Where can I find Merit-Based Art Scholarships?!

March 11, 2009 10:48 PM

Can anyone help me find (visual arts) portfolio based scholarships for my undergrad education? (Or other visual-arts-related scholarships)

I graduated from highschool in '08. I'm currently in the tail end of my year off because I deferred my enrollment to Sarah Lawrence - I'll be entering as a freshman in August 2009. I have a pretty large portfolio of figurative artwork, but I'm NOT going to art school (SLC is a general Liberal Arts college with no majors). My work is mostly drawings, digital work, paintings etc.

Thanks for the help!

posted by Griffinlb to Education (4 answers total)

While I don't know of any specific scholarships like this, I recommend you check out fastweb.com. I know I've seen art-related scholarships there in the past (some may be a little hokey, but many are very legitimate I imagine--you should be able to distinguish the ones that are worth your time from those that aren't), and I get the sense that many of them go unclaimed. Good luck and have fun in Bronxville in the Autumn!

On an unrelated note: Sarah Lawrence! Yay! As a creatively inclined person who chose to go to a larger, more conventionally prestigious university instead of a small liberal arts school like SLC, I think you made a great choice.
posted by faeuboulanger at 12:16 AM on March 12, 2009

Response by poster: I have a fastweb account, but I was scared off by the scholarship spam they've been barraging me with. I guess I should take a closer look. Thanks!
posted by Griffinlb at 12:58 AM on March 12, 2009

The college itself might have some suggestions. Try contacting them?

If SLC has a students' forum you might also try asking there.
posted by trig at 12:49 AM on March 16, 2009

Also try NYFA Source (requires free registration). NYFA gets paid to compile this db of artist fund opps for all over the country, not just NY. Don't forget to check for stuff from your hometown (in CA, right?) as well as destination.

Also, Grants for Individuals: Arts from MSU lib. Jon Harrison does good work, just skim past the Mich specific opps.
posted by clerestory at 1:47 PM on March 16, 2009