Handweavers Guild of America, Inc.

Spinning & Weaving Week is an international celebration of the craft that takes place annually the first week of October (October 5 - 11, 2026).

The Handweavers Guild of America, Inc.’s (HGA) mission is to educate, support, and inspire the fiber art community. One of the ways we do this is with our virtualSpinning & Weaving Week Celebration attracting hundreds of participants for panels, talks, shopping, fashion show, tours, networking events, and more. Art Sparks Sessions are taught by the world’s leading fiber arts instructors as well as those that are up-and-coming in the field, known as Leaders.

Art Sparks Sessions will be sample classes or mini-workshops. They cover a hyper-specific topic and are often used to introduce participants to a new art form, technique, or equipment. They might be repurposed content or a unit from a larger online course. Art Sparks Sessions will be offered in 30-minute and 1-hour segments.

HGA seeks a diverse selection of proposals. We are looking to offer our participants a variety of topics to choose from including traditional fiber arts experiences and Sessions that are new, innovative, and unique. Being that these Sessions will be taught online, participants will be learning from their homes from around the world. When planning your Session, please remember the restrictions that teaching online may impose on participants’ ability to participate in your proposed Session. These sessions are webinar-style, meaning you will not see the participants face-to-face, but will be able to interact via Q&A.

How To Apply

If you do not already have a Submittable account, you will be prompted to create a free account. Click on "continue" at the bottom of this screen, and then choose the "create account". You CANNOT log into Submittable using your Handweavers Guild of America member credentials. After you have created your account and logged in, please click on the original submission link from your payment confirmation email. This should open a new window where you will now have access to the submission form. After filling out all required field, click submit at the bottom of the page.

For a video tutorial please click here

Rules

Proposed Sessions will be evaluated based on overall quality, relevance to the industry, well- defined focus and objectives, practical applications of material, relevance and timeliness of the topic, originality of material, hands-on learning for immediate application, and educator qualifications (including level of speaking experience and expertise). Each Session must be educational. Sessions to advertise a program, product, or service for sale are unacceptable. Leaders are expected to comply with copyright law in selecting materials and images for their Sessions and are responsible for their permission of use in HGA’s marketing materials.

Non-Compete

HGA does not impose any restrictions on teaching the same Session outside of Spinning & Weaving Week. However, please keep in mind that by doing so you may dilute the number of participants in your Session. Low enrollment may lead to cancellation.

Enrollment

All Sessions will require a minimum of 5 registered participants or they will be subject to cancellation. (from payment section)

Technology

Leaders should have a solid internet connection, good lighting, and a clear microphone. Professional equipment greater than a laptop camera and mic is recommended but not required. HGA’s Spinning & Weaving Week is presented on the Cvent platform and uses Zoom for its Sessions. All Leaders will be required to participate in a brief training 1-2 weeks prior to Spinning & Weaving Week.

Materials and Sales

Complimentary digital handouts (worksheets, written instructions, diagrams, drafts, etc.), shared with Session participants in advance, are encouraged. These may be attached to the Session for the participant to download. Leaders may offer participants an optional materials kit that compliments the Session and may include things such as printed booklets, fiber, beads, dyes, etc. The kits should be optional, and participants should not feel excluded from the Session if they do not purchase the kit. Please ensure that fees for materials kits are reasonable. Higher materials fees often dissuade registration. Leaders may not sell additional supplies, publications, or handcrafted items in the Session.

Recording

All Art Sparks Sessions are recorded and available to view on the Cvent platform by registered participants for 90 days following Spinning & Weaving Week. Participants will not be able to download the recording, but because Sessions are recorded, it is to be expected that many participants will choose to watch a recorded Session instead of participating in real time.

Scheduling

Sessions will be offered Monday – Sunday between the hours of 10 AM and 9 PM Eastern Time. Sessions will be scheduled based on the availability of the Leader per their application. HGA will do its best to minimize conflicts with other Sessions, but due to the format of the program it is expected that Sessions will run concurrently.

