Training bursaries for leatherworking

Deadline: 5pm on Friday 7 March 2025

These training bursaries are targeted at new entrants and early-career craftspeople working in leather who are experiencing financial hardship. They are sponsored by the Leathersellers’ Foundation and the British Leather Industry Development Trust and are part of a suite of grants, awards and bursaries offered by Heritage Crafts to support and celebrate heritage craftspeople.

Apply for up to £4,000 to start training in a leather craft or to further develop your skills.

Many people are dissuaded from training in heritage crafts because of the cost, and therefore the make-up of the sector is not truly representative of the mix of backgrounds that make up the UK as a whole. This bursary has been set up to help cover or subsidise the cost of training for someone who would otherwise be prevented from pursuing this career path as a result of the cost.

Bursaries are for:

• new entrants who have demonstrated a commitment to starting a new craft career and need to acquire the necessary hand skills;
• early-career practitioners who have not yet attained the hand skills required to achieve commercial success; or
• early- or mid-career craftspeople who need to acquire distinctly different hand skills to develop new ways of achieving commercial success.

Leatherworking crafts are those which feature leather as a primary material. They can include but are not limited to saddlery, shoemaking, harness making, tanning, fashion, accessory making, and so on.

If you are new to a craft and are struggling to find the right training for you, after your own research, please get in touch and we may be able to support. Successful applicants will be supported by the Heritage Crafts team to develop an action plan. We will work with you to monitor progress and support you to achieve your aims

What can this grant be used for?

You can apply for a bursary for any amount up to £4,000 which can cover or contribute towards the costs of:

• apprenticeship-style training with a craftsperson/people;
• attending a specialist training course (accredited or non-accredited);
• undertaking a self-directed programme of training with one or more craftspeople;
• the cost of specialist tools or materials, books or study materials, or supporting travel and accommodation (no more than 30% of total budget).

The bursary cannot be used for general living expenses, research, promotional activities or anything else.

How to apply

Please apply by filling out the form via the link below. We will also accept a video application of no more than 15 minutes in length in which you address all of the questions in the form below. You can access a list of questions here.

CLICK HERE TO APPLY

The deadline for applications is 5pm on Friday 7 March 2025. If you have any questions or need assistance with the application process, please email Tess Osman at [email protected].

Assessment, shortlisting and final selection will be carried out by the Heritage Crafts judging team, and interviews will be carried out by Zoom. If you are new to a craft and you would like assistance with finding a trainer, please get in touch and we will do what we can to help.