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August 20, 2025

Mayo Street Arts and a Rockport nonprofit team up on 'micro' grants for traditional arts

A person stands while others are seated at tables with sewing machines. FILE PHOTO / TIM GREENWAY Apphia Kamanda Mpay received a micro-grant to support training in West African forms of embellishment and hand embroidery.
By Laurie Schreiber

A nonprofit effort awarded "micro" grants of up to $1,000 to nine traditional artists and organizations in Maine.

The Traditional Arts Network is a collaboration between Mayo Street Arts and Cultural Resources.

It issued grants for Afghan women’s arts, a festive Afghan dish called qabuli palaw, henna design and West African hand embroidery.

The grants are intended to help recipients overcome short-term financial hurdles and lay the foundation for long-term goals. The application process was designed to provide artists with a low-barrier, first time experience with grant applications.

Apphia Kamanda Mpay, a Congolese native, will use the grant to support training for a fashion design student interested in learning about traditional West African forms of embellishment and hand embroidery.

Hailing from Rwanda, Uwera Elyse will use the funds to support lessons teaching Rwandese students how to make traditional woven grass mats and an anonymous artist will buy drums from Rwanda that will be used to teach young community members and some adults.

An Afghan women arts group will use the grant to support materials, workshop space and training for members seeking to preserve their cultural heritage and create income opportunities. Zahira Sadat will teach how to cook Afghan dishes — such as a dumpling called ashak, a pilaf called qabuli palaw and a stuffed flatbread call bolani. 

Other recipients

  • Estory Azizi: Handicrafts, particularly in crafting dresses with various designs and styles
  • Maryam Ghulam Hassan: Henna design and painting for festive occasions such as Eid and weddings
  • Jawahar Joya Pashio: Handicrafts such as table top covers, couch covers, scarves and ice embroidery
  • Watt Samaki Temple: To build statues and a garden for a temple planned in Westbrook in collaboration with Khmer Maine.

About the nonprofits

Mayo Street Arts in Portland serves as a performance venue, gallery and gathering space. It offers affordable studios and rehearsal space for artists and free, year-round programs for low income neighborhood students and public programming with a focus on puppetry, folk music and dance.

Cultural Resources in Rockport collaborates with diverse communities in Maine on developing strategies, alliances and programs that help sustain traditional culture. The nonprofit provides fieldwork documentation, community organizing and community programs such as artists' gatherings, apprenticeship programs and exhibitions.

The network’s funding program is administered by Mayo Street Arts and Cultural Resources and reviewed by a committee of artists and cultural advocates in Greater Portland.

Now in its fourth year, the fund is made possible through support from the Maine Arts Commission, an independent state agency supported by the National Endowment for the Arts.

For more information, click here.

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