The Best Performing Arts Scholarships with Upcoming Deadlines
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BIPOC Urban Innovators Scholarship
Josh Edwards Memorial Scholarship For Creative Artists
Funded byHolly LloydThis scholarship seeks to honor the legacy of Josh Edwards by supporting students who share his calling to artistic endeavors.- Education Level: High school senior or undergraduate student
- Background: First-generation college student
- State: North Carolina
- Field of Study: Music, art, photography, or writing
$1,000Deadline:Jul 07, 2025One Click Apply1Kozakov Foundation Scholarship for Creatives in Theater, Film, or Dance
Funded byKozakov FoundationThis scholarship aims to uplift students who are passionate about the arts and pursuing higher education and careers in their dream fields.- Education Level: Undergraduate student
- Field of Study: Acting, directing, dance, theater, or film
$5,133Only 26 days left!2Karen Von Bernewitz Memorial Scholarship
Funded byVon BernewitzThis scholarship seeks to honor the life and memory of Karen Von Bernewitz by supporting students who share her love for music and service.- Education Level: High school junior or senior
- Location: Virginia, Maryland, or Washington, D.C.
- Field of Study: Music or service industry (public or civil service, education, social work, medicine, fire, rescue, EMS, etc.)
$3,810Deadline:Jun 18, 2025One Click Apply3Verve Arts Scholarship
Funded byVerve Educational ConsultingThis scholarship seeks to support high school seniors and undergraduates who are pursuing art in college.- State: New Jersey
- Field of Interest: Art
- Education Level: High school senior, undergraduate
$1,000Only 12 days left!4Tate McRae Fan No-Essay Scholarship
Funded byBold.orgThis scholarship aims to support fans of Tate McRae who enjoy her music, dancing, and performances!All students are eligible$500Only 12 days left!One Click Apply5Wicked Fan No-Essay Scholarship
Funded byBold.orgThis scholarship seeks to support fans of Wicked who are excited about the new movie adaptation of the story!All students are eligible$500Only 12 days left!One Click Apply6Alexis Mackenzie Memorial Scholarship for the Arts
Funded byMartha R. AriasThis scholarship seeks to support underrepresented women who are in need of financial support to pursue their artistic dreams.- Education Level: High school student accepted to a two or four-year college or an arts institute
- Race/Ethnicity: Black or Latina
- Gender: Female-identifying
- Background: Financial Need
$7,500Only 24 days left!One Click Apply7Cody Cochlin Memorial Scholarship
Funded byJaedan FordThis scholarship aims to honor the life of Cody Cochlin by supporting students who share his love for skateboarding.- Education Level: Undergraduate student
- Financial Status: Low-income
- Athletics: Rollerblading, rollerskating, snowboarding and/or skateboarding
$1,000Only 25 days left!One Click Apply8River City Ringers of Omaha Scholarship
Funded byRiver City Ringers of OmahaThis scholarship seeks to support students who are passionate about handbell ringing so they have the encouragement they need to continue pursuing their craft.- Education Level: High school or undergraduate student
- Background: Handbell ringer
$500Only 26 days left!One Click Apply9Commitment to Excellence Scholarship
Funded byThe Natale Foundation IncThis scholarship aims to honor Joseph’s life by providing financial relief to qualified students who need help financing their pursuit of higher education.- Education Level: High school senior
- State: New Jersey
- Field of Study: Music, dance, or theater
- GPA: 3.5 GPA
$4,000Only 30 days left!10Bunker Performing Arts Scholarship
Funded byDaniel BunkerThis scholarship aims to uplift passionate and creative students so they can pursue careers in theater and share their gifts with the world.- Education Level: High school or undergraduate student
- Financial Status: Moderate-to-low-income
- Field of Study: Theater or performing arts
- State: California
$50,000Deadline:May 26, 2025One Click Apply11Gayle McKinney-Griffith Memorial Scholarship
Funded byMcKinney- GriffithThis scholarship supports underrepresented minorities majoring in dance.- Field of Interest: Dance
- Education Leve: High school or Undergraduate
- Identity: Person of color
$1,000Deadline:Jun 01, 202512Hunter Dean Temple Art Scholarship
Funded byTemple Sales Inc.This scholarship seeks to honor the memory of Hunter Dean Temple by supporting students who are passionate about art.- Education Level: Undergraduate student
- State: North Carolina
- Field of Study: Arts
$10,000Deadline:Jun 11, 202513Lucas Jeffery STEAM Scholarship
Funded byLucas JefferyThis scholarship seeks to support students who are multifaceted and committed to both STEM and the arts.- Education Level: High school senior
- School Name: Southside Charter High School
- State: Arkansas
- Commitments: STEM and STEAM
$500Deadline:Jun 21, 2025One Click Apply14WCEJ Thornton Foundation Music & Art Scholarship