Membership

All Spinning & Weaving Week Leaders must be or become HGA members upon receiving notification of proposal acceptance and must maintain membership through the Spinning & Weaving Week Celebration.

Leader Compensation

1. Honoraria will be paid at a rate of $50 per 30-minutes of instruction ($50 for a 30-Minute Session and $100 for a 1-Hour Session). All Sessions will require a minimum of 5 registered participants or they will be subject to cancellation.

2. Complimentary Spinning & Weaving Week Registration includes daily admission to the Marketplace LIVE, Panels, Thread Talks, Studio Tours and Fashion Show.

If you have any questions before submitting, please feel free to contact us at (678) 730-0010 or HGA@WeaveSpinDye.org

Welcome to the Handweavers Guild of America, Inc.'s (HGA) Leader Session Proposal process for the 2028 Convergence®.

Thank you for taking the time to submit a Session proposal for HGA's Convergence® Conference for summer of 2028. We will be announcing the location by fall of 2026. 

The Handweavers Guild of America’s (HGA) mission is to educate, support, and inspire the fiber art community. One of the ways we do this is with Convergence®, our biennial international fiber artsconference attracting more than 1,500 participants for a multi-faceted experience with exhibitions, shopping, fashion show, tours, workshops, seminars, lectures, and more. At the heart of the Convergence® conference are the Sessions, taught by the world’s leading fiber arts instructors andthose who are up-and-coming in the field, known as Convergence® Leaders.   

Convergence® Sessions are offered in the following formats:

• 90-Minute Seminars are generally an oral session in a lecture format or a very simple project. Seminars usually require the participant to bring minimal supplies such as pen and paper and generally have no materials fee.
• 3-Hour Seminars are either an in-depth lecture or an introductory hands-on “how-to” course designed to give participants skills or knowledge to take back and implement at home.
• 1-Day, 2-Day, and 3-Day Workshops offer 6, 12, or 18 hours of in-depth exploration of the subject matter with hands-on instruction. Workshops may require pre-conference preparation by the participant. Workshops will have limited enrollment to provide participants with a more engaging experience. Note: HGA accepts a limited number of 3-Day Workshops.

HGA seeks a diverse selection of Session proposals. We are looking to offer our conference participants a variety of beginner, intermediate, and advanced Sessions to choose from including traditional fiber arts experiences and Sessions that are new, innovative, and unique to Convergence®. Approximately 65% of Convergence® participants have attended past conferences so new and innovative Sessions will be welcomed. Participants come from all over the United States and from around the world. HGA will assist attendees traveling from afar with loom rentals, but availability will be limited. When planning your Session, please remember the restrictions that travel may impose on participants’ ability to bring supplies for your proposed Session.

How To Apply

If you do not already have a Submittable account, you will be prompted to create a free account. Click on "continue" at the bottom of this screen, and then choose the "create account". You CANNOT log into Submittable using your Handweavers Guild of America member credentials. After you have created your account and logged in, please click on the original submission link from your payment confirmation email. This should open a new window where you will now have access to the submission form. After filling out all required field, click submit at the bottom of the page.

For a video tutorial please click here

Rules.

Proposed Sessions will be evaluated based on overall quality, relevance to the industry, well-defined focus and objectives, practical applications of the material, relevance and timeliness of the topic, originality of material, hands-on learning for immediate application, educator qualifications (including the level of speaking experience and expertise), and competition as compared to other proposals. Each Session must be educational. Sessions to advertise a program, product, or service for sale is unacceptable. Convergence® Leaders are expected to comply with copyright law in selecting materials and images for their Sessions and are responsible for their permission of use in HGA’s marketing materials.   

Non-Compete. 

HGA does not impose any restrictions on teaching the same Session outside of Convergence®. However, please keep in mind that by doing so you may dilute the number of participants in your Convergence® Session. Low enrollment may lead to cancellation.   

