The Ultimate List of Art Scholarships for Performing and Visual Art

Updated on August 3rd, 2019

Art scholarships can make a world of difference when your student wants to pursue their dream and graduate debt-free. There are a surprising number of scholarships for art majors and talented artists, including those pursuing non-artistic degrees.

Here is the ultimate list of art and design scholarships, including everything from scholarships for art majors to awards for students who excel in performing and visual arts.

General Art Scholarships

This general art scholarships category focuses on scholarships that aren’t limited to one or a few art niches or majors. Instead, these cover a broader range of artistic pursuits, making them worth exploring for any artistic student.

Here’s a list of fantastic art and creative scholarships that don’t focus solely on one area:

• Against the Grain Scholarship
• Archibald Rutledge Scholarship Program
• Arts for Life! Scholarship
• Berrien Fragos Thorn Arts Scholarship for Migrant Farmworkers
• Buddy Pierce and Maggie P. Speight Scholarship Fund for the Arts
• Dorian De Long Arts & Music Scholarship
• Lammot Belin Arts Scholarship
• Franklin County Arts Guild Scholarship
• Gold Grant Scholarship
• HEEF: Arts Scholarship
• Y. Carter Excellence in the Arts Scholarship Fund
• Larry McDonald Scholarship
• Orange County Community Foundation Math, Science, and Arts Scholarship
• Rose J. Navratil Art Scholarship Fund
• Sub Pop Loser Scholarship
• The Virginia E. Lewis Scholarship Fund
• Young American Creative Patriotic Art Scholarship

Photography Scholarships

Photography scholarships can focus on either artistic shots or photojournalist approaches to photography. Here are some of the scholarships worth exploring:

• AIGA WorldStudio Scholarships
• Janie Moore Greene Scholarship Grant
• Lucie Scholarship Program
• Marion Barr Stanfield Art Scholarship
• NPPF Scholarships
• Pauly D’Orlando Memorial Art Scholarship
• The James Alan Cox Foundation for Student Photojournalists

Dance Scholarships

Dance scholarships commonly focus on students who intend to study dance in school. However, some of these also work for students studying a variety of physical or musical pursuits as well. Here is a list of scholarships worth exploring:

• J. Hancock Music Fund
• Mary Benevento Scholarship
• Nicole Marie Falbo Memorial Scholarship Fund
• Ruth Abernathy Presidential Scholarship
• The Caroline H. Newhouse Scholarship Fund

Graphic Design Scholarships

These scholarships specifically include graphic design majors or those with skills in that area. Here are some graphic design scholarships your student should check out:

• AIGA WorldStudio Scholarships
• Andy and Julie Plata Honorary Scholarship
• #LiveLikeLyly Memorial Scholarship
• TLMI Scholarships

Visual Art Scholarships

Visual art scholarships can cover a variety of artistic specialties, including painting, drawing, and illustration. However, many of them require students to be visual arts majors to qualify.

If your student is looking for visual art scholarships, here are some to get them started:

• Betty Harlan Memorial Scholarship
• CINTAS Foundation Fellowship in Visual Arts
• Concordia College Visual Arts Scholarship
• Gregori Jakovina Scholarship
• Jack D. Motteler Scholarship
• Laurie P. Poole Scholarship for the Visual Arts Fund
• Ric Ulrich and Chuck Pischke Scholarship
• The Patricia Van Kirk Memorial Scholarship

Drawing Scholarships

Drawing and illustration scholarships are out there, so your student can pursue these along with general art scholarships or some of them that focus on the visual arts if they have drawing skills. If your student doesn’t know where to begin, here are several that are worth checking out:

• AIGA WorldStudio Scholarships
• Marion Barr Stanfield Art Scholarship
• Pauly D’Orlando Memorial Art Scholarship
• Society of Illustrators Scholarship

Performing Arts Scholarships

Whether your student adores theater, music, or anything else involving a stage, performing arts scholarships can make their education more affordable. Here are some scholarships your student should explore:

• CWRU Theater Scholarships
• Donna Reed Performing Arts Scholarships
• Educational Theatre Association Scholarships
• Eugene “Babe” Fabrizi Fund to Educate Music Students
• Georgia Thespians Scholarships
• Jack Kent Cooke Young Artist Award Scholarship
• JACL National Scholarship Program
• Pittsburgh Playhouse Plus Scholarship Fund
• The Patricia Van Kirk Memorial Scholarship

Interior Design Scholarships

There are a surprising number of interior design scholarships, including some that focus on niches like lighting or furniture design. If your student has an interest in this area, here are some design scholarships they should check out:

• ASID Foundation Scholarship
• Bienenstock Furniture Library Scholarship Program
• IFDA-EF Scholarships
• Robert W. Thunen Memorial Scholarship
• Suzanne M. Lynch Memorial Scholarship Fund

Fashion Design Scholarships

Fashion design majors have a few unique scholarships available. Here are some fashion design scholarships that can make your student’s college education more affordable:

• Geoffrey Beene Foundation National Scholarships
• #LiveLikeLyly Memorial Scholarship
• NCA Costume Design Scholarship
• Two Ten Higher Education Footwear Design Scholarships

Fine Art Scholarships

Scholarships for fine arts students are typically more common than some other specialty areas. However, they are often restricted to fine arts majors, so not everyone may qualify.

Here’s a list of fine art scholarships:

• ARC Scholarship
• Catherine W. Pierce Scholarship
• Cynthia and Alan Baran Fine Arts and Music Scholarship Fund
• Iowa Scholarship for the Arts
• Jim McBroom and John H. Weston Charitable Fund of the Oregon Community Foundation Scholarship
• Krylon Clear Choice Art Scholarship
• Marion Barr Stanfield Art Scholarship
• McMillen Scholarship
• Pauly D’Orlando Memorial Art Scholarship
• Stacey Scholarship Fund
• TLMI Scholarships

It’s important to note that, as with any scholarship, art scholarships can all have additional eligibility criteria beyond being strong in a specific artistic area. Some are limited by the student’s major. Others restricted by age, gender, education level, financial need, and a variety of other eligibility requirements.

Before your student applies to any art scholarships, they need to read the requirements carefully. That way, they can make sure they qualify before they start the application, ensuring they focus their energy toward awards that they could potentially win.

If you and your student want to learn more about where to find art scholarships or other opportunities, sign up for our free college scholarship webinar! Go to https://thescholarshipsystem.com/freewebinar to reserve your spot today.