay or glass artist. All work submitted must show skill, originality and execution.
Applications must include:
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A current CV
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Artist statement
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A statement (500 words max.) about your education in craft. Please also include information about your practice, inspiration and goals.
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10 high quality images in .jpg format
FUSION Award for Indigenous Artists
$500
Honouring diversity, inclusivity and equity, FUSION is offering an award to recognize Indigenous artists working in traditional or contemporary practices. This award is open to all clay and glass artists who self-identify as First Nations, Metis or Inuit.
Applications must include:
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A current CV
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Artist statement
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A statement (250 words max.) about your work and/or your commitment to Indigenous craft practice.
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10 high quality images of your work in .jpg format.
FUSION Award for Arts Educators and Administrators
$500
Guilds, schools, community arts organizations, arts councils, museums and studios - and anywhere clay or glass is taught, exhibited and opportunities to learn are created are invited to apply. Whether nominating a teacher, a dedicated administrator or both - this award honours the importance of those who create opportunities, inspire learning and dedicate themselves so others can grow.
Applications must include:
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A current CV
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For teachers: A statement (500 words max.) about your teaching philosophy and desired impact on students
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For administrators: A statement (500 words max.) about your purpose for organizing events, opportunities, workshops and exhibitions
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For both educators and administrators: A statement (500 words max.) on your teaching philosophy and goal for organizing opportunities in craft for clay and glass artists and the community.
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A one-page letter of support from a guild, centre, community group, place or person who has been positively impacted by your work as an arts educator and/or administrator.
FUSION Volunteer of the Year Award
FUSION is dedicated to celebrating the volunteer contributions. Each year, individuals who have shown outstanding service to FUSION are recognized. The Award consists of a magazine profile and certificate.
Nominees for the award may be proposed by FUSION Board members, guild executives or individual FUSION members.
Nomination applications must include:
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A letter from either a guild or individuals describing their rationale for proposing a volunteer for the award. Maximum length for nominations is two pages.
FUSION Scholarships for Continuing Education
(2 scholarships at $500 each)
FUSION’s Scholarships provide funding for clay and glass artists wishing to further their education. Workshops, summer courses, residencies, formal education programs through universities and colleges, travel assistance and research projects are eligible for funding consideration. The jury is asked to evaluate design excellence, skill and originality.
Applications must include:
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A current CV
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Artist statement
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A statement (250 words max.) describing how the educational program will advance their long-term artistic practice, the dissemination of their work, or their career development.
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10 high quality images of your work in .jpg format.
FUSION Student Awards through Sheridan College, Fleming College and Lakehead University in the amount of $1250 in 2023. The funds are administered by each educational institution.
John and Barbara Mather Award
Deadline for nominations to Craft Ontario: June 2, 2023
FUSION’s Board of Directors will also make annual nominations to the John and Barbara Mather Award which is administered by Craft Ontario to honour outstanding service to the craft community.
For more information, visit Craft Ontario here
How are FUSION’s Awards and Scholarships funded?
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Ontario Arts Endowment Fund
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Henry Goodman Awards Fund
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Scarborough Pottery Guild Fund
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Private and corporate donations
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Personal donations through FUSION’s Giving Tuesday campaign
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Proceeds from the Mug Sale and Raffle at FUSION’s Annual Conference
If you would like to create an award or contribute to an award, please reach out at fusion@clayandglass.on.ca
2022 FUSION Awards and Scholarship Recipients
The Mary Lou Gilchrist Award for Clay and Glass Artists:
$2000 JANE GARCIA
FUSION Award for Clay or Glass New Generation Artists:
$1000 -$500 to SAMI TSANG and
$500 to ZIHAO XIONG
FUSION Award for Clay or Glass Artists:
$1000 - HEIDI MCKENZIE
FUSION Award for Arts Educators and Administrators:
$500 - PAUL STEWART
FUSION Volunteer of the Year Award:
BARB BANFIELD
FUSION Scholarships for Continuing Education:
$500 each AMY BELL AND STEFANIE SMITH
FUSION also supports ceramic and glass students with yearly graduation awards at
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Sheridan’s Craft and Design Program
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Fleming College
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Lakehead University
2021-2022 Recipients
FUSION Technical Achievement: Sydni Weatherson (Glass) and Emma Kip (Ceramics)
FUSION Community Involvement Award: Heather Phillips (Glass) and Mads Christianson-Walker (Ceramics)
FUSION Award of Merit: Zeer Liu (Glass) and Yue Brook Xing (Ceramics)
2022 Craft Ontario recipient of the FUSION Award: Kim Ross
FUSION Design Awards
Provided to guilds and associations that are FUSION members, Design Awards are offered to their members for work entered into their adjudicated exhibitions to encourage excellence. The award consists of an Awards Certificate, admission to the FUSION Conference and a one-year FUSION membership. To submit an application, please complete this online form.
2022 Recipients
Rosemary Aicher -Waterloo Potters' Workshop
2021 Recipients
Monica Rosenthal - Ottawa Guild of Potters
Brenda Nieves - Toronto Potters