Art Scholarships for College Students: How to Earn Financial Aid from Your Talent

If you are interested in any type of artistic field, such as theatre, drawing, painting, or music, then there are many art scholarships available for you. These scholarships are not only for individuals who are majoring in an art-related field but also for those who participate in an art form as an extracurricular activity.

So, if you are looking to earn a scholarship to help pay your tuition, the guide below is a great way to start your research. In this art scholarship guide, we will talk about the different types of art scholarships out there and how you can qualify for them. These grants can be applied to your tuition to make college a little more affordable. 

What Arts Can You Earn a Scholarship In?

There are multiple areas of the arts that offer scholarship opportunities, including performing arts, music, painting, drawing, photography, and so on. 

If you are a high school student planning to attend college or university for art, you can qualify for scholarships by auditioning or sending an art portfolio to the university when applying. Auditions might be for band, theatre, or small musical groups, and are used to determine if you can join the ensemble and your scholarship eligibility. 

If you do not get a scholarship through your school, then you can also apply for arts scholarships outside the institution. Let’s go over the different types of scholarships that are available based on your art specialty. 

Performing Arts Scholarships

As a student going into the performing arts, you will have many scholarships to apply for. The following subjects fall under this category: dancing, singing, theatre, music, and broadcasting. Below are some of the scholarships in these fields.

Alan D. Engelsman and Penny Lu Engelsman Scholarship

The Alan D. Engelsman and Penny Lu Engelsman Scholarship is awarded to students majoring in theatre or English. This $500 scholarship is renewable each year for up to four years. There is no audition required, but students must work part-time throughout their entire time in college to qualify. 

Aiko Susanna Tashiro Hiratsuka Memorial Scholarship

The Aiko Susanna Tashiro Hiratsuka Memorial Scholarship is awarded to students studying performing arts. This scholarship is provided by the Japanese American Citizens League, and you must be a member to apply. You do not have to be of Japanese descent to be a member. 

Heroes and Legends Scholarship

The Heroes and Legends Scholarship is a scholarship that is awarded to students who are looking to get into the performing arts in college and have the ambition and drive to further their careers within the field. This scholarship is only good for one term and you must submit an audition tape from a previous performance to receive it. 

Distinguished Artist Award in Dance – Hope College

Hope College awards an annual $3,000 scholarship for students who are interested in dance. You do not need to be a dance major to apply for this scholarship. To qualify, you must audition, join their dance program, and take two dance classes per semester. 

Photography Scholarships

Students who are looking to major in photography can qualify for the following scholarships. 

Janie Moore Greene Scholarship Grant

The Janie Moore Greene Scholarship Grant is a $2,000 scholarship awarded biannually for college-level students who are planning to major in photography or are already enrolled in a photography program. Students must either be enrolled in a two- or four-year college program for this award. To be considered, you must send a video explaining how the scholarship will impact you and why you would like to be considered.

AIGA Worldstudio Scholarship

The AIGA Worldstudio is an art scholarship for creative students seeking to major in a fine arts field such as graphic design or photography, and who want to make an impact on their community. It is awarded to determined, talented students who are financially disadvantaged. 

To qualify for this scholarship, you must fill out an application including financial documents, proof that you are a United States citizen or have a green card, a strong portfolio, and two letters. These letters must include an autobiography on what life experiences have influenced your creative work and how you plan to impact your community in the future. 

Scholarship packages are between $2,000 and $5,000 and come with a one-year membership to AIGA. 

Fine Arts Scholarships 

Fine arts scholarships are given to students whose interests lie in writing, painting, and drawing. 

Against The Grain Artistic Scholarship

The Against the Grain Artistic Scholarship is for Asian-American students who are planning to major in visual arts, fashion, journalism, graphic design, dance, and other fine arts sections. This scholarship is $1,000. 

To qualify, a student must have a letter of recommendation, submit a portfolio of work, undergo an interview, have strong grades, and display leadership either within their community or in extracurricular activities. 

Cyndy and Al Baran Fine Arts and Music Scholarship

The Cyndy and Al Baran Fine Arts and Music Scholarship is awarded to art students who are in their sophomore, junior, senior year of college, or are in graduate school. Students must have a 3.0 GPA and the scholarship amount varies depending on what the foundation chooses to provide. 

The Foundation Scholarship Fund

The Foundation Scholarship Fund is a $2,000 scholarship for art students who specialize in watercolor. To be considered for this scholarship, you must submit an essay and watercolor art that you have done. 

Walt Disney Imaginations Design Competition Project Challenge

The Walt Disney Imaginations Design Competition Project Challenge is for university students at the junior, senior, or graduate level. To apply, a student must submit a beautiful, storytelling piece of art that is inspirational, meaningful, and either honors the past or looks to the future.

This scholarship is unique as it allows students to apply as a team. Your team must submit a letter from your accredited university, talk about the location you chose to feature in your art, and the goals of the piece, and how it relates to the personal experiences of the team. When submitting your design, teams must also create a slideshow showcasing individual work, and explaining each team member’s story.

The finalists for this project have the chance to win an all-expense-paid trip to Disney Headquarters to present their project and also get the chance at an internship with Disney.

National YoungArts Foundation

The National YoungArts Foundation offers scholarships in fine arts and performing arts. It is aimed at young talent who are in dance, music, theatre, and writing.

Fashion Design Scholarships

Two Ten Higher Education Footwear Design Scholarship 

The Two Ten Footwear Design Scholarship is a renewable $3,000 scholarship that is awarded to students who are studying fashion design with a focus on footwear. Applicants are selected based on their financial need and the quality of their designs. 

Vectorworks Design Scholarship

The Vectorworks Design Scholarship is awarded to students who are pursuing a major in any design arts, such as architecture, graphic design, fashion design, construction, and other related design fields. This scholarship is worth $3,000. 

Film Scholarships

Francis D. Lyon Scholarship

The Francis D. Lyon Scholarship is given by Phi Delta Theta, but you do not have to be a member of the fraternity to apply. It is intended for graduate students who are studying drama, theatre, or film. This scholarship is worth $2,500 and students must submit proof of strong grades and artwork to apply. 

KODAK Scholarship Programs

Kodak offers two scholarships, one for graduate students and another for undergraduate students. 

The Association of Moving Image Archivists Scholarship is available to graduate students studying film, moving images, or production. The $4,000 award is given based on a student’s commitment to motion image archiving. 

The Kodak Scholarship Program is a scholarship awarded to undergraduate and graduate students who are studying film, cinematography, and other related fields. Students must create a film on a story or theme.

The first-place winner will receive a $5,000 Kodak Motion Picture Product Grant and $1,000 in cash. Second place gets a $4,000 grant and third place receives a $3,000 grant.

Animation Scholarships

ASIFA – Hollywood Animation Educators Forum Student Scholarship 

The Hollywood Animation Educators Forum Student Scholarship is awarded to students who are majoring in any animation program. It is worth between $2,500 and $5,000. 

Conclusion: Use Your Talents to Help Pay for College

Art scholarships are a great way to earn financial help even if you are not majoring in art. Even taking arts extracurriculars can qualify you for an art scholarship, so ask your school if they offer any art scholarships. If your school does not offer any, then start applying for some on our list. 

Any amount of money that you can put towards college will help tremendously. Let your talents make paying for college easier. 

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Art Scholarship FAQ

Do I have to major in an artistic field to get a scholarship?

No, you do not. Some scholarships may require that you do, but others only require that you participate in an artistic endeavor as part of your extracurricular activities. 

What type of art scholarships are out there?

There are scholarships available in dance, drawing, theatre, fashion design, music, and many more areas.