Center for Craft Selected 2026 Archive Fellows
Asheville's Center for Craft has named four new fellows for its 2026 research program.
Updated on Sept. 28, 2026 in Arts & Crafts
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The Asheville-based Center for Craft has selected four researchers for its 2026 Archive Fellowship cohort. Each fellow will receive a $5,000 honorarium to support studies on underrepresented craft histories.
Why it matters
The program aims to document non-dominant craft narratives by reducing economic and physical barriers to archival research. It highlights diverse fields including Indigenous artistry and Black stonework.
The Center for Craft has awarded over $11 million in grants since its founding in 1996. Each of the four selected fellows receives a $5,000 honorarium for their research.
The players
Center for Craft
Based in Asheville, this organization has supported craft research and practice with over $11 million in funding for three decades.
Hyperallergic
This arts-focused media outlet will publish the completed research findings of the fellowship recipients.
The details
The research will focus on Indigenous artistry, Black stonework, Middle Eastern embroidery, and craft practices by blind individuals. Fellows use both conventional and innovative archival approaches to document these often-overlooked histories.
Timeline
The Center for Craft was founded in 1996.
The 2026 cohort was officially selected.
Research findings are scheduled for publication by Hyperallergic in September 2027.
A new community library and archives is slated to open in 2028.
Culture Shift
The Center for Craft's Archive Fellowship promotes a broader cultural shift toward prioritizing underrepresented and non-dominant historical narratives. By funding research into niche subjects like Middle Eastern embroidery, the initiative challenges traditional academic gaps in craft history.
Residents of Asheville can look forward to the opening of a new community library and archive space managed by the center in 2028. This facility will provide local access to previously underrepresented craft history documentation.
The takeaway
Supporting research into non-dominant histories ensures that diverse cultural contributions are preserved for future generations. Readers interested in history or art can watch for the public publication of these findings to learn more about hidden craft traditions.
What happens next
Research results from the 2026 fellows will be published by Hyperallergic in September 2027, followed by the opening of the Center for Craft community library and archives in 2028.
Further reading
Discover more about the evolving world of design and fabrication in our Arts & Crafts section.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Hyperallergic.
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Should institutions prioritize funding research on underrepresented and non-dominant historical narratives?
