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Summer Fellowship
Association for Craft Producers
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Location Details
Description
The Association for Craft Producers Nepal (ACP) is a fair-trade organization that supports Nepali artisans by developing and marketing high-quality, handcrafted products. Working closely with artisan communities, ACP combines traditional craft knowledge with contemporary design and market opportunities to create sustainable livelihoods. Design interns will have the opportunity to engage with artisans, explore local materials and craft traditions, and contribute to product development, design research, and visual communication.
Student Role
Students will work in collaboration with fair trade handicraft artisans in Nepal to develop contemporary products for the global marketplace. Working with the Association for Craft Producers (ACP), the largest Fair Trade umbrella organization in the country, students will work each day with ACP’s small in-house design team to bring a modern design aesthetic to traditional handicrafts in order to make them more attractive to American consumers. Students can work in a variety of mediums and techniques including weaving, silk-screening, felting, ceramics, furniture building, copper-smithing, knitting and sewing. They will follow their design from conception through prototyping into production, learning valuable skills about the design process.
Work Schedule
Sunday – Friday, 10am-5pm with appropriate days off for off-site visits and visits to other parts of the country.
Orientation
Before departure, students will meet with Professor Conrado (Program of Design) on the design aspect and fair trade. On site, orientation and training will be provided by Revita Shrestha, Executive Director and Sunita Maharjan, Design Group Lead. The professor will continue to consult remotely on the progress of design work over the summer.
Housing Information
Students will reside in a nearby furnished apartment in housing that accommodates students of the same gender sharing a bedroom. Students also visit Prof Conrado’s home in Pokhara for a short time to visit artisan villages in the area. Breakfast and dinner are provided daily while in Kathmandu. ACP provides students with lunches of various Nepali snack foods. In Kathmandu, water, electricity, and internet are available but students may experience disruptions due to frequent power outages. Wifi is available at the home and internet is available at both ACP and at home, as well as internet cafes.
Drivers License
No, students placed internationally are not allowed to drive.
Student Preferences
This position is for advanced design students but students of other majors with strong design skills are encouraged to apply, including architecture, studio art and FTT among others.
Start And End Dates
Eight consecutive weeks between May 17 and August 13, 2027