AWARDS & SCHOLARSHIPS | FUSION I The Ontario Clay and Glass Association

FUSION
SCHOLARSHIPS

Image: Vanesa Trillia

FUSION offers scholarships for clay and glass artists, providing meaningful support to the creative community. Support may include workshops, courses, formal education, travel, research, or materials and tools.

2026 Scholarship Applications

FUSION Scholarships

Scholarships range from $200–$600

FUSION Scholarships support clay or glass artists wishing to further their education and offer support where it is most needed. Workshops, residencies, courses, formal education programs through universities and colleges, travel assistance, studio purchases and research projects may be included for consideration.

Ann Allen Memorial Scholarships

2 Scholarships Available | $500 Each

This year, FUSION is pleased to offer two Ann Allen Memorial Scholarships, awarded to artists who demonstrate a strong commitment to community engagement and volunteerism.

Ann Allen was a dedicated board member, guild volunteer, and valued presence within the clay community. In her honour, two scholarships of $500 each are offered to individual artists or collectives who carry that same spirit forward. These awards recognize community dedication and grassroots engagement, celebrating those who bring people together through art. Funds may be used to:

Purchase supplies for a community program
Pay artist fees
Support initiatives that make the arts more accessible
Advance projects that foster community connection through creative practice

With thanks to Salina Szechtman, whose generous contribution makes these scholarships possible—and to Ann, for showing us what it means to belong to a community and give so much back.

Susan Low-Beer Student Scholarship

1 Scholarship Available | $300

Supported by Susan Low-Beer, this $300 scholarship recognizes a student enrolled in a full-time arts program working in clay or glass and demonstrating dedication to their artistic development.

Deadline to apply: September 30, 2026 by 5:00 p.m.

APPLY

2025

Scholarship Recipients

Miles Clarke

"As a racialized and trans maker, I rarely see people like me centered in the ceramic world. That absence pushes me to make work that is rooted in care, resistance, and visibility. I want to make space in ceramics for people like me. Not only by being present, but by expanding what gets seen, valued, and remembered. With support from FUSION, I will be able to lower the financial burden of my tuition at Sheridan, afford tools and supplies and invest in building a strong portfolio, refining my process, and laying the groundwork for a public-facing, sustainable career."

Carson Teal

"This FUSION scholarship will support the development of new experimental glass works for an upcoming exhibition. I’m eager to expand my practice into more kiln-formed glass techniques. This scholarship will allow me to explore these methods in greater depth - integrating new possibilities into my work. The FUSION scholarship will help with material costs and allow me to experiment freely. This creative freedom is crucial to innovation in my practice - enabling me to take risks, make discoveries, and develop new visual languages that bridge craft, fine art, and animation."

Kate Welsh

"The FUSION Scholarship will help support my continued development as a ceramic artist by funding future coursework that expands my technical skills and creative approach. The funding will go toward opportunities to encourage experimentation and push the boundaries of my current practice. This support allows me to continue refining my art and deepening my understanding of clay as both a functional and expressive medium."

Erin Merkley

"I am a student at Sheridan and am entering my graduating year as a ceramics major. My goal is to pour my time and energy into my last year with access to the exceptional facilities and resources at Sheridan. Receiving the FUSION scholarship will relieve me of some financial stress and enable me to have invaluable time in the studio, further researching materials and methods of working rather than taking on extra hours of part-time jobs to compete with the rising cost of living."

Kaley Flowers

"I have been experimenting with integrating both glass and digital image-transfer techniques on ceramics. The FUSION scholarship will allow me a focused period of testing in both areas, providing resources to refine these techniques and integrate them into my work. This research will directly support my forthcoming exhibition in Hong Kong. Beyond this project, the knowledge gained will deepen my material vocabulary and expand how ceramics can operate in dialogue with technology, as a site where digital processes, surface experimentation, and traditional craft converge."

Laura Wagner

"Balancing a career in banking with my passion for art provides a unique dichotomy in my life. The structured, precise world of finance contrasts sharply with the boundless realm of creative expression. This duality fuels my artistic practice, allowing me to channel the rigidity of my day job into a liberating exploration of form and concept. In the studio, I am free to dismantle the constraints of my professional environment. This FUSION Scholarship will help to fund a 3-day workshop with ceramic artist Alberto Bustos to expand into new techniques."

Tanya Besedina

"This FUSION Scholarship will be used to repair my kiln, which urgently needs an element replacement. Without this repair, I cannot complete my upcoming large-scale porcelain tree installation for the Mississauga Festival of Trees in December 2025. The project is confirmed, designed, and scheduled. Production is currently halted because the kiln is not functional. This scholarship would directly fund the repair. It would allow me to fire the porcelain components needed for the installation. The impact is immediate, restoring essential studio operations."