Enrollment. 

HGA requires Leaders to accept a minimum of 16 students per Session, however, HGA reserves the right to run a Session should enrollment fall below. Sessions with 20 or more students may request assistance from a Convergence® Intern provided it is requested with the proposal.   

Convergence® Interns. 

These students are currently enrolled in accredited fiber arts programs at the undergraduate or graduate level. The program is designed to assist with career development by providing real work experiences that provide students with opportunities to explore their interests and develop professional skills and competencies while providing the Leader with a capable assistant to help manage a larger enrollment in their Session. HGA strongly encourages participation in this program.   

WiFi. 

Please note that HGA does not provide internet service for Convergence® Sessions as it is cost-prohibitive. We recognize the role that technology can play in presenting information. While we would like to provide internet access and fulfill the technical equipment needs of our Convergence® Leaders, we are not in a position to do so. Some conference facilities may offer free WiFi, but reliability cannot be guaranteed. Please contact the HGA office for more information about availability prior to submitting a proposal.   

Supplies and Equipment.

These items must be requested in your proposal. HGA will provide static-cling dry-erase boards (size may vary) and projector screens or a white space to project upon. HGA does not provide projectors. For a full list of equipment provided by HGA (such as dye pots, sewing machines, etc.), please refer to the application. Supplies and equipment brought by the Leader may be shipped in advance to the conference Decorator. Shipping costs are the responsibility of the Convergence® Leader. Upon selection of your Session and signing of the Convergence® Leader Agreement, HGA will provide shipping instructions and a fee schedule.         

Materials and Sales. 

Digital handouts, shared with Session participants in advance, are encouraged. Convergence® Leaders may charge a materials fee for items they provide to their participants such as printed booklets, fiber, beads, dyes, etc. Please ensure that these fees are reasonable. Higher materials fees often dissuade registration. Convergence® Leaders may not sell additional supplies, publications, or handcrafted items in the classroom or the public areas of the conference. HGA suggests Leaders connect with Convergence® vendors to arrange for sales. HGA will also work with Leaders to provide a scheduled and advertised time in the HGA Leader booth where a Leader may sell these items if they prefer to sell directly to participants.   

Membership.

All Convergence® Leaders must be or become HGA members upon receiving notification of proposal acceptance and must maintain membership through Convergence®. Memberships start at $57/year (subject to change). If more than one proposal is accepted, HGA will do its best to schedule your Sessions concurrently. When this is not possible, you may be eligible for additional hotel compensation.

Leader Compensation.

1. Honoraria will be paid at a rate of $120 per hour of instruction ($180 for a 90-Minute Seminar; $360 for a 3-Hour Seminar; $720 for a 1-Day Workshop; $1,440 for a 2-Day Workshop; and $2,160 for a 3-Day Workshop). All Sessions will require a minimum of no less than #### registered students or they will be subject to cancellation. Honoraria will be adjusted from the hourly rate to a per-student rate for Workshop Sessions with 5 to 11 registered students: $60 per student for a 1-Day Workshop, $120 per student for a 2-Day Workshop, and $180 per student for a 3-Day Workshop.
2. Travel Reimbursement of $75 for every three (3) hours of instruction (not to exceed $750) for any Leader residing 120 miles or more from the conference site. Leaders are responsible for arranging their own travel.
3. Hotel Compensation will be paid directly to a Convergence® Hotel by HGA and will be provided at half (1⁄2) the cost (or 50% of the cost) of a double/double room night at the blocked room rate at a Convergence® Hotel under the following schedule. Leaders are responsible for making their own Convergence® hotel reservation and securing a roommate. Leaders are responsible for any miscellaneous fees and services (e.g. food, movies, parking, room service, etc.).       3-6 Class Hours of Instruction... Two (2) Nights at 50%    7-12 Class Hours of Instruction... Three (3) Nights at 50%    13-18 Class Hours of Instruction... Four (4) Nights at 50%    19-24 Class Hours of Instruction... Five (5) Nights at 50%    25 or More Class Hours of Instruction... Six (6) Nights at 50%
4. Complimentary Convergence® Value Package Conference Registration, includes daily admission to the Marketplace, Demonstrations, Panels, and Art Exhibits; 1 ticket to the Fashion Show; 1 ticket to the Keynote Speaker; an HGA Tote Bag; and discounted session registration.

