This grant is intended to support the training of an apprentice under the guidance of master carpenter, sculptor, and cabinetmaker Miguel Ángel Tapia, for a period of six months.
Miguel Ángel Tapia has been awarded this year’s Richard H. Driehaus Building Arts Award in the carpentry category. He specializes in wood carving and traditional Castilian religious sculpture. From his workshop in Valladolid, Aquí se hacen Santos (“Here We Make Saints”), he produces processional imagery, architectural elements, ornamental sculpture, and artistic furniture. His training began at the age of twelve, when he enrolled in specialized courses at the local School of Arts. It was there that he discovered his vocation: through drawing and sculpture, he was introduced to the wide range of techniques and crafts associated with wood, from carving and joinery to gilding and polychromy.
The selected grant recipient will receive financial support for a period of six months (or the equivalent duration if the training is carried out intermittently), starting from the agreed-upon date marking the beginning of the apprenticeship. This date will be mutually established with the master craftsperson. The total amount of the grant will be €6,000, and its full or partial disbursement will remain subject to the fulfillment of the training objectives defined at the outset of the program.
In addition, the master will also receive financial support, both for the development of this training and to assume various expenses that may arise from it.
Both the master and the apprentice will provide regular updates, in accordance with the schedule previously agreed upon with the organizers of this grant, regarding the work carried out and the progress of the apprenticeship. Both must also comply with the working conditions and schedules previously established. Representatives of the organization offering this grant will select the most suitable candidate from among the applicants.
The deadline for submitting applications is September 16, 2025.
