Call for Workshop Proposals - ENVIRON
Application Deadline: Friday, May 29 at 11:59 pm MT
Workshop Dates: Tuesday evenings between July 7 – September 8, 2026
Background
The Alberta Craft Council is seeking artists to design and deliver hands-on workshops as part of ENVIRON: Material Literacy & Repair Initiative, a public programming series focused on waste reduction, repair, and material reuse. This initiative is developed with support from the City of Edmonton through the Waste Reduction and Reuse Grant.
ENVIRON: Material Literacy & Repair Initiative is designed to:
Reduce residential waste through repair and reuse practices
Increase public understanding of material lifecycles and environmental impact
Build practical repair capacity, particularly in priority waste streams such as textiles
Encourage repair-first behaviours and reduce disposal of repairable goods
Position artists as technical contributors to material stewardship and waste reduction
Workshops are a core delivery mechanism for achieving these outcomes.
Call for Proposals
We are inviting artists to lead accessible, hands-on workshops that combine technical skill-building with material education.
Proposals should focus on one or more of the following:
Textile repair (e.g., visible mending, garment extension)
Ceramic repair or stabilization
Repair of small household objects
Material reuse or transformation practices
Low-technology approaches to extending material lifespan
Workshops must:
Be suitable for a general adult audience (18+) with no prior experience
Emphasize practical, transferable skills
Incorporate education on material sourcing, durability, and waste impacts
Use low-cost, accessible tools and processes participants can replicate independently
Where possible, enable participants to repair or extend the life of an item during the session
Preference will be given to proposals that clearly support waste reduction, diversion from landfill, and long-term behavioural change.
Program Format
Workshops are envisioned to be structured sessions with advance registration required, managed by the Alberta Craft Council.
Sessions will take place at the Alberta Craft Council Shop, in a public-facing environment, and should be adaptable, engaging, and logistically efficient.
Selected artists may be invited to deliver more than one session based on program needs, diversity of offerings, and strength of proposals.
Participant Impact & Evaluation
This initiative prioritizes depth of engagement over high-volume attendance.
Artists will support program evaluation by:
Assisting with attendance tracking
Identifying or documenting items repaired or materials reused
Participating in light-touch participant feedback processes
Workshops should be designed to support:
Increased confidence in repair skills
Improved understanding of material lifecycles
Stronger intention to adopt repair-first behaviours
What We’re Looking For
We are seeking artists who:
Have demonstrated experience in material-based practice
Can clearly communicate technical processes to a non-specialist audience
Are comfortable working in public-facing, participatory environments
Have an interest in or experience with repair, reuse, and sustainability
Can design workshops that are both engaging and outcome-driven
Additional Information
This is a juried selection process
Not all applicants will be selected
All applicants will be notified once selections are complete
Applicants may submit up to three workshop ideas using this form.
If you would like to discuss your idea or have any questions about the application process or are unsure of the viability of your workshop idea, please contact erin@albertacraft.ab.ca or call 780-488-6611 ext. 234.
Instructor Compensation:
A one-time fee of $180, based on an hourly rate of $40/hour, covering 2.5 hours of instruction and 2 hours of preparation, per session.
Material costs will be covered up to $300 per session. Workshops should be designed with a target per-participant material cost that aligns with this budget. If your proposed workshop requires materials beyond this amount, we still encourage you to apply, as it may be well-suited to other programming opportunities.
All required materials provided or purchased by the instructor will be reimbursed within the approved budget and must be pre-approved in advance.
A limited budget is also available for specialized tools or equipment rental, where required. Please identify any such needs in your proposal.
Alberta Craft has a team of volunteers who can assist with preparing materials ahead of your workshop. If you require additional preparation support, please contact us so we can discuss what might be possible.
How to prepare your application
Complete your application form
Provide a clear description for each of your proposed workshops (you may submit up to three ideas). Please include the type of activity, format (drop-in or structured), and expected outcomes for participants.
Be ready to outline key details such as estimated workshop run time, workshop capacity, setup needs, and any materials required.
Upload up to 5 images that reflect your artistic practice and/or previous workshops. For each workshop idea, please include an image of the finished product participants will create. These images will be used for promotional purposes. If you are unable to provide an end-product image or have any concerns, please reach out to erin@albertacraft.ab.ca.
Optional: You may upload an artist biography, artist statement and/or CV (maximum 2 pages). This step is entirely optional, as this information is also collected through the form questions.
While applicants are not required to be Alberta Craft Council members to apply, we do ask that if your application is successful that you become a member at the Makers Membership level.