Description

The Handweavers Guild of America, Inc. (HGA) offers two scholarships (HGA and Dendel) for students enrolled in accredited academic programs in the United States and Canada. The scholarships fund students furthering their education in the field of fiber arts, including textile research, history, and conservation. Rather than financial need, scholarship funds are awarded based on artistic and technical excellence and/or on demonstrated excellence in research of textiles, textile history, and textile conservation.

Scholarship funds of $4,000 or more are awarded annually for the academic year.

HGA Scholarship
HGA Scholarship funds can only be applied toward tuition and is open to applicants that fall into one of two categories:

• artistic merit or
• scholarly research in the fiber arts/textile industry

The artistic merit category is recommended for those applicants focused on producing advanced, artistic textile artwork.
The scholarly research category is recommended for those applicants focused more on textile art education, textile conservation, textile history, etc.

ELIGIBILITY
 

• Applicants must be enrolled in an accredited undergraduate or graduate fiber arts academic program in the United States or Canada.
• Scholarship funds will only be applied toward expenses directly tied to your study at the accredited institution in which you are currently enrolled. Scholarship funds can not be applied to an independent workshop.
• Only one scholarship is awarded per individual per year.
• Applicants are not required to be members of HGA.
• Application and all support materials must be received on or before the May 1st deadline. Incomplete or late applications will not be considered.

Description

The Handweavers Guild of America, Inc. (HGA) offers two scholarships (HGA and the Dendel) for students enrolled in accredited academic programs in the United States and Canada. The scholarships fund students furthering their education in the field of fiber arts, including textile research, history, and conservation. Rather than financial need, scholarship funds are awarded based on artistic and technical excellence and/or on demonstrated excellence in research of textiles, textile history, and textile conservation.

Scholarship funds of $4,000 or more are awarded annually for the academic year.

Dendel Scholarship

The Dendel Scholarship is made possible by a generous donation in honor of the late Gerald and Esther Dendel to foster studies in handweaving.

Dendel Scholarship funds can be used for tuition as well as materials or travel determined on a case-by-case basis. Applicants will be judged on their skill and dedication to handweaving.
 

ELIGIBILITY
 

• Applicants must be enrolled in an accredited undergraduate or graduate fiber arts academic program in the United States or Canada.
• Scholarship funds will only be applied toward expenses directly tied to your study at the accredited institution in which you are currently enrolled. Scholarship funds can not be applied to an independent workshop.
• Only one scholarship is awarded per individual per year.
• Applicants are not required to be members of HGA.
• Application and all support materials must be received on or before the May 1st deadline. Incomplete or late applications will not be considered.

The Petrini Grant was established in 1994 to honor Silvio and Eugenia Petrini, supporters of the Handweavers Guild of America, Inc. (HGA) and the fiber art community. The fund awards grants up to $300 per individual. The application is open to HGA members for study in non-accredited programs for any skill level.

RULES

Grants are available to current HGA members who hold either a Student, Individual, Household, or Professional Artist membership. The Silvio and Eugenia Petrini Grant is awarded to provide financial assistance to participate in non-accredited fiber art programs or workshops. 

