qest scholarships

The Queen Elizabeth Scholarship Trust is a charity that transforms the careers of talented and aspiring craftspeople by funding their training and education. We aim to sustain vital skills in traditional and contemporary crafts, creating pathways to excellence and strengthening the future of the UK’s craft sector. We embrace craft in all its many forms and are proud to contribute towards its evolving tradition.

QEST has awarded more than £6million to almost 800 individuals working across the UK in 130 different craft disciplines. QEST funding has provided an essential turning point for many of our Alumni, and we continue to support them throughout their career, offering opportunities for exhibitions, collaborations and commissions through our extensive craft network.

Through our grants, we provide opportunities to advance craftsmanship by funding essential training and education. We support training that enhances the skilled making of tangible objects by hand, as well as the conservation and restoration of such items. We support individuals who:

• practice within the field of craft and whose work has a strong connection to materials, technical skills and processes
• are professional and make a living from their craft or aspire to do so
• demonstrate excellence and experience in their chosen field, in line with their stage in practice

We welcome applications from all talented craftspeople, regardless of race, gender, sexual orientation, religion, disability, or nationality; and particularly encourage those with protected characteristics that are under-represented in the craft sector to apply.