Scholarships

The Scholarships award program was first developed in 1985 and has been annually assisting local individuals in the pursuit of artistic training in a variety of disciplines. Scholarships are limited to Watauga county residents engaged in one or both of the following: pursuing a program of study for his or her artistic development, pursuing a program of study that will be beneficial to his or her students.

2005 Watauga County Arts Council Merit Scholarships Awarded to Sylvia Blackman, Fox Kinsman and Ronnie Hicks. Read the Mountain Times article wirtten by Jeff Eason. Photo at left by Jeff Eason.

Previous Awards

The recipients over the years have been aspiring artists in a variety of mediums. Winners have ranged in age from a seven-year-old who writes musical compositions to teachers pursuing arts training to enable them to better teach their students. Many are students attending summer arts camp programs such as Canon Music Camp but others need financial assistance in other ways such as acquiring computer software or upgrading an instrument. Preference is given to the pursuit of learning opportunities.

Many of the scholarships to be offered are given in memory of former board members (the Cathy Lion Memorial Scholarship and the Jerry Clemens Memorial Scholarship) or are sponsored by community organizations such as The Mountainaires, the Jubilee Chorus, and the Watermedia Society.

Funding Levels

Each year scholarships are awarded depending upon available funding. The amounts of the awards vary but do not generally exceed $500. Final amounts for awards are at the discretion of the scholarship committee. This year, up to six scholarships will be awarded.

Application Deadline and Process

The application deadline is April 30, 2005.
Finalists will be contacted to schedule an interview to demonstrate their abilities. Preference is given to first-time applicants. Scholarships will be awarded at the first Concert on the Lawn of the season in June at the Jones House Community Center.

Interested persons applying for scholarships may obtain application forms from the Watauga County Arts Council offices, located in the Jones House, Tuesday through Friday between the hours of 12:00 and 5:00 pm. Applications must be turned in by 5:00 pm on April 30, 2005. For more information contact the Arts Council office at 264-1789 or online at wcac@watauga-arts.org