Funded byWC & EJ Thornton FoundationThis scholarship will be awarded to students who have big aspirations for their artistic career.- Interest: Music and/or Art
- Education: Current undergraduate student or a high school graduate/senior who will be enrolled in an undergraduate program by August 2025
$20,000Deadline:Jul 01, 202515AnQuan Lee Palmer Scholarship
Funded byRaven MarsawThis scholarship aims to honor the memory of AnQuan Lee Palmer by supporting students who share his love and appreciation for music.- Education Level: High school senior
- State: Illinois
- Identity: BIPOC
$500Deadline:Jul 11, 2025One Click Apply16Mad Grad Scholarship
Funded byMAD BOX Studios LLCThis scholarship seeks to provide financial assistance and support to students who are pursuing the visual or performing arts.- GPA: 3.0 or higher
- Field of Study: Visual and/or performing arts
$1,000Deadline:Aug 10, 2025One Click Apply17Kim Beneschott Creative Arts Scholarship
Funded byBreanden BeneschottToday, with high-quality phone cameras readily accessible and the rise of online platforms for creators like YouTube, Instagram, Dribbble, and others, creative pursuits are becoming more and more readily available.- Degree: Creative Arts Program (current or prior)
$2,000Deadline:Aug 25, 2025One Click Apply18Terry Crews "Creative Courage" Scholarship
Funded byTerry CrewsIn an effort to continue to lift up those in need, the Terry Crews "Creative Courage" Scholarship is designed to create more opportunities for struggling artists chasing their dreams.- Passion: Art/Creative Expression
$20,000Scholarship is awarded to
1 winnerDeadline:Feb 01, 202219Darryl Davis "Follow Your Heart" Scholarship
Funded byDavis familyTo honor the life of Darryl Davis, this scholarship will support the educational endeavors of one student in any field of study at a four-year institution.All students are eligible$500Scholarship is awarded to
1 winnerDeadline:Sep 11, 2021One Click Apply20Reginald Kelley Scholarship
Funded byChanging The Lyrics MentorshipThis scholarship seeks to make a difference in the life of a student pursuing higher education in an artistic or scientific field.- Education Level: High school senior or undergraduate student
- Field of Study: Music, arts, or science
$3,000Scholarship is awarded to
6 winnersDeadline:Jun 20, 2024One Click Apply21Davila Scholarship
Funded byFrank SandThis scholarship aims to raise awareness about the dangers of drunk driving and to encourage young people to avoid driving while impaired.- Education Level: Must be a high school senior
$1,350Scholarship is awarded to
1 winnerDeadline:May 01, 2022One Click Apply22Heather Rylie Memorial Scholarship
Funded byDawn LunnIn honor of Heather Riley, the Heather Rylie Memorial Scholarship aims to assist aspiring artists in pursuing their dreams.- Education Level: High school senior or undergraduate
- Field of Study: Arts, including music
$7,500Scholarship is awarded to
2 winnersDeadline:Mar 25, 2024One Click Apply23Diane Amendt Memorial Scholarship for the Arts
Funded bySwiftThis scholarship aims to honor the life of Diane Amendt by supporting students who are pursuing higher education in the arts.- Education Level: High school senior, undergraduate, or graduate student
- Field of Study: Arts
$1,000Scholarship is awarded to
1 winnerDeadline:Jan 06, 2025One Click Apply24Elevate Minorities in the Arts Scholarship
Funded byJacqueline SiaThis scholarship is open to all minority students who are interested in or are taking courses towards a degree in any arts field.All students are eligible$1,033Scholarship is awarded to
2 winnersDeadline:Apr 01, 2021One Click Apply25Textbooks and Tatami Martial Arts Scholarship
Funded byBen BullockThis scholarship aims to support students who demonstrate a commitment to both martial arts and academic success.- Education Level: High school or undergraduate student
- GPA: 3.0 or higher
- Sport: Martial arts
$1,000Scholarship is awarded to
1 winnerDeadline:Apr 15, 2023One Click Apply26Kiayana's Imagine This Scholarship
Funded byKiayana's Imagine ThisThis scholarship aims to ignite creativity through education by supporting artistic students in their collegiate pursuits.- Field of Study: Performing/cultural art studies
- Education Level: High school or undergraduate student
- State: Florida
$2,200Scholarship is awarded to
2 winnersDeadline:Aug 16, 2024One Click Apply27Linda "Noni" Anderson Memorial Music & Arts Scholarship
Funded byScott KinselThis scholarship aims to honor the memory of Linda Anderson by financially supporting those who love the visual arts, performing arts, and music so they have the resources and encouragement necessary to fulfill their dreams.- Financial Background: Low-income
- GPA: 3.0 or higher
- Desired Career Field: Arts or Music
- Education Level: High school senior or undergraduate
$15,000Scholarship is awarded to
3 winnersDeadline:Apr 01, 202328John Traxler Theatre Scholarship
