artisan exchange program

Thread Caravan provides fully-funded artists residencies to our community of indigenous artisan collaborators, as part of our artisan exchange program. To date, we’ve been proud to host Gujarati turban weaver Shamji Vishram Vankar in Oaxaca, as well as Oaxacan sisters and weavers Silvia and Dahlia Gutiérrez on our weaving retreat Guatemala. In June 2024 we will host potter Macrina Mateo Martinez from Tlapazola, Oaxaca on our pottery retreat in the Rif mountains of Morocco.

Should our community be interested in contributing to these efforts, there is the option to pay it forward when making a trip reservation. These financial contributions will be used exclusivity towards our artisan exchange program.

scholarships

Thread Caravan is invested in making our workshops accessible to BIPOC communities who have historically been marginalized from international travel experiences. Our efforts focus on supporting equity in the craft space to ensure this traditional knowledge is within reach for people around the world, independent of their socioeconomic status.

Our workshop grants start at $500 USD per person, but applicants may be awarded more depending on the workshop and the individual’s circumstances. As of December 12th, 2023, we have awarded $71,345 USD worth of grants to 41 recipients over 8 years. 

If you are interested in applying for one of our workshop grants, please don’t hesitate to contact us. Be sure to include essential information like which workshop(s) you are applying for, a cover letter, and personal statement explaining why you would be an appropriate candidate for the workshop. If you’re interested in seeking additional funding support for our programs, please contact us and we will send a PDF with other possible funding opportunities.