20 Great Scholarships for Art Students

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Through the kindness of art patrons and organizations across the United States, many art scholarships are awarded to encourage youth to celebrate their creativity.

Art is one of the most diverse disciplines with various specializations for the BFA and MFA degree. Despite popular belief, declaring an art major won’t be equivalent to committing career suicide. The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts that there will be over 789,700 jobs in the art and design industry by 2024. Jobs are growing by:

  • 7 percent for curators
  • 7 percent for architects
  • 6 percent for animators.

Art majors can also apply their ingenuity in other professions, such as:

  • education
  • marketing
  • software development
  • counseling.

Finance your bright future in the arts by applying for some of the following scholarship opportunities.

Ranking Top Scholarships for Art Students

1. Annie Elizabeth Beall Scholarship

Deadline: June 30th

The Presbyterian Mission Agency offers the Annie Elizabeth Beall Scholarship for $5,000 to women in:

  • Alabama
  • Florida
  • Georgia
  • Kentucky
  • Louisiana
  • Mississippi
  • North Carolina
  • Tennessee
  • South Carolina
  • Virginia

They must be  pursuing graduate study in the fine arts or performing arts. Eligible candidates must:

  • be 35 years old or younger
  • be active Presbyterian Church (USA) members
  • exhibit financial need
  • attend an accredited college
  • plan to enter art-related ministry professions.
Contact

Annie Elizabeth Beall Scholarship
100 Witherspoon Street
Louisville, KY 40202
(800) 728-7228 ext. 5224
finaid@pcusa.org
Scholarship Link

2. ASID Foundation Legacy Scholarships

Deadline: April 18th

The American Society of Interior Designers (ASID) Foundation’s Legacy Scholarships are granted annually. They’re valued at $4,000 each. Eligible are undergraduate and graduate art school students who exhibit outstanding creative achievement. Qualified applicants must:

  • be at least juniors
  • have a declared major in interior design
  • attend an accredited U.S. college
  • present a portfolio of eight to 12 work samples
  • provide one letter of recommendation
  • write a 1,000-word essay about their design goals.
Contact

ASID Foundation Legacy Scholarships
718 Seventh Street NW
Washington, DC 20001
(202) 546-3480
mdegeeter@asid.org
Scholarship Link

3. Catherine W. Pierce Scholarships

Deadline: June 25th

The Catherine W. Pierce Scholarships are sponsored by the United Negro College Fund.  They award up to $5,000 yearly to seven minority students across the United States. They must be pursuing a bachelor’s or master’s degree in any art discipline. Eligible are:

  • African American
  • Native American
  • Asian
  • Hispanic

Students must:

  • be U.S. citizens or nationals
  • attend an accredited, four-year college full-time
  • maintain a cumulative 2.5 GPA or better
  • demonstrate financial need.
Contact

Catherine W. Pierce Scholarships
1805 Seventh Street NW
Washington, DC 20001
(800) 331-2244
michael.burton@uncf.org
Scholarship Link

4. CBC Spouses Visual Arts Scholarship

Deadline: April 29th

Since 2006, the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation has presented the CBC Spouses Visual Arts Scholarship. The $3,000 scholarship is for African American students majoring in artistic fields, such as:

  • architecture
  • ceramics
  • drawing
  • fashion design
  • illustration
  • painting
  • photography

Eligible undergraduates must:

  • enroll full-time
  • be U.S. citizens or legal residents
  • exhibit community service
  • achieve a minimum overall GPA of 2.5
  • submit five original artworks
  • be pursuing a visual arts career.
Contact

CBC Spouses Visual Arts Scholarship
1720 Massachusetts Avenue NW
Washington, DC 20036
(202) 263-2800
scholarships@cbcfinc.org
Scholarship Link

5. Dexter Jones Scholarship Award

Deadline: April 1st

The Dexter Jones Scholarship Award is from the National Sculpture Society. The scholarship is $5,000. It’s for artists aged 18 to 39 who present outstanding works of figurative or realist sculpture in bas-relief. Eligible competitors are U.S. citizens or residents with a valid social security number. Applications must include:

  • 12 images of sculptural artwork with a resolution of 72 dpi
  • current resume or CV
  • a brief biographical sketch.
Contact

Dexter Jones Scholarship Award
75 Varick Street 11th Floor
New York, NY 10013
(212) 764-5645
elizabeth@nationalsculpture.org
Scholarship Link

6. Florence Lemcke Fine Arts Scholarship

Deadline: March 1st

The American Legion Auxiliary funds the annual Florence Lemcke Fine Arts Scholarship. The $1,000 scholarship is for creative graduating high school seniors. They must be planning to major in fine arts, including:

  • painting
  • drawing
  • photography
  • architecture
  • sculpture
  • literature
  • dance
  • drama

Qualified candidates must:

  • be Washington State residents
  • be the child or grandchild of a military veteran
  • participate actively in extra-curricular activities
  • show leadership potential
  • attach three letters of recommendation.
Contact

Florence Lemcke Fine Arts Scholarship
3600 Ruddell Road
Lacey, WA 98503
(360) 456-5995
kshrt14@comcast.net
Scholarship Link

7. Helen Trueheart Cox Art Scholarship

Deadline: October 31st

Every two years, the National League of American Pen Women awards the Helen Trueheart Cox Art Scholarship for $1,000. Eligible are talented Native American women aged 18 to 25 years old. They must lacks the financial resources to study visual arts at an accredited college. Applications must include:

  • tribal documentation
  • two faculty recommendation letters
  • a $20 entry fee

Other available art scholarships include the Shirley Holden Helberg Grant and Vinnie Ream Award.

Contact

Helen Trueheart Cox Art Scholarship
1300 17th Street NW
Washington, DC 20036
(202) 785-1997
contact@nlapw.org
Scholarship Link

8. Henry and Chiyo Kuwahara Arts Award

Deadline: April 1st

IThe Henry and Chiyo Kuwahara Arts Award is granted by the Japanese American Citizens League (JACL). The $2,500 is granted annually to support undergraduate students who are majoring in visual arts. These include:

  • ceramics
  • drawing
  • painting
  • sculpture
  • design
  • printmaking
  • video production

Eligible candidates must:

  • attend accredited four-year U.S. colleges
  • show scholastic achievement
  • have JACL membership
  • undertake creative projects that reflect the Japanese American experience.
Contact

Henry and Chiyo Kuwahara Arts Award
4622 East Princeton Avenue
Fresno, CA 93703
(415) 345-1075
ncwnp@jacl.org
Scholarship Link

9. HGA Dendel Scholarship Program

Deadline: March 15th

The Handweavers Guild of America (HGA) established the Dendel Scholarship Program. It  awards $4,000 annually to talented young artists. They must be enrolled full-time at accredited U.S. or Canadian higher learning institutions to study textile and fiber arts. Interested HGA members must submit an application with five to 16 digital images of previous weaving projects. They must also include a one-page written summary. These scholarships for art majors can be applied for:

  • tuition
  • artist materials
  • travel expenses.
Contact

HGA Dendel Scholarship Program
1255 Buford Highway Suite 211
Suwanee, GA 30024
(678) 730-0010
hga@weavespindye.org
Scholarship Link

10. Krylon Clear Choice Art Scholarship

Deadline: May 31st

The Krylon Products Group provides a Clear Choice Art Scholarship for $1,000 each year. It goes to five high school seniors, college freshmen, and sophomores. They must be declaring a visual arts major to master any creative studio medium, excluding graffiti. Qualified applicants must:

  • be enrolled in an accredited colleges in America or Canada
  • demonstrate financial need
  • exhibit artistic talent with a portfolio of three to six works

Recipients’ schools will also earn a $500 grant and Krylon gift package.

