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Mar 5, 2020 By Amy Fauth Afauth@heraldstandard.Com 3 min read

The officials of Touchstone Center for Crafts believe that anyone with artistic potential and merit should be able to pursue it, which is why the center offers a number of scholarships to ensure that financial concerns don’t stand in the way of deserving individuals of all skill levels, ages and backgrounds attending their workshops.

However, those interested in scholarships shouldn’t delay as applications are due March 15.

New this year is the Agnes & James Konrad Scholarship, which pays 100% tuition for any adult-level workshop to veterans and immediate family members and or members of the Associated Artists of Pittsburgh.

According to the Touchstone website, during World War II, Agnes Dodds was one of the few female executives in the war effort while she served at the Lend Lease Administration in Washington, D.C. She met her first husband (Morton Frank), a Naval Officer, during the war. Her brother (Robert J. Dodds Jr.) and her second husband (James P. Kinard) also served as U.S. Army Officers. Throughout her life, Agnes Dodds Kinard keenly championed efforts to help veterans, especially by enriching their skills and knowledge of arts and crafts. Her three children are thrilled that through her generosity, Touchstone, which she helped found more than three decades ago, will be able to pursue her vision of enabling veterans to receive artistic training they so richly deserve. She wanted Touchstone to offer veterans a sanctuary to enjoy nature and the outdoors as well as the opportunity to learn a new hobby, craft or skill.

Other scholarships include:

n Architecture and the Integrity of Craft Scholarship — Up to $1,200 towards any adult-level workshopÄ¢¹½ÊÓƵ tuition, room, and board. Eligible candidates include students or recent graduates of an NCARB accredited architecture program;

n Educators’ Retreat Scholarship — 50%-100% tuition for any Educators’ Retreat workshop, July 27-31 (any K-12 educator is eligible);

n Susan M. Brimo-Cox Memorial Scholarship — Up to $500 towards any adult-level workshopÄ¢¹½ÊÓƵ tuition, room, and board;

n Thaddeus Mosley Scholarship — 100% tuition for any adult-level sculpture-based workshop;

n Touchstone General Scholarship — 50%-100% tuition for any adult-level workshop

There is a 25% reduced tuition available for full-time residents of Fayette County for any adult workshop. Regular room and board fees apply. Call Touchstone at 724-329-1370 to receive the discount code).

In addition, Touchstone also offers teen week scholarships for ages 14-17. Eligible teens will receive 100% tuition, room and board and teens can apply directly through Touchstone by filling out the application. The deadline for this scholarship is April 1.

Scholarship applications can be downloaded directly from TouchstoneÄ¢¹½ÊÓƵ website by visiting touchstonecrafts.org.

Anyone wanting more information or with questions can contact Travis Winters, programs manager, at 724-329-1370 or twinters@touchstonecrafts.org.