ELIGIBILITY 

• HGA grant applicants must be current HGA members (Student, Individual, Household, or Professional Artist).
• Grant funds must be applied to a workshop, class, conference, or program held any time between April 1 and March 31 of the following year. Grant funds cannot be applied retroactively.
• Late applications are not accepted.
• Grants shall not be awarded to current HGA Board of Directors members or current HGA employees. Former HGA board members may apply one year after retiring from the Board. Former HGA employees may apply one year after terminating employment.
• Grant applicants can apply for more than one grant in the same year.
• Recipients of the Petrini and Gable Grants are not eligible to apply for the same grant for four years.
• Unsuccessful proposals may be resubmitted in future years.
• If for any reason the grant recipient is unable to attend the workshop/class/conference or is unable to fulfill any of the grant’s requirements, the funds must be returned to HGA.
• Grant funds can only be applied to non-accredited classes. Certified programs are not allowed.
• Grant funds cannot be used to attend HGA’s biennial Convergence conference or for study or application for the Certificate of Excellence program.

The HGA Grant Panel is responsible for reviewing and evaluating applicants.

Established in 2000 to honor Mearl K. Gable II, a generous supporter of the Weavers Guild of the North Shore, Inc.(WGNS) and the fiber art community, this fund awards grants in the amounts of $100 - $750 each year. This grant can be used toward study in a non-accredited fiber art program of any skill level and may be used for research and studies connected with fiber arts. Within six months of completing the studies, the recipient will be required to make a report to the WGNS either in person or by video, presentation, notebook and samples, etc.

RULES

Grants are available to current HGA members who hold either a Student, Individual, Household, or Professional Artist membership. The Silvio and Eugenia Petrini Grant is awarded to provide financial assistance to participate in non-accredited fiber art programs or workshops. 

ELIGIBILITY 

• HGA grant applicants must be current HGA members (Student, Individual, Household, or Professional Artist).
• Grant funds must be applied to a workshop, class, conference, or program held any time between April 1 and March 31 of the following year. Grant funds cannot be applied retroactively.
• Late applications are not accepted.
• Grants shall not be awarded to current HGA Board of Directors members or current HGA employees. Former HGA board members may apply one year after retiring from the Board. Former HGA employees may apply one year after terminating employment.
• Grant applicants can apply for more than one grant in the same year.
• Recipients of the Petrini and Gable Grants are not eligible to apply for the same grant for four years.
• Unsuccessful proposals may be resubmitted in future years.
• If for any reason the grant recipient is unable to attend the workshop/class/conference or is unable to fulfill any of the grant’s requirements, the funds must be returned to HGA.
• Grant funds can only be applied to non-accredited classes. Certified programs are not allowed.
• Grant funds cannot be used to attend HGA’s biennial Convergence conference or for study or application for the Certificate of Excellence program.

The HGA Grant Panel is responsible for reviewing and evaluating applicants.

Funded by donations to HGA, this grant awards $500 each year. This grant is open to members who teach beginning weavers or spinners in a private studio, shop, or school; who are bringing new people to the craft; and who have an innovative plan or proposal.

RULES

Grants are available to current HGA members who hold either a Student, Individual, Household, or Professional Artist membership. The Silvio and Eugenia Petrini Grant is awarded to provide financial assistance to participate in non-accredited fiber art programs or workshops. 

ELIGIBILITY 

• HGA grant applicants must be current HGA members (Student, Individual, Household, or Professional Artist).
• Grant funds must be applied to a workshop, class, conference, or program held any time between April 1 and March 31 of the following year. Grant funds cannot be applied retroactively.
• Late applications are not accepted.
• Grants shall not be awarded to current HGA Board of Directors members or current HGA employees. Former HGA board members may apply one year after retiring from the Board. Former HGA employees may apply one year after terminating employment.
• Grant applicants can apply for more than one grant in the same year.
• Unsuccessful proposals may be resubmitted in future years.
• If for any reason the grant recipient is unable to attend the workshop/class/conference or is unable to fulfill any of the grant’s requirements, the funds must be returned to HGA.
• Grant funds can only be applied to non-accredited classes. Certified programs are not allowed.
• Grant funds cannot be used to attend HGA’s biennial Convergence conference or for study or application for the Certificate of Excellence program.

The HGA Grant Panel is responsible for reviewing and evaluating applicants.