The Fabric Workshop and Museum (FWM) invites students, postgraduates, and emerging artists from the U.S. and abroad to apply to the Apprentice Training Program (ATP). The ATP is a holistic experience enabling artists to develop skills in screenprinting large-scale repeat patterns on fabric to enhance their studio practice. Apprentices will also participate in the daily studio and museum operations, supporting FWM’s mission of stimulating experimentation and collaboration among leading contemporary artists and sharing the process of creating works of art with the public.

Apprentices have the unique opportunity to learn how to create a repeat pattern design by hand on mylar, mix custom water-soluble textile ink, register multiple layers, and screenprint their own designs including a four yard, one-color and eight yard, three-color repeat design on fabric. Each step of the process is expertly guided with the support of the FWM Apprentice Coordinator. Additionally, Apprentices will assist with projects related to education and public programming, visitor services, studio production, and the FWM archives. Apprentices present a short lecture on their work, and visit local cultural organizations.

This program is specifically designed for emerging artists with a solid studio practice who are interested in benefiting from the unique ethos of a museum with active Artists-in-Residence and a collaborative atmosphere focused on developing craftsmanship and conceptualism. As opposed to a technical program designed for careers in the textile industry, the ATP is focused on enabling artists to develop skills in screenprinting on fabric and find ways of integrating fabric into their artmaking.

Over the years, FWM has welcomed a diverse range of candidates working within a wide range of media. Apprentices have come to FWM from nearly every state in the U.S., as well as from China, Denmark, England, Finland, France, Germany, Ghana, India, Japan, Kenya, Scotland, and South Korea.

Summer 2025 Session
May 28–August 15, 2025
Application Deadline: January 15, 2025

Tiered Application Fee System:
$15.00—Tier 1 applications available: November 1, 2024–January 1, 2025, 11:59 pm EST
$25.00—Tier 2 applications available: January 2–8, 2025 11:59 pm EST
$35.00—Tier 3 applications available: January 9–15, 2025 11:59 pm EST