Scholarship & Mentor Program

 

 

The Annual DIY Festival and Holiday Market nourishes individual artisans, creatives, and small business owners in Utah by promoting DIY culture and providing them with opportunities to attract new customers, promote their work to new audiences and grow their sales. Craft Lake City wants to ensure that these opportunities are available to all Utah communities.

In support of this goal, Craft Lake City has designed the Scholarship and Mentor Program to benefit DIY Fest or Holiday Market exhibitors in the artisan, vintage and craft food categories. The program includes business training, networking opportunities, waived booth fees and one-on-one mentorship before, during and after the Annual Craft Lake City Event.

Program Details

What's Included

  • Waived booth fees (up to a 10’x10′ size)
  • 1:1 mentoring with a seasoned DIY Fest exhibitor
  • Small business training
  • Networking & other business development opportunities

Business Training & Mentorship Details

Mentorship is provided by seasoned makers with a history of participation in the Annual Craft Lake City DIY Festival or Holiday Market. Mentors are each paired up with a Scholar to assist them as they build their skills and develop their creative business endeavors. Mentors act as a bridge between Craft Lake City and first-time Scholars, providing critical knowledge and experience that helps prepare recipients to exhibit at the DIY Festival or Holiday Market.

Craft Lake City also facilitates business training for Scholarship and Mentor Program participants. Mentors share their experiences by teaching basic entrepreneurial skills to scholarship recipients, including subjects such as:

  • Booth Display: Discussing booth design and merchandising concepts, and offering ideas about how to best present their products.
  • Sales & Lead Generation: Providing guidance about strong customer service, effective sales pitches, and tactics for gathering potential customer information at the DIY Festival or Holiday Market (and following up on leads post-festival).
  • Promotion: Presenting options for self-promotion at the DIY Festival or Holiday Market, such as flyers or business cards with branded contact information, social media links, etc.
  • Money Management: Presenting basic principles and techniques for budgeting, tracking expenses, processing taxes, etc.

Mentors also provide logistical and emotional support to their designated exhibitors before, during and after the DIY Festival or Holiday Market. Mentors’ booths are placed near their Scholars at the DIY Fest or Holiday Market so they can easily help provide support during load-in and throughout the event. After the DIY Fest or Holiday Market, Craft Lake City hosts a group celebration and feedback session where Mentors and Scholars share their successes and discuss their experiences.

Qualifications

  • Candidates must be juried into the DIY Festival or Holiday Market as an individual exhibitor based on the quality of their work.
  • Selected scholarship recipients must commit to being an active and engaged participant in all associated programs, trainings and requirements to prepare to exhibit at the Annual Craft Lake City DIY Festival Presented By Harmons or the Annual Holiday Market Presented By Google Fiber. If a selected Scholar does not participated in all program events and complete program requirements, they will not be permitted to participate in the Festival or Market.

Our Different Scholarships

Applications Open

Artisan Scholarship

The Artisan Scholarship benefits first-time DIY Fest or Holiday Market exhibitors in the artisan, vintage and craft food categories to help prepare them for their first DIY Fest/Holiday Market & beyond. 

The Artisan Scholarship includes: waived booth fees for participation in the 15th Annual Craft Lake City DIY Festival Presented By Harmons or the Fifth Annual Holiday Market Presented By Google Fiber and one-on-one mentorship from a seasoned DIY Fest/Holiday Market exhibitor before, during & after the event! Application deadline is September 24, 2023.

Applications Open

ArtAbility Scholarship (NEW)

This scholarship, in partnership with the Utah Developmental Disabilities Council, benefits local makers, with a focus on those with disabilities who aspire to use their passion, skills and talents to build a small business as an artisan. This scholarship is open to both first-time applicants and returning DIY Fest/Holiday Market exhibitors.

The ArtAbility Scholarship includes: waived booth fees for participation in the 15th Annual Craft Lake City DIY Festival Presented By Harmons or the Fifth Annual Holiday Market Presented By Google Fiber and one-on-one mentorship from a seasoned DIY Fest or Holiday Market exhibitor before, during & after the event! Application deadline is September 24, 2023.

Applications Open

LGBTQ+ Scholarship (NEW)

This scholarship benefits local makers, with a focus on those who identify as part of the LGBTQ+ community, who would like to sell or exhibit their handmade goods at the DIY Fest or Holiday Market. This scholarship is open to individuals who are both first-time applicants and returning DIY Fest or Holiday Market exhibitors.

The LGBTQ+ Scholarship includes: waived booth fees for participation in the 15th Annual Craft Lake City DIY Festival Presented By Harmons or the Fifth Annual Holiday Market Presented By Google Fiber and one-on-one mentorship from a seasoned DIY Fest or Holiday Market exhibitor before, during & after the event! Application deadline is September 24, 2023.

Now accepting Scholarship Partners for Holiday Market!

Are you interested in supporting additional LGBTQ+ Scholarship recipients? Email angela@craftlakecity.com to learn more!

 

This DIY Festival scholarship is made possible by:

Gold Sponsor: Kilby Block Party, B.W. Bastian Foundation

Silver Sponsors: The Utah LGBTQ Chamber of Commerce, Project Rainbow, Hip & Humble, Twist Bar, Sugarhouse Coffee, The State Room Presents, Mochi Kids, BrainStorm, Inc., Pib’s Exchange, Tinker’s Cat Cafe, Celebrate! LGBTQIA+ Therapy Services, Pig & A Jelly Jar, WB’s Eatery and the Willard L. Eccles Foundation

Application Process

  • Complete both the Holiday Market Exhibitor Application AND the applicable scholarship application by the September 24, 2023 deadline.
  • Eligible applicants will be asked to participate in a short interview. Please keep an eye on your email and texts in the coming weeks as we will be reaching out to schedule an interview with all eligible scholarship candidates.
  • Scholarship recipients announced on October 16, 2023

Praise From Past Participants

Artisan Scholar Quotes

“I’m so grateful for this opportunity. It really has given me a lot of confidence as an artist and I want to do more events now.”

“The Craft Lake City Artisan Scholarship not only gave me a great deal of knowledge towards how to be successful, but it also helped me create valuable connections to the local art scene in Utah. I gained confidence while in the program, particularly through confirmation that I was working hard and heading in the right direction.”

“I am confident now as I do more events like Craft Lake City [DIY Fest]. The Scholar Program honestly was so beneficial for me. It is intimidating to vend your first art festival and this program made it less scary.”

Artisan Mentor Quotes

“I’m proud to be a mentor in Craft Lake City’s Community Inclusion Program, helping give local artisans tools and tricks to help them succeed in their craft. This program is building a strong artist culture here in Salt Lake, one that I’m honored to be a part of.”

“I’m in a place in my career where I prefer helping other people more than I like promoting myself. It makes me feel useful. The experience was very enjoyable”

“I loved this program! I loved sharing what I know from experience and I loved showing them what this program can provide for their future.“