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WHAT IS THE Craft FELLOWSHIP AWARDS?
Step into a world where heritage, imagination, and slow craft converge. The TextileSeekers Fellowship Award 2026 offers a unique opportunity for one passionate creative to embark on a 6-day immersive journey in Mai Chau, Vietnam, to work closely with Indigenous textile communities and co-create a singular object that speaks to the story of place, material, and transformation.
Now in its fourth year, the Fellowship evolves into a platform for creative collaboration and material storytelling. We invite designers, artists, and makers to propose an idea for an object that incorporates Indigenous textiles and traditional materials from Vietnam. The selected fellow will bring their vision to life in conversation with the women artisans of Mai Chau - a region known for its vibrant weaving traditions and deep cultural roots.
The award is born from a shared reverence for the ancestral knowledge passed down through generations of women. It celebrates the hands, hearts, and heritages that sustain textile traditions and those who carry them forward into new forms of expression.
Explore the World of Textile Craft with TextileSeekers
Together, we honour the power of textiles as both artifact and language and empower women creators, changemakers, and storytellers to shape a more sustainable and soulful future.
In TextileSeeker’s bid to promote sustainability in today’s fashion ecosystem, we are offering an exclusive opportunity for you to join our journey. Our fellowship awards not only aim to guide you through the processes of developing your project, but they will also open your eyes to the beauty of sustainable textile practices.
WHAT’S NEW THIS YEAR?
For the first time, the Fellowship will focus on the creation of an object, a vessel of ideas and materials, guided by a thoughtful concept proposed by the applicant. The object can take any form: sculptural, functional, ritualistic, wearable, or purely poetic. It must be grounded in respect for the material and the cultural knowledge embedded within it.
The artist will work in close collaboration with local artisans, exploring techniques such as natural dyeing, backstrap weaving, embroidery, and batik, and experimenting with new ways of seeing, making, and interpreting.
What does the rETREAT offer
We will connect you with local communities through our retreat in Mai Chau. You will get to immerse yourself in artisanal workshops as well as learn all about traditional textile-making techniques from the different tribes in the region. From botanical dyeing to hand embroidery, you will step right into a wealth of knowledge that has been passed down through generations.
Thao, our founder of TextileSeekers, will also be on-site as chief creative consultant. She will offer her expertise and share her experience in design, as well as facilitate you to bring your vision to life.
THE LOCATION
YOUR LODGE STAY
Avana is derived from the word “A-yana,” meaning a beautiful flower. Like a wildflower nourished by nature.
Forty-one bungalows, suites, and private pool villas, perched on the mountainside overlooking the valley, instill a sense of peacefulness. Each living space opens to a timeless mountain landscape with inviting sights and sounds of nature. Located in Mai Chau, deep in the mountains, we will visit villages inhabited by the Black, White Tay and Black H’mong minority people. We will be connecting with these tribes, and also the other tribes in the region.
We are shaping an atmosphere that is conducive for introspection and inspiration through our stay at a remote lodge. Cocooned in the heart of Mai Chau’s 56,454 hectares of mountains, valleys, forests, rivers, and rice fields provide invigorating opportunities for both adventurers and those looking to unwind in nature. Our lodge is tucked away in the misty mountains, and nestled just beside a running river that cuts through the lush forest. There will be no distraction as you indulge in a sense of peace that declutters the mind and quiets down thoughts.
The Avana Resort is focused on sustainability with over 10 hectares OF REFORESTATION. the resorts’ priority is to protect the environment. The waterfalls have been kept in their initial state while streamlets continue to meander their way through the valley. Simple, rustic and staying true to the tribal aesthetics, your stay will unveil the real Mai Chau, as well as become an avenue for you to experience a sustainable way of life not known to many.
