Art scholarships are for creative high school and college students who may qualify. Many accredited colleges and art schools offer art scholarships to students who’ve spent time cultivating their artistic talent. Some look at unmet financial need. Others require letters of recommendation, GPA, test scores and extracurricular activities. If you plan to enroll as a full time student and are a United States citizen or permanent resident, you may qualify.
You should first find scholarships for art at your current school. Your guidance counselor, and faculty in the art department may have scholarship information. Also, local publications may advertise creative art scholarships. Some awards may require your art portfolio or samples. Make sure you showcase a quality piece of art work and shows your passion for art.
10 Art Scholarships for Creative College Students in 2024
There are a wide range of college scholarship opportunities in art and design. To get you started, we curated a list of 10 scholarships for artists for you to check out. If you meet the eligibility rules, apply soon!
Design Circle Scholarship
Aluminum Extrusion Design Competition Scholarship
Stanfield and D’Orlando Art Scholarship
John F. and Anna Lee Stacey Scholarship Fund for Art Education
Lake Design Foundation Scholarship
Houzz Residential Design Scholarship
Black Design Leaders Grant
Phil Layton Award of Excellence in the Arts
Against the Grain Artistic Scholarship
Stop Painting.com Essay Scholarship
What Scholarships for Art Students Should You Apply for?
Art scholarships for college students often accept applications from a range of artistic majors. There are also awards for those majoring in visual arts, fine arts, graphic design, interior design, printmaking or performing arts. Apply to the ones you may qualify for to improve your odds.
For instance, if you draw/sketch or paint, apply for any drawing scholarship you may find. You may have to stick to a genre but you could show off your drawing skills.
There are also scholarships for artists tied to ethnicity, gender and race. Are you an artistic African American art student? The CBCF Spouses USA Performing Arts Scholarship may be one for you. Ten qualifying college students each get $3,000. Eligible applicants must have a 2.5 GPA and be a performing arts major.
Both undergraduate students and graduate students may qualify for the Henry and Chiyo Kuwahara Creative Arts Award. It is from the Japanese American Citizens League (JACL). To apply, you need samples of artistic works. These should show the Japanese American culture.
As a prospective art major, you should also submit a FAFSA to apply for standard financial aid packages. By submitting the FAFSA, you are able to apply for several scholarships for art from two year and four year colleges all at once.
Check on your college or art school’s website to see what they offer and if there is a separate form to fill out. Many colleges target high school seniors who enter as first time freshman and are renewable if you keep up the terms. Another option are easy scholarships and video or essay contests. You may find ones for creative writing, photography, mass communication, studio art and design.
Is Going to Art School Worth it?
Art school could be worth it at an accredited art program. You may gain more in depth knowledge and discipline from your art major. You may also develop networking opportunities with other artists and professors. There could also be valuable internships and potential career paths. More importantly, art students may learn to build a strong work ethic and dedication to your passion for art.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, many careers in arts and design require a bachelor’s degree (or BFA) for entry level roles. Graphic designers, multimedia artists, art directors, educators and some related fields require four year degree.
Also, the cost of a public four year college is on the rise. According to the NCES, the average total cost of attendance was at $24,900 in 2018 to 2019. Private for profit colleges average total cost of attendance was $33,200.
Because an art scholarship is not a loan, it works to make your studies more affordable. Once you graduate, you may have the knowledge and refined skills to go after your dream job. Also, the median annual wage for arts and design occupations was $51,150 in 2022. Salaries in creative fields usually vary.
In May of 2019, the HIV/AIDS world lost its most promising poet, advocate, author, singer and young person living with AIDS, Mary Bowman. Mary was 30 years old. Born with HIV, she lived out her experiences of growing up and living with HIV (and losing a mother to AIDS) through her art. As a young, out woman of color, she was a dynamic, vital voice for the next generation of individuals living with HIV—proud, willing to speak of her own challenges with not just her own health needs (mental health, social support) —but also a fierce advocate for other young people with HIV for whom a voice was lacking. For Mary, the arts gave her the platform and voice to channel her creative energy, her passion, her truth.
Applicants to the Doan Foundation Scholarship for the Arts, must be high school students living and attending school in Southern California, who are graduating as a senior and who are planning to enroll at a higher education institution or vocational/technical school to pursue an Associate’s degree, a Bachelor’s degree, or certificate of profession. Students must be embarking on a career pertaining to “the arts”.
Our Activist Artist initiative recognizes the powerful connection between human rights and artists around the world. Human rights activists come from many different backgrounds, but one of the most powerful, yet often overlooked, forces in the human rights movement are the artists.
Artists can challenge, inform, inspire, and ultimately move communities toward understanding, acceptance and change. Through diverse media, such as film, writing, theater, dance, music, painting, poetry, and drawing, artists express the raw emotions that can often provoke needed attention and action on human rights crises around the world.
As part of our Global Citizenship work, the Lantos Foundation is committed to supporting, encouraging, and recognizing the work of Artist Activists who tell human rights stories in ways that are unique, inspiring and significant.
