Scholarships

The Folk School awards a number of scholarships each year, providing partial or full financial support for a weeklong or weekend class.

The Folk School awards a number of scholarships each year, providing partial or full financial support for a weeklong or weekend class. Scholarships are awarded to folks who demonstrate financial need along with an admiration for the Folk School’s unique education model. Applications are accepted on a rolling basis and are dependent on space availability in the class. We have a limited amount of scholarship funding each year and encourage applicants to apply as early as possible.

Lifelong learners, young adults, craftspeople who have never attended the Folk School, and anyone else facing financial hurdles are encouraged to apply.

Tuition-only scholarships cover the cost of tuition for any full-price, weekend, or weeklong class. Full scholarships cover the cost of tuition, housing, and meals for any full-price, weekend, or weeklong class. Some of our scholarship funds require an applicant to meet set criteria, which will be listed below.

Once scholarship applications are submitted, they can take up to 4 weeks to be reviewed. We recommend selecting a class choice at least 6-8 weeks out from the time your finished application is submitted.

Please be advised that although scholarships have the potential to cover tuition, housing, and meals, they do not cover class material fees or transportation to and from the Folk School. The Atlanta airport shuttle can be scheduled in advance through the Folk School for an estimated fee of $150 each way. Applicants must be age 18 or older.

The Folk School also offers a 25% tuition discount and guaranteed seats to residents of nine surrounding counties, along with teachers and young adults 18-25. Click here for more details.

Folk School-Funded Scholarships

Looking inside a kaleidoscope

Folk School Tuition-Only Scholarships

Folk School Tuition-Only Scholarships provide financial support to those who need help covering the cost of tuition for any full-price, weekend or weeklong class at the Folk School. Tuition scholarships are awarded according to financial need and on a first-come, first-served basis.

Screen Printing out to dry

Folk School Full Scholarships

Folk School Full Scholarships cover the cost of tuition, housing, and meals for any full-price, weekend or weeklong class. Full scholarships are intended to support individuals who are actively involved in the preservation of traditional craft, music, and dance, use craft for philanthropic purposes, are studying or teaching craft, are working towards practicing craft on a professional or semi-professional level and/or live in the Appalachian region.

Grant-Funded Scholarships

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Craft Education Scholarships

Windgate Foundation has generously provided scholarships covering tuition, housing, and meals for classes in the following program areas: basketry and gourds; beads; blacksmithing; book arts; broom making; chair seats; clay; dolls & bears; dyeing; enameling; felt making; glass; jewelry; kaleidoscopes; knitting & crochet; lace; leather; marbling; metalwork; mixed media; needlework & thread art; paper art; printmaking; quilting; rugs; sewing; soap making; spinning; stone, sculpture & mosaics; surface design; weaving; woodcarving; woodturning; and woodworking.

Donor-Funded Scholarships

Thanks to generous donors funding individual scholarships and endowing perpetual scholarships, the following scholarships are currently available.
Scholarship balances change regularly, so check back periodically for new opportunities.
A vibrant rag rug in progress

Betty Smith Weaving Scholarship

This scholarship honors a great friend and supporter of the school who also contributed to its Weaving program for many years as a beloved instructor. It covers the cost of tuition, housing, and meals to attend a weeklong or weekend weaving class.

Constructing a mini clay pot

Blue Ridge Potters Guild Scholarships

Thanks to the Guild, residents of Virginia in need of financial assistance to participate in a clay class may apply for one of these two scholarships covering tuition, housing, and meals.

Moving Iron in the Blacksmith Studio

Clay Smith Blacksmithing Scholarship

This scholarship memorializes a friend of the school who made numerous contributions to its Blacksmithing program for many years as a talented instructor. It covers the cost of tuition, housing, and meals to attend a weeklong or weekend blacksmithing class.

Daniel Nickels Memorial Scholarship

Daniel Nickels Memorial Scholarship

This scholarship honors Dan Nickels, who learned blacksmithing at the Folk School and as a result, made it his lifelong passion and career. Dan taught at his forge and traveled the world to share his skills, preserve the craft, and create beautiful, functional art. His forge motto was “where the impossible is commonplace.” This scholarship covers tuition, housing and meals for any weeklong or weekend blacksmithing class.

david and carol smucker scholarship

David and Carol Smucker Craft Scholarship

This scholarship was created by long-time Folk School friends David and Carol Smucker. It provides craft education opportunities for students ages 18-34, especially those looking to build skills in their profession. It covers tuition, housing and meals for a weeklong or weekend class.

Violinist at work

David Kaynor Memorial Dance Musicians Week Scholarship

Provided by his many friends in memory of dance musician David Kaynor, this scholarship is dedicated to his passion for dance music and for life. It covers tuition for the school’s annual Dance Musicians Week for someone who would otherwise be unable to attend.

David Rakoff Memorial Scholarship

David Rakoff Memorial Scholarship

This scholarship celebrates the life of David Rakoff who was a student, a dear friend of the Folk School, and a member of its board of directors. In a New York Times article, David wrote about the school, “The week I spent there is as close as it gets to my idea of paradise.” The scholarship covers the cost of tuition, housing, and meals for a weekend or weeklong class.

