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Tips for Winning a Scholarship in the Arts


Many secondary education scholarship opportunities exist for different demographics, socioeconomic groups, genders, and unique group identification. A scholarship in the arts, however, is based more on merit and ability than circumstances. You still need as much financial aid as possible to complete the degree in the field of art, music, acting, writing, and similar subjects. Scholarships offer the opportunity to minimize your bills while going after your dream. These tips will help you find quality opportunities, create a high-quality application package, and succeed at finding extra money for college.

Focus Specifically On Your Type of Art

The world of art encompasses so many different things. In order to win scholarships in the arts, you must focus on opportunities that align closely with your creative endeavors. Of course, a poet will not apply for a fine art painting scholarship. It is important to take things even further. If you do modern oil paintings only, for example, your portfolio will never impress an organization dedicated to reimagining the glory of old impressionistic masters. If in doubt about a specific scholarship, research the people who won it in the past if possible. This gives you a good idea of the type of things that impress the committee.

Follow Instructions – Leave Creativity In Your Portfolio

Winning art scholarships is not only about wowing the organizers with your artistic skill. They want to know that you will also be a dedicated student who achieves academically while exploring a creative field. Read all instructions in the scholarship packet carefully and follow them to the letter. Make sure you submit all necessary information accurately, include an essay or personal statement if requested, and use the correct formats for all files and inclusions.

If you ignore directions, it shows you do not care about the process or have respect for the scholarship providers. You could have your application thrown out on a technicality or miss out on displaying your best portfolio pieces if they cannot open a specific file type, for example.

Select Portfolio Pieces Specifically for Each Scholarship

Although the forms, scholarship letters, and essays are essential parts of the entire process, your portfolio forms the most powerful foundation of your scholarship quest. Go beyond simply choosing your favorites or ones that you got high marks for in high school or ribbons for at a local gallery competition. The portfolio you send with each scholarship application should be tailor-made to their focus and interests.

Keep everything organized for both digital and physical portfolios so the committee can easily view every piece. Unless a specific scholarship for art requires a different number, a portfolio with approximately ten options is ideal. If you send more, the committee will probably not look through the whole thing. If you send fewer, they may not get an accurate representation of your skill and creativity.