The Activist Artist Scholarship was launched in 2020 as an annual competition dedicated to the work of Activist Artists all over the world. Students are challenged to examine the influence of an Activist Artist’s work on a particular human rights issue or create and submit their own Activist Art
Since 2020, New Hampshire students from more than 30 schools have taken advantage of this scholarship opportunity and six scholarships totaling $20,000 have been awarded.
The Friends of the California State Fair offers 12 categories of scholarships with varying eligibility requirements. Applicants may apply for one scholarship category of their choice per year. Applicants must meet all of the criteria for a specific scholarship to be an eligible candidate. Applicants must plan to enroll for both the fall 2023 and spring 2024 semesters. Students graduating after the fall 2023 are not eligible to apply, as this scholarship is intended for the full academic year.
The Friends of the California State Fair offers 12 categories of scholarships with varying eligibility requirements:
• Agricultural Students (current college student)
• Agricultural Students (high school senior)
• Art Major
• Business Major
• California State Fair Exhibitors or Volunteers
• Culinary, Hospitality, or Event Planning Major
• International Agriculture Students (sponsored by Blue Diamond)
• Sacramento Region Top Achiever
• Teacher Credential Program
• Top 10 Percent of Class
• Trade School Program
• Wine & Grape Growing Major
Applicants may apply for one scholarship category of their choice per year. Applicants must meet all of the criteria for a
specific scholarship to be an eligible candidate. Applicants must plan to enroll for both the fall 2023 and spring 2024
semesters. Students graduating after the fall 2023 are not eligible to apply, as this scholarship is intended for the full
academic year.
On June 4, 2015, Joseph M. Fannell was on his way to work when a driver ran a red light and struck his car broadside; he died from injuries suffered in the crash the following day. Although Joseph found enjoyment “working among lawyers,” Joseph’s passion was spoken word and performance-based poetry, an interest he first developed in high school. Joseph was known to go around to various classes reciting favorites pieces he had heard before his classmates and peers. The Joseph M. Fannell Memorial Foundation was established in the wake of Joseph’s death to continue his life and memory by creating and supporting programs to help young people overcome obstacles and reach their full potential.
Our mission is to foster and encourage the expression of the visual arts. The Brighton Art Guild is home for artists, art lovers and supporters of the arts. We represent a diverse group of artists of all ages and all levels, in a variety of mediums. Our Guild offers a wide range of art-related activities and opportunities as well as camaraderie for our members. The Art Guild’s presence enriches the community and demonstrates that Brighton is an attractive place to do business and values art.
This award is open to students studying any form of visual and/or performing arts who write an essay expressing their views on creativity and courage. The French artist Henri Matisse once said, “another word for creativity is courage.” Artists can be loved and appreciated for their work, but they also have the potential to be criticized and rejected. Releasing art into the world involves overcoming fear and self-doubt. Even the most successful artists grapple with questions like “am I good enough?” or “will people like this?” If you’re a creative student who has ever struggled with these questions, we encourage you to apply for this scholarship! See the “Application Information” section below for details regarding the essay prompt. We look forward to reading your application!
To be considered, you must be admitted to DePaul as a first year student and as a declared Art, Media and Design major by February 1. To apply, go to depaul.academicworks.com and login using your Campus Connect user ID and password. You will first need to fill out the “General Application” and then should upload a portfolio containing 10 digital files as follows: nine digital images (one for each of your artworks) and one digital file with your name and resume. All submissions are due by February 1.
Each digital image should be saved as a JPEG file (100 dpi and no larger than 7 x 5 inches) and include your name, the title of the work, medium, size (HxWxD) and year completed. For your resume, please include your name and contact information, schools attended, art exhibitions you’ve participated in, awards you’ve received and any other art-related activities. If you submit a video file, use QuickTime and title the file using the same guidelines outlined above. Submissions uploaded as a PowerPoint will not be accepted.
The Directors of the James Wesley White, Jr. Scholarship Fund are pleased to announce they are accepting applications for its annual scholarship in honor of James “Jay” Wesley White, Jr. Current sophomores and juniors majoring in theatre are eligible to apply for the $2000 scholarship. James Wesley White, Jr. Scholarship applications are due by July 1, 2023. You may contact the scholarship committee for more information at [email protected].
Two $2,500 per year scholarships will be awarded to qualified new freshman or transfer students who have been admitted into one the following areas in the humanities: Art History, Fine and Performing Arts majors, Classical Studies, Dance, English and Creative Writing, Fine and Performing Arts majors, French, History, Italian, Latin, Music, Philosophy, Religious Studies, Spanish, Theatre, Theology and Visual Commnications. Prospective candidates must have a minimum 3.8 cumulative grade point average on a 4.0 scale and be admitted prior to February 1, 2022. Scholarship application are available on the student’s application portal. The Martin J. Svaglic Humanities Scholarship application is due March 1st. If you have questions about this award please contact the Undergraduate Admission Office at 800-262-2373 or [email protected].