Contact

Krylon Clear Choice Art Scholarship
100 West Prospect Avenue
Cleveland, OH 44115
(212) 546-8613
ArtScholarship@krylon.com
Scholarship Link

11. M. Josephine O’Neil Arts Award

Deadline: March 1st

The M. Josephine O’Neil Arts Award is made possible by the Lambda State Organization of the Delta Kappa Gamma Society. It grants $6,000 yearly to outstanding women in Illinois who are pursuing an undergraduate or graduate degree in the arts. These include:

  • music
  • dance
  • theatre

To qualify, applicants must:

  • be entering their junior year
  • be registered full-time at an accredited university
  • exemplify artistic talent
  • submit a maximum of 10 artwork samples on DVD or CD.
Contact

M. Josephine O’Neil Arts Award
3045 Fairway Road
Stockton, IL 61085
(309) 694-1157
jmstayner@gmail.com
Scholarship Link

12. Melba Day Henning Scholarship

Deadline: May 2nd

Graduating high school seniors are eligible for the Melba Day Henning Scholarship from the Educational Theatre Association (EdTA). The scholarship for $1,000 annually for four years while earning a bachelor’s degree in the theatrical arts. Eligible Thespians must:

  • attend an accredited U.S. art institute
  • maintain a minimum 2.7 GPA
  • aspire to become a theatre teacher

Finalists must audition with a five-minute performance and interview at the International Thespian Festival.

Contact

Melba Day Henning Scholarship
2343 Auburn Avenue
Cincinnati, OH 45219
(513) 977-5526
bochsner@schooltheatre.org
Scholarship Link

13. Myra Levick Scholarship Fund

Deadline: May 1st

The Myra Levick Scholarship Fund awards are sponsored by the American Art Therapy Association (AATA). The awards are $2,000 yearly to graduate students enrolled in one of the EPAB-approved master’s programs for art therapy in the United States. Eligible artists must:

  • maintain full-time graduate studies
  • be active AATA student members
  • maintain a minimum 3.0 GPA
  • exhibit financial need
  • show professional promise for the creative healing arts

There’s also the Cay Drachnik Minorities Fund and Rawley Silver Award for Excellence.

Contact

Myra Levick Scholarship Fund
4875 Eisenhower Avenue Suite 240
Alexandria, VA 22304
(703) 548-5860
info@arttherapy.org
Scholarship Link

14. Naomi Rabb Winston Art Scholarships

Deadline: March 1st

The Naomi Rabb Winston Art Scholarships honor a distinguished artist who painted Alabama’s coat of arms. The scholarships are for $5,000.  They’re given by the National Society of Arts and Letters (NSAL) to young visual artists demonstrating exceptional talent in two-dimensional art. Eligible recipients must:

  • be between 16 and 22 years old
  • be United States citizens
  • be furthering artistic study at an accredited institution

Artwork will be judged based on:

  • technical skill
  • design elements
  • originality, and self-expression.
Contact

Naomi Rabb Winston Art Scholarships
2164 Sunset Circle
Largo, FL 33774
(727) 581-7347
cosdonchris@hotmail.com
Scholarship Link

15. Randy Pausch Scholarship Fund

Deadline: June 30th

The Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences created the Randy Pausch Scholarship Fund. It presents $2,500 annually to two full-time undergraduate and graduate students. They must be majoring in :

  • visual art
  • animation
  • game design
  • music composition
  • related fields

Suitable candidates must:

  • be enrolled at accredited U.S. universities
  • maintain a minimum 3.3 GPA
  • intend to enter the interactive entertainment industry

Required are:

  • official transcripts
  • two signed recommendation letters
  • a two-page personal statement.
Contact

Randy Pausch Scholarship Fund
11175 Santa Monica Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90025
(310) 484-2560
claudio@interactive.org
Scholarship Link

16. Ritchie M. Gregory Scholarship

Deadline: February 18th

The Ritchie M. Gregory Scholarship was established by the Hawaii Community Foundation . It is awarded for $1,500 annually to full-time undergraduate or graduate students studying art, including:

  • painting
  • drawing
  • ceramics
  • photography
  • sculpture
  • printmaking

To be eligible, artists must:

  •  reside in Hawaii
  • attend an accredited, non-profit U.S. institution
  • carry a minimum 2.7 GPA
  • have unmet financial need

Other scholarships for art majors include the Esther Kanagawa Memorial and Gerrit R. Ludwig Scholarship.

