In the Making: Navigating Grants & Scholarships
“It becomes a dialogue when you’re applying for grants and making work—they feed each other. I tend to want to make better work, and that begets more funding, and you can make more work.”
Crafting a Business — On Thursday, April 9, 2026 we held a conversation with professional woodworkers Kristina Madsen and Charles Thompson. They shared the winding path of the self-employed furniture maker and the importance of (and work involved in) writing, applying for, and receiving practice-sustaining awards and grants.
Renowned furniture maker Kristina Madsen‘s meticulously carved work is held in both private collections and major cultural institutions, including the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, and the Smithsonian American Art Museum (SAAM). Her artistry has earned her some of the most prestigious awards, grants, and fellowships in the craft world.
As has the green woodworking of Charles Thompson. His hand-carved folk and pre-industrial style chairs and stools recently awarded him the 2024 Mineck Fellowship in Furniture Arts.
“In the Making” is a public programs series where we connect with a range of new voices, fields, and perspectives. Learn more and view a full list of events on the series homepage.
This event is part of our “Crafting a Business” series, airing January through May 2026! Join us for another event in the series.
With thanks to our underwriters
Holt & Bugbee
Adams + Beasley Associates
Feinmann, Inc.
MUECKE Design & Construction
Massachusetts Cultural Council
BOND
F.H. Perry Builder
Sea-Dar Construction