A floral punched needle rug hooking design

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Scholarship

Tuition, housing, and meals scholarship for a weekend class for Black, Indigenous, and artists of color.

Holiday in the Mountains Week

Donna Brown Scholarship

This scholarship covers the cost of tuition, housing, and meals to attend a weeklong or weekend class for someone who would otherwise be unable to attend.

Torching an enameled leaf

Foundrae-Broken English Enameling Scholarship

Upon taking a weekend enameling class at the Folk School, Beth Bugdaycay, Creative Director and Co-Founder of Foundrae, and Laura Freedman, Founder of Broken English, were moved to donate 10 tuition scholarships for week-long enameling classes to promote this craft to others who may otherwise be unable to attend.

Francis Whitaker Blacksmithing Scholarship

Francis Whitaker Blacksmithing Scholarship

Created by Francis Whitaker, the master blacksmith who founded our blacksmithing program, this scholarship provides intermediate and advanced students with tuition, housing and meals for any weeklong or weekend blacksmithing class.

Carving a face

Helen Gibson Woodcarving Scholarship

This scholarship donated by Jean Fliess honors Helen Gibson, a talented Brasstown Carver and long-time Folk School Resident Artist. The scholarship covers the cost of tuition, housing, and meals to attend a weeklong or weekend woodcarving class.

Carving a woodspirit walking stick

Jim Davis Woodcarving Scholarship

These woodcarving scholarships honor the memory of Jim Davis, who was a long-time supporter of the Folk School and a passionate woodcarver. They covers the cost of tuition, housing and meals to attend a weekend or weeklong woodcarving class.

Constructing a windsor rocking chair

Jim Davis Woodworking Scholarship

This woodworking scholarship honors the memory of Jim Davis, who was a long-time supporter of the Folk School and a passionate woodworker. It covers the cost of tuition, housing, and meals to attend a week-long woodworking class.

Holiday in the Mountains Week

Joshua Shane Snyder Memorial Scholarship

This scholarship was donated by family and friends in loving memory of Joshua Shane Snyder and covers the cost of tuition, housing, and meals to attend a weeklong or weekend class for someone who would otherwise be unable to attend.

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Karen Redfern Woodturning Scholarship

This scholarship covers the cost of tuition, housing, and meals to attend a weekend woodturning class.

A finished pine needle basket

Kathryn Byrd Memorial Scholarship

Kathryn Byrd generously provided for the Folk School’s future in her will and, in her memory, this scholarship provides people who would otherwise be unable to attend the opportunity to experience all that she loved about the school. It covers the cost of tuition, housing, and meals to attend a week or weekend class.

Weaving a Scarf

Margaret C. Toth Memorial Weaving Scholarship

This weaving scholarship honors the memory of the late Margaret C. Toth, an avid weaver who first learned to weave at the Folk School. It covers the cost of tuition, housing, and meals for a weekend or weeklong class.

Mary Doorbos Basketry Scholarship

Mary Doornbos Basketry & Brooms Scholarship

This scholarship honors talented basket artist Mary Doornbos, recognizing her long-standing connection with the Folk School as its Craft Shop Manager, an instructor, student, and donor. This scholarship for a weekend basketry or brooms class covers tuition, housing and meals for a student in need of financial assistance in order to attend.

Viking Style Ironwork

Ray and Linda Barron Blacksmithing Scholarships

In support of the craft of blacksmithing and to provide educational opportunities to others, the Barrons have donated two scholarships covering the cost of tuition, housing, and meals during a weeklong or weekend blacksmithing class.

Students studying a branch of leaves

Rob Bixler/Wren Smith Interpretive Naturalist Scholarship

This scholarship benefits professional interpretive naturalists and environmental educators working at local/community nature centers in the US. It covers tuition, housing, and meals for any weeklong class.

Hammering a copper piece

Robert J. Trout Metalsmith Scholarship

Robert Trout, a talented metalsmith and long-time Folk School instructor, created this scholarship to give others the opportunity to learn metalsmithing at the Folk School. Following his death in 2020, his family and other loved ones contributed in his memory to bring the scholarship fund to fruition. This scholarship covers the cost of tuition, housing, and meals to attend a weeklong or weekend blacksmithing, coppersmithing, or tinsmithing class.

Making an Appalachian Broom

Rude Osolnik’s Kentucky/Berea Co-Op Scholarship

Created by master woodturner and generous friend of the Folk School, Rude Osolnik, this scholarship is available to residents of Kentucky and/or students, faculty, staff, and alumni of Berea College. It covers the cost of tuition, housing, and meals for any weeklong or weekend class.

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The Artz Family Trust Metals Scholarship

This scholarship covers the cost of tuition, housing, and meals to attend a weeklong metals class for someone who would otherwise be unable to attend.

Dancers during Winter Dance Week

Winter Dance & Music Week Work Exchange

Each year the Folk School awards 6 work exchange scholarships for Winter Dance Week to those who would not otherwise be able to attend due to financial limitations. The work exchange program allows students the opportunity to work in exchange for a tuition waiver.

Locate & Contact

Please contact Marketing & Communications for more information.

The John C. Campbell Folk School

Development Office

Barbie White: Development Manager

1.800.FOLK.SCH (365-5724)

Mailing Address
One Folk School Road
Brasstown, NC 28902

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