Contact

Ritchie M. Gregory Scholarship
4139 Hardy Street Suite C
Lihue, Hawaii 96766
(808) 245-4585
give@hawaiicommunityfoundation.org
Scholarship Link

17. Tricia LeVangie Design Scholarship

Deadline: March 31st

The International Furnishings and Design Association funds the Tricia LeVangie Design Scholarship. It awards $3,000 to currently enrolled undergraduate or graduate students. They must be attending an accredited U.S. art school to study interior design full-time. Eligible candidates must:

  • have passed at least four design courses
  • be genuinely committed to green/sustainable furniture design
  • have a minimum 3.0 GPA
  • submit three samples of original eco-friendly residential furnishing designs.
Contact

Tricia LeVangie Design Scholarship
36 Bay View Road
Wellesley, MA 02482
(781) 894-3240
linda@westonstudiodesign.com
Scholarship Link

18. VMFA Visual Arts Fellowships

Deadline: November 6th

The Virginia Museum of Fine Arts  offers the Visual Arts Fellowships. The awards range from $2,000 to $8,000. They go to emerging artists who are pursuing an accredited undergraduate or graduate degree in visual art majors, such as:

  • drawing
  • film production
  • painting
  • photography
  • art history
  • sculpture
  • crafts

Qualified recipients must:

  • have resided in Virginia for 12 or more months
  • pay in-state tuition at a Virginia college
  • maintain full-time enrollment
  • upload at least two original artworks.
Contact

VMFA Visual Arts Fellowships
200 North Boulevard
Richmond, VA 23220
(804) 204-2685
jenny.harding@vmfa.museum
Scholarship Link

19. WorldStudio AIGA Scholarships

Deadline: April 22nd

The WorldStudio AIGA Scholarships are offered through the Design Ignites Change initiative. The awarded for $2,000 to $5,000 yearly. They go to undergraduate students from minority or economically disadvantaged backgrounds. They must be studying:

  • fine art
  • graphic design
  • animation
  • web design
  • photography
  • similar art disciplines

Applicants must:

  • be U.S. citizens or green card holders
  • be matriculated at accredited colleges
  • maintain a minimum 2.0 GPA
  • exhibit financial need
  • present artwork that promotes positive social change.
Contact

WorldStudio AIGA Scholarships
164 Fifth Avenue
New York, NY 10010
(212) 807-1990
info@designigniteschange.org
Scholarship Link

20. Zinggia! Ohio Art Scholarship

Deadline: March 6th

The $2,000, Zinggia! Ohio Art Scholarship is awarded to talented high school seniors who are accepted for full-time study at an accredited U.S. college or university. They must be an art major, such as:

  • illustration
  • sculpture
  • ceramics
  • painting
  • digital design

To be considered, students must:

  • be Ohio residents
  • have U.S. citizenship
  • have a cumulative GPA over 3.0
  • provide a letter of recommendation from an art teacher
  • attach five of their best pieces of artwork.
Contact

Zinggia! Ohio Art Scholarship
1368 Bronwyn Avenue
Columbus, OH 43204
ZinggiaScholarship@hotmail.com
Scholarship Link

It’s not likely that you chose a visual or performing arts major for the money, but it’s worth a consideration. According to Kiplinger’s Personal Finance, the median starting salary for art school graduates is $30,000. Artists make an average of 20 percent less than their college peers. That doesn’t mean you should abandon your talent and passion for creating moving artwork though. Instead you can lower your tuition costs and improve your degree’s ROI with lucrative art scholarships. These are just 20 of the available scholarships for art majors to follow their calling and master their chosen medium.

GCD Staff

Related:

This concludes our coverage of top scholarships for art students.

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