Chloe Begg

"This FUSION scholarship will support my participation in the FUSION mentorship program with Julie Moon, where I will develop my body of work, while also forming relationships which will greatly benefit my practice. I am focusing on form and experimenting with how my slab-built sculptures live in a space. I aim to challenge myself under Julie Moon’s mentorship to find a greater interaction between form and surface, and what new directions in my works can develop. Through this program I will be able to consider new directions for my work and integrate new points of view into my practice."

Alex Chouinard McLellan

"The FUSION scholarship will support my participation in the upcoming FUSION mentorship with Julie Moon, an experience that I know will aid in furthering the development of my artistic voice and technical skills. As an emerging artist who works as a studio technician, I am constantly balancing showing up in the studio for others and showing up in the studio for myself leaving me eager to nurture my own artistic growth."

Marzi Alimo

"I am preparing for a solo exhibition featuring a brick-based wall installation. The current version includes 20 hand-sculpted red clay bricks, each embedded with a portrait or body detail and paired with a short story, capturing fragments of everyday life, emotion, and memory. The FUSION scholarship will support the expansion of this installation, transforming it into a larger, more immersive work. Each brick acts as a vessel of lived experience, shaped by my reflections on immigration, identity, and belonging."

2024

50th Anniversary Scholarship Recipients

Sydni Weatherson

"The FUSION Scholarship will enhance my studio practice by allowing me to purchase new tools which will improve my technical skills, allowing me to apply what I learned in the "Engraving Imagery" course at the Corning Museum of Glass. The scholarship will ease the financial strain of exploring new materials as an emerging artist and help me focus on engraving imagery and personal narrative exploration."

Charlie Larouche-Potvin

"I have been invited to exhibit at the 'REVELATIONS, la biennale internationale métiers d'art et création' in Paris, through the Centre Matéria. I will create a 56-piece glass installation exploring the links between past experiences and their influence on my artistic career. This exhibition is critical for my international debut and connecting with influential figures in the field."

Fataba Kakulatombo

"The FUSION scholarship will help to support my growth as an emerging clay artist; refreshing my skills in an educational setting, particularly by refining my wheel throwing and slab building techniques. I will be taking a Fundamentals course at Parkdale Pottery to enhance my craft. This scholarship will be instrumental in expanding my knowledge, boosting my confidence, and growing my studio hours."

Paz Cardone

"The FUSION Scholarship will allow me to purchase a circle glass cutter and molds, enabling me to create larger pieces like plates and bowls. This will help me push my technical skills and explore new design elements while maintaining my commitment to sustainable practices with recycled glass. The scholarship would be instrumental in broadening my work and reaching a wider audience with unique, high-quality pieces."

Jonah Strub

"The FUSION Scholarship will support my upcoming month-long residency at Medalta. This residency is crucial for me as I’ve been making, teaching, and exhibiting ceramics for five years but only had one semester of formal ceramic training. With this residency, I will refine my skills in creating large-scale ceramic sculptures. The Medalta residency will provide the space, resources, and community to further my artistic journey and bring my ambitious projects to life."

Emma Bickers

"I’ve been wanting to incorporate screen printing into my ceramic practice but have struggled to learn on my own. The FUSION scholarship will provide the financial means to take the Screen Printing 101 class at Harbourfront Centre with Clio Windust and give me the hands-on learning needed to expand my surface design techniques."

Vanesa Trillia

"My practice will benefit from the following equipment: a handheld electric mud mixer for reclaiming clay, a wet/dry shop vacuum to replace my unsuitable home vacuum, and drill bits to experiment with my second-hand drill. These tools would improve my efficiency and allow me to further explore my clay work."

Bram Locknick

"As a resident artist at Harbourfront Centre, I’m focused on mold-making techniques for a project that intertwines urban architecture and human form. The FUSION scholarship would allow me to advance my research and create large-scale castings that explore the emotional resonance between structure and human experience, contributing to both my growth as an artist and the broader glass art community."

Lindsay Marr

"As a full-time ceramic artist, rising supply costs have become a constant concern. Running my own studio means covering all expenses, with kiln maintenance being the largest. I am in urgent need of new kiln elements and thermocouples, and this scholarship would alleviate much of the financial burden, allowing me to focus on my practice without the constant worry of these costs."

Michelle Jamieson

"After working as a theatrical prop maker for 20 years, I turned to ceramics for healing and have been creating self-taught ceramics since 2023. I’ve enrolled in the Fleming College winter ceramics intensive starting in January 2025 to refine my skills and grow within the ceramics community. This scholarship would help support my continued growth as I pursue ceramics as my main source of income."

Ivy Stevenson

"The FUSION scholarship will help fund a two-week art residency in Rome, which will provide hands-on experiences, workshops, and collaborations that will push me beyond my current boundaries. The scholarship would alleviate financial stress, allowing me to focus on my art and bring back valuable insights to enrich my contributions to the art community."

Subscribe Form