Funded byTraxler FamilyThis scholarship aims to honor the memory of John Traxler by supporting students pursuing the fine arts so they have the financial resources necessary to complete their degrees.- Education Level: High school senior, undergraduate, or graduate student
- Field of Study: Fine arts (theatre preferred)
$755Scholarship is awarded to
1 winnerDeadline:Dec 02, 2024One Click Apply29Nick Lindblad Memorial Scholarship
Funded byHalee GatesThis scholarship aims to support a high school senior who is passionate about music.- Field of Interest: Music
- Education Level: High school senior
$4,360Scholarship is in reviewDeadline:Apr 14, 2025One Click Apply30
As college becomes increasingly expensive, many students are opting to pursue more traditional and stable careers rather than following their artistic dreams. While the arts often go unappreciated in society, they're a critical form of expression and entertainment, and the next generation of great performers must be supported. With college costs continuing to rise, performing arts awards are more important than ever, and scholarships can become a valuable source of financial aid for students who wish to pursue their artistic interests.
About performing arts scholarships
College costs in America have more than doubled during the 21st century and are continuing to grow. A year of college now comes with an average price tag of $35,331 once tuition, books, living expenses, and other supplies are factored in. This large sum is difficult for many students and families to match, resulting in many students giving up their educational dreams or turning to student loans to finance their degrees.
Student loans can help make higher education accessible to students who don't have the necessary funds to pay for the upfront costs of college, but they can prove difficult or even impossible to pay off. As a result, the average borrower spends twenty years paying off their student debt, with some borrowers taking even longer, especially if they also borrowed money for graduate school.
The high monthly payments that borrowers must pay soon after graduating are often difficult to make, especially on an entry-level salary, resulting in 21% of borrowers increasing their balance during the first five years of repayment.
Scholarships are a key way for students with financial need to afford college without taking on debt. As a form of financial assistance that doesn't need to be repaid, scholarships are often preferable to loans.
What is a performing arts scholarship?
A performing arts scholarship is a unique type of financial aid that caters specifically to students involved in or studying performing arts. As a scholarship, a performing arts award is a form of gift aid that doesn't need to be repaid, unlike loans. Performing arts scholarship awards come in many different forms and range from a few hundred to many thousands of dollars.
Students who are majoring in the performing arts or otherwise pursuing careers in them can benefit from these exclusive scholarship opportunities to minimize their need for student debt as they pursue higher education.
Can you get a scholarship for the performing arts?
There are many scholarships specifically for students pursuing performing arts. This means that there are scholarships with small eligibility pools since students pursuing other fields of study won't be eligible to apply. As a result, your chances of winning will be even higher!
Students involved in the performing arts can also consider applying for general scholarships open to all students or for scholarships for students from particular demographics. No matter what your dream career is in the performing arts, there are many scholarships that can function as the financial aid that you need for your journey.
How to apply for performing arts scholarships
You can apply for performing arts scholarship opportunities in a variety of ways. At your chosen college, there may be a general arts scholarship fund for students studying visual arts or performing arts, or there may be specific scholarships for students majoring in or participating in the performing arts alone. You can also look at performing arts associations. For instance, the Educational Theatre Association offers scholarships to students pursuing theatre.
Independent scholarship providers such as Bold.org can also offer valuable financial assistance. There are hundreds of scholarships available for students of all grade levels, majors, and demographics, including performing arts students.
Check out these additional art scholarships to maximize your scholarship awards!
How to get a performing arts scholarship
Scholarships often come with significant competition, but there are many ways to improve your chances of winning. To reduce the competition you're up against, consider applying for scholarships that are only open to a small group of students. Since there will be fewer eligible applicants, you'll have a better chance of winning than you will for scholarships that are open to all students.
