UNC Asheville has been awarded a second three-year grant from the Windgate Foundation to elevate craft and collaborative making on campus and in the community. The $1,996,450 grant will fund programs and positions in UNC Asheville’s STEAM Studio, support a continuing partnership with the Center for Craft, expand teen mentorship and making programs, build community gallery spaces and a national craft innovation hub in downtown Asheville, and provide operational support for creative placekeeping and field building initiatives, locally and across the United States.
“The Windgate Foundation’s generous support confirms UNC Asheville’s role as an arts, craft, and design catalyst in the Asheville community and the region,” said UNC Asheville Chancellor Nancy J. Cable. “We are grateful for the energy and support that extends our artistic expertise as North Carolina’s public liberal arts and sciences university, and are deeply committed to artistic expression and quality.”
The grant will establish new positions in UNC Asheville’s STEAM Studio, which stands for Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Math, and engage students in hands-on making experiences working side-by-side with faculty and staff experts. The new positions created will include a post-baccalaureate fellowship, technical assistant, program development, and community outreach and engagement. These individuals will work to further integrate the cross-disciplinary expertise of the studio throughout campus and the community, including K-12 schools.
Originally published Oct. 4, 2018.