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Maxwell/Hanrahan Awards in Craft

The Maxwell/Hanrahan Awards in Craft are a celebration of artists and craftspeople committed to unique and visionary material exploration, with practices encompassing the stewardship of living cultural traditions, unique insights in material study, and/or advancement of craft.

Square-shaped graphic with a tan background. The word “CRAFT” appears in large, all-caps, hollow letters in a slightly darker tan color. The word stretches over the entire width of the square and is tiled from top to bottom. “Maxwell Hanrahan” appears in black text in the center of the square with a vertical red line between the two words. Underneath, the word “Foundation” in gray text appears. At the bottom of the square, in a smaller font, appear the words “In Partnership with,” and, underneath that, the United States Artists logo.

Lotion In Your Lungs by Raul De Lara, 2019. Pine, oak, wood glue, sand from Mexico/US border, acrylic, lacquer, 72 × 24 × 50 inches. Private Collection.

Photo courtesy of the artist.

Overview

The Maxwell/Hanrahan Awards in Craft recognize craftspeople and artists for their unique and visionary approach to material-based practice, stewardship of cultural traditions, and craft's potential to connect people, places and ideas. Launched in 2022, the Maxwell/Hanrahan Awards in Craft are among the nation’s largest awards within the field of craft, offering unrestricted and transformative opportunities for craft practitioners to further their creative visions, embark on new paths of experimentation, and continue to advance their disciplines. Each cycle, five artists receive $100,000 in unrestricted funding, plus access to additional technical support services.

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How We Collaborate

The Maxwell/Hanrahan Awards in Craft were established to counter the disproportionate lack of funding for craft in the United States. Before launching in 2022, United States Artists conducted field research and informational interviews to gain a deeper understanding of the available resources, opportunities, and challenges across the field of craft. Each cycle, we work closely with our partners, nominators, and panelists to refine the program to reach more artists and makers representing a diverse range of craft and traditional practices.

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Duration: 2022 - present

Services: Program design, administration