Additionally, scholarships that require essays as part of the application process often receive fewer applications since they require more work than no-essay scholarships. No-essay options can be valuable when you're short on time, but consider applying for at least some essay-based scholarships in order to improve your chances of winning.
Applicants can also stand out by being nominated for scholarships, earning more bold points, and being among the first to apply for a scholarship. Don't forget to take advantage of your profile to make an impression on donors and be sure to utilize your essays or written statements to the fullest by sticking to the prompt in a unique and personal way.
Best scholarships for performing arts students
There are many types of performing arts scholarships available, including scholarships for musicians, theater performers, singers, and other artists. Regardless of your experience, education level, or other qualifications, there are scholarships available for you.
Performing arts scholarships for high school students
Many performing arts scholarships are geared towards high school students in an effort to encourage them to pursue their dreams in college. There are performing arts scholarships available for students as early as freshmen year! To maximize your earnings, consider starting your search now.
- WCEJ Thornton Foundation Music & Art Scholarship
- Moriah Janae Dance Grant
- Jacob Naumann Memorial Scholarship
Performing arts scholarships for high school seniors
In addition to the high school scholarships above, there are also opportunities exclusively for high school seniors. Since there will be fewer eligible applicants for scholarships exclusive to seniors, you will have a better chance of winning. The scholarships below are great ways to begin earning funding.
Scholarships for performing arts majors
Many performing arts awards are exclusively open to college students studying the performing arts. Scholarships may be open to all art students while others may require applicants to be theatre arts majors or to be studying music, the visual arts, etc. If you're pursuing a form of performing arts, consider applying for the scholarships below!
- Chang Heaton Scholarship for Music Excellence
- Grant Woolard Memorial Scholarship
- 1st Generation People Of Color Patrick Copney Memorial Music/Arts Scholarship
Performing arts scholarships for international students
Many international students are particularly in need of scholarship aid since many don't qualify for federal aid. To support international students who are pursuing their creative dreams in the United States, there are many scholarships that international performing arts students are eligible to apply for on Bold.org.
- Future Party Entertainment and Culture Scholarship
- Bold Art Matters Scholarship
- Christian ‘Myles’ Pratt Foundation Fine Arts Scholarship
Frequently asked questions about performing arts scholarships
How to find performing arts scholarships
The first step to finding a performing arts scholarship is to create your free profile on Bold.org to gain access to hundreds of exclusive scholarships. You can then use the scholarship filters to narrow the list of scholarships based on the award amount, education level, and deadlines.
Additionally, you can browse scholarships by category to find different types of scholarships, including performing arts scholarships. To find scholarship opportunities for performing arts students, browse through the "Arts" and "Music" categories.
How do I know if I'm eligible for a scholarship?
Every scholarship will have its eligibility requirements listed in the description. In order to qualify for a scholarship, you must meet all of the criteria. Before applying, make sure that you've completed your profile and that you've filled it out accurately. In many cases, the eligibility filters on Bold.org will prevent you from applying for a scholarship if your profile doesn't meet the requirements.
When can I start applying?
You can begin applying for scholarships on Bold.org as soon as you're in high school and at least fourteen years old. By applying early, you can maximize the amount of time you'll have to earn scholarship funding before you start college. Even if you're already a high school senior, college student, or even a recent graduate with student loans, you'll still be eligible to apply for many scholarships.
If you win a scholarship in high school, your money will be held for you until you enroll in an accredited college and it will then be sent to your school by check as a form of financial aid!
Frequently Asked Questions
The first step to finding a performing arts scholarship is to create your free profile on Bold.org to gain access to hundreds of exclusive scholarships. You can then use the scholarship filters to narrow the list of scholarships based on the award amount, education level, and deadlines.
Every scholarship will have its eligibility requirements listed in the description. In order to qualify for a scholarship, you must meet all of the criteria. Before applying, make sure that you've completed your profile and that you've filled it out accurately. In many cases, the eligibility filters on Bold.org will prevent you from applying for a scholarship if your profile doesn't meet the requirements.
You can begin applying for scholarships on Bold.org as soon as you're in high school and at least fourteen years old. By applying early, you can maximize the amount of time you'll have to earn scholarship funding before you start college. Even if you're already a high school senior, college student, or even a recent graduate with student loans, you'll still be eligible to apply for many scholarships.