Announcement: Palestinian Embroidery Scholarship for Virginia Residents

Tatreez & Tea’s mission is to preserve, research, and document embroidery and storytelling traditions in the Palestinian diaspora.

Tatreez & Tea courses are designed to ensure that the next generation of Palestinians are knowledgeable in the art history of their native land, with an emphasis on becoming practitioners of Palestinian textile and needlework traditions, as well as developing their literacy in the unique stylistic differences that exist between various regions of historic Palestine.

The Tatreez & Tea community is inclusive to all allies in the fight for Palestinian liberation and freedom, encouraging non-Palestinians to learn about the historic textile traditions of the region, while at the same time resisting the appropriation of Palestinian arts and culture. To learn more about how Tatreez & Tea defines appropriation, please read the statement here.

Thanks to funding from the Arlington County Arts Commission, Tatreez & Tea is excited to announce the distribution of 13 scholarships to Virginia-based residents in 2022. While the scholarship fund prioritizes Arlington County residents, all Virginia residents are welcome to apply.

Recipients of the scholarship will receive:

  • Supplies kits for both waste canvas and Aida cloth projects

  • Registration to “Library of Beginner Classes” (includes 5 beginner classes, plus bonus videos) through Tatreez & Tea Central

  • Registration to “The Village Series Thobe

    • An introductory project that is taught through 14 hands-on Palestinian embroidery classes combining 16 traditional motifs of 21 regions in historic Palestine into a finished ~12.5 x 16 inches piece. Art historical lectures are weighted evenly with stitching lessons (50%/50%).

    • Students may attend virtually the live class, or watch recordings

    • The course is offered each semester (virtually). You will be asked to select which cohort you would like to enroll, and it must be redeemed during the Winter, Spring, or Summer semesters of 2022.

This scholarship cannot be redeemed in cash or credit and will be distributed by Wafa Ghnaim through automatic registration to the above-listed courses. Supplies will be shipped to the address provided in the application. The supplies kits will not be sufficient for The Village Series Thobe project, but will be useful for the beginner classes and for getting started.

To be eligible for this scholarship, individuals must meet the following criteria:

  • A completed online application

  • Proof of residency in Virginia (utility bill, identification card, voter registration card, copy of drivers license, or any documents listed here)

  • A demonstrated commitment to Palestinian solidarity work in their community (reference letters are welcome, but not required!)

  • An unwavering commitment to the Tatreez & Tea Community Guidelines

  • A 1,000-word essay sharing their biggest takeaways and learnings from the coursework within 30 days of completion

Applications are accepted on a rolling basis until all awards have been distributed.