By Unigo You think in colors and images. You find it easy to express yourself through paintings, drawings, photographs, design, or other creative forms. Art is your passion, and for artists who are passionate about their art, a career path rich with creative and colorful opportunities is waiting for you. And it’s this passion and love for whatever medium is your calling that helps push artists into taking to the next level. Thus, if you decide to pursue an art degree – art majors include drawing, sculpting, painting, design, photography, performing arts, and more – you can find several scholarship opportunities that might help you with your college cashflow. What You Can Do With A Degree in Art A degree in art may open up many more career opportunities to express yourself than one might think. Artists are creative and imaginative, and those skills can be applied to many vocations – from advertising to art curation. Art graduates often have superb observational skills, patience, creative approaches to solving problems, and the ability to work independently as well as in groups. Whichever career path you choose, you should have a portfolio of your work to show prospective employers. Make sure your portfolio showcases relevant work to the position for which you are applying. If you’re curious about what you can do with an art degree, check out these options: Illustrator Photographer Fine Artist Graphic Designer Art Instructor Art Curator Animator Advertising Agent Marketing Manager Teacher Types of Art Scholarships For those pursuing a degree in art, you have many scholarships from which to choose. Hundreds of scholarships are available – some awards may be small, others may offer more. Plus, art scholarships can cover a variety of disciplines, from performing arts to design. As you search for scholarships, keep in mind the following: Check out university scholarships – Many universities offer art scholarships in a number of disciplines. When considering a university, be sure to ask about scholarships. Passion for your work is key – Art scholarships focus on students who have developed their artistic talent in high school; be sure to demonstrate your passion for your art when you apply. Applying for Art Scholarships Like all scholarships, competition is high for the few art scholarship awards that are given out. Most scholarships require you to submit a portfolio – samples of your best artwork. Some may ask for digital copies, some may require you to upload to the Internet, while others may want physical copies. Accompanying essays and applications are also extremely important in the application process. Here are a few things to consider: Apply for a lot of scholarships – The best thing about art scholarships is you can apply for as many as possible. Rewards often vary, so the more you apply to, the more money you can potentially reap. After all, if you win more than one, well, the more the merrier in terms of how you pay your college tuition off. The devil’s in the detail – Each scholarship has specific instructions and requirements. Be sure to read carefully and know exactly what you need to submit. What kind of work do you need to submit? In what medium should you submit your work? Is an essay required? Attention to detail is essential in getting your application to pass muster. Organize your portfolio – You want to showcase your best work, right? Then get it organized. If it’s a physical submission, make sure your art is protected or laminated. Make sure that your work is easy for the judges to see and secured in the folder or binder. There’s nothing worse than art falling out in a big mess the minute a judge opens your portfolio. For digital submission, make sure your images are bright and clear and submitted in the correct format. If you supply links, make sure the links work. Art scholarships are given to students who demonstrate a passion for their work, exceptionally creativity, and a thoughtfully composed portfolio. How to Win an Art Scholarship The whole point of submitting an application for an art scholarship is to win. Agreed? Consider the following: Make sure to keep your grades up – Yes, you are passionate. Yes, you are creative. But if you want to win a scholarship, you have to keep up your grades. It’s all part of taking yourself seriously not only in your art but in your academic career. Be yourself – Your portfolio should not only showcase your work, but it should also showcase you. You are an artist, after all. Give it your best – No matter the size of the reward offered, take each scholarship you apply for seriously. The more scholarships you win, the more money you will have for tuition and other expenses. Be the best, be a winner, and make it happen!