ASIA PACIFIC CRAFT MASTERS AWARDS

I am an artisan who would like to be considered for the Craft Master Award. Can I nominate myself?

Excellent. The short answer is no, you cannot nominate yourself – you need someone who knows your work, who you trust to partner with, and who will be willing to work with you to complete the nomination.

I am an artisan who has been making work since I was very young in my family workshop. How can my years as an artisan be calculated?

Congratulations – it is a wonderful thing to be part of a long tradition.

Years of professional practice can be counted from the point at which you began working independently in your craft. Early years of learning, apprenticeship, or training are not included.

Can artisans born outside the Asia Pacific region still be nominated?

Yes. Eligibility is based on where the artisan resides or primarily practices, not nationality.

Can previously nominated artisans be nominated again in future award cycles?

If an artisan has already received a Craft Masters Award in a previous cycle, they cannot be nominated again in the same category. If an artisan was nominated in a previous cycle but did not receive the award, they may be nominated again in a future cycle.

The artisan I wish to nominate was born in East Asia but lives and work in Southeast Asia. (example). Under which region should they apply be nominated?

The nomination should be for the region in which the artisan is best known and has practiced the longest. It is not necessarily the region of their birth.

Will regional winners be automatically considered internationally?

Yes- all the regional winners will automatically be eligible for consideration in the overall international awards in late 2027.

I would like to nominate an artisan I have known and admired for a long time. How should I do that?

Wonderful.  Your first step is to review the application form to understand what is required. Then get in touch with the artisan you wish to nominate as you will need their participation to provide many details.

The Nominations page has a list of helpful resources to help both nominator and candidate through the process.

I wish to nominate an artisan but am not a member of APCA. Can I still nominate someone?

Yes you can. You will still need to ask a member of APCA to second your nomination. If you do not know a member of APCA, please email us at admin@asiapacificcraftsallioance.org telling us your region and city and we will help you.

You can also become an individual member for an annual fee of US$50 and receive many member benefits. Read more about membership here.

Can one person nominate more than one artisan?

Yes. One person may nominate more than one artisan, provided each nomination is submitted separately.

Can one artisan be nominated by more than one nominator?

That’s exciting! The artisan should put the nominators in touch with each other to make a more complete nomination.

Can an artisan decline a nomination?

Yes of course. An artisan may decline a nomination. A nomination cannot proceed without the artisan’s consent.

What materials are required to complete a nomination?

Each nomination must include supporting materials such as the candidate’s CV, portrait photograph, images of craft works, and other documentation as outlined in the guidebook. Optional video submissions are strongly encouraged.

Visit the Nominations page to read the checklist of required materials.

Do the applications need to be made in English?

Yes – and we apologise. This is to provide consistency across all regions and for all juries to be able to read.

I would like to put in a nomination but cannot read the guidebook as English is not my first language. Is there a version in my own language?

We certainly wish to help. Please contact programs@asiapacificcraftsalliance.org to state your concern and we will endeavour to assist with a translation.

What if my nominated artist cannot provide all the support material?

The nominator may assist the artisan in gathering missing supporting materials, make a statement about the artisan and provide alternative documentation.

What if the artisan has limited formal documentation?

We wish to make these awards as inclusive as possible and understand that some artists may have limited formal documentation. If this is the case, the nominator and APCA team will do the best they can to confirm the artisans candidacy.

How will I know if additional information is needed?

APCA will contact you by email if additional information or supporting materials are required.

Is there a fee to submit a nomination?

No, there is no fee to submit a nomination

Is it possible to save my progress in the nomination form if I cannot complete it all at once?

Yes – you can save the form in progress.

The online form is created through Cognito and is separated into multiple pages. Each page has a button at the bottom where you can save your progress. You may need to follow the prompts to put in your email address and a progress link will be sent to you. When you are ready to continue the form, click this link and it should return you to where you left it.

There is also a Word document form that can be used for nominations. This is a downloadable document you can save to your computer and fill in at your own pace and save as you progress, like a normal document.

We strongly recommend previewing the form before you begin so you are prepared to complete the form as easily as possible. Examples of both the online and Word document forms can be found on the Nominations page of our website.

Will I get a confirmation that my nomination has been accepted/successful?

Yes. If you submit your nomination through the online Cognito form, an automatic confirmation email will be sent to you. This will also include a summary of your submission and a link to edit any details if necessary.

If you submit a nomination by email using the Word document, you will be sent a confirmation by return email from one of our APCA team members.

Can a nomination be edited after submission?

If you are submitting the form online via Cognito, you will receive a confirmation email after you click Submit. This email will contain a summary of your submission and a link to edit any details that need updating.

If you are submitting a nomination using the Word document, you can resubmit an updated form via email to APCA, but please make it clear it is a revised version.

What happens after a nomination is submitted?

After submission, APCA will review the nomination form and supporting materials to ensure all required information has been provided. It is possible that the Nominator will be contacted if any information/support material is missing or needs clarification.

Nominations will then be collated and submitted to the appropriate juries for each region to begin the assessment stage.

How long are the Award nominations open for – is there a deadline?

Awards will be open in all the regions (West Asia, Central Asia, South Asia, South East Asia, East Asia, and South Pacific/Moana Oceania) for at least the next six months. Each region will determine the deadline for nominations, and these will be published in our e-newsletter and on our website and socials.

When are regional award results announced? How will I hear about it?

All candidates and their nominators will be contacted. Announcement dates for regional awards vary by region and will be published on the APCA website and social media channels.

Who should I contact if I need help with the nomination process?

For assistance with the nomination process, please contact: programs@asiapacificcraftsalliance.org

For general APCA and Craft Masters Awards enquiries, and technical issues relating to the website or nomination forms, please contact the Secretary at admin@asiapacificcraftsalliance.org