WCADC Visual Art Scholarship

Scholarship Details

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The Women’s Caucus for Art of Greater Washington, DC (WCADC) Visual Arts Scholarship recognizes artistic excellence among 12th grade female-identifying Black, Indigenous, Persons of Color (BIPOC), enrolled in a high school within the District of Columbia, Maryland, or Virginia. Students must be intending to pursue a visual fine arts program of study in a two or four-year university or college. In addition, female-identifying BIPOC first and second-year college students from the District of Columbia, Maryland, or Virginia enrolled in a visual arts program may also apply.

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Applicants are judged on creativity, originality, and quality.

 

What is the award amount?

$2000 and up to $5000 with a 1-year student membership to WCA/DC chapter.

 

What is the deadline?

Entries must be received online by 11:59 pm on May 7, 2024.

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What does the program include?

Students will apply online and upload original compositions, process folios, and other required documentation. Students can request the help of a Mentor from the Women’s Caucus of Art to do a portfolio review and or assistance with the application process.

 

When does the program begin?

Applications will be available online on November 1, 2023. The deadline to submit an entry online by 11:59 pm, May 7, 2024. Entries will not be accepted after the deadline, and artwork should have been created during 2021-2024.

 

How will applicants be recognized?

The top 5 applicants will be asked to participate in an art exhibition consisting of selections from their application.  (​More selections for the exhibition may be included based on the number of applications received).  The exhibition date and opening reception TBD.

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Scholarship funds with a 1-year student membership to the WCA/DC chapter will be awarded at the art exhibition. WCADC will make the necessary arrangements to transfer the scholarship funds directly to the college or university of the student’s choice. 

 

Please read this in its entirety!

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Eligibility Criteria

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• Students must currently be enrolled in twelfth grade in a public or private school in DC, MD, or VA.

• In addition, female-identifying BIPOC first and second-year college students from the District of Columbia, Maryland, or Virginia enrolled in a visual arts program may also apply.

• Students must plan to attend a two or four-year college or university as a Visual Arts major

• Students must be U.S. citizens and have attended public or private school in DC, MD, or VA for the past two years. 

• The scholarships may be used for tuition, campus room/board, and instructional resource expenses at any college or university.

• WCA members and their family are ineligible

• Past winners are ineligible

• You may apply for a chance to win this scholarship only if you meet the eligibility requirements set forth on this webpage.  Additionally, scholarships are non-transferable and must be accepted as awarded.

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General Composition Criteria

 

An entry is defined as an original artwork that must be a completed, rendered visual composition originated by the applicant. Art can be two or three-dimensional work such as drawing, painting, mixed media, printmaking, collage, photography, and sculpture. All artwork must be original and not be copied from master artworks or comic art.

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Additional criteria that each applicant/composition must meet are included below.

 

Additional Information

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• Entries produced in collaboration with others are not eligible.

• A panel of at least three professionals will select a recipient. The decision of the judges is final.

• Compositions/artworks count fifty percent (50%) towards the total score.

• Process folios and statements count as fifty percent (50%) of the total score.

• Do not place your name or other identifying information on the original work, copies, including process folio, and reflection statement. All names must be covered.

 

How do students apply?

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Eligible and interested students apply online using the link at the bottom of this document between November 1, 2023 and May 7, 2024. For more information, contact your school’s guidance department.

 

Can I get a mentor to help me?

 

WCADC is offering portfolio reviews and application assistance for those students who require assistance. Please fill out the mentorship form at the bottom of this page by February 15, 2024 to be matched with a mentor.

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Entries

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Applicants must submit an overall Artist Statement; one teacher recommendation (PDF format; images of three original works of art, one reflection statement, and one process folio for EACH artwork. Photos of all artwork must not include a mat or frame. All artwork must be uploaded during the application process.  Artwork must NOT be signed on the front of the work. All names must be hidden as jurying will be anonymous. The filename should be in the following format: title_size_medium.jpg (format should be .jpg or .png and no bigger than 5MB per photo). Image resolution should be at least 2000 ppi so the juror can see detail.

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The process folio should contain documentation of the planning and development of the artwork from the inception of the idea to the final artwork. Process folios may include support materials such as drafts, notes from dialogues with peers and/or teachers, research, inspirations, interviews, pictures, sketches, and/or events upon which you based your artwork. You should either utilize a compression program like win.zip for the process folio files or create one (1) MS Word document with all the work before uploading.

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Applicants must also contain a one-page reflection statement addressing the intent of the artwork and comparing the final product with the original concept overall.

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Artwork produced in collaboration with others is not eligible for this competition. Applicants should print a copy of the application before submitting it for review. 

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Incomplete applications will not be scored. If there are no high-quality applications submitted, a scholarship will not be awarded.

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Selection Criteria

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Each of three (3) artworks will be rated according to originality/creativity, composition, quality of expression, and the correlation with the process portfolio. Artwork and process folio each count toward 50 percent of the total score.

 

The judges will consider the following when evaluating work:

 

Originality/Creativity

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Use of original content, cohesive style, and innovative techniques, materials, and processes.

 

Composition

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Use of aesthetic arrangement of the subject matter and elements and principles of design.

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Quality of Expression

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Work expresses professional and emotional qualities that convey the artist’s intent.

 

Process Folio

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Not merely a revision of your artwork, this should demonstrate your artistic process and the research, inspirations, drafts, interviews, pictures, sketches, and/or events upon which you based your artwork.

 

Reflection Statement

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Addresses how the work relates to you, and the message or inspiration for your artwork.

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Awards

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WCADC Arts Scholarship for awards up to $5,000 will be awarded to a female-identifying BIPOC to attend a two or four-year college or university. Two alternates will also be selected in case of withdrawal or disqualification. The scholarship recipient and alternates will be announced May/June 2024 at the Scholarship Exhibition Reception and Awards Ceremony.

 

NOTE:   Entries must be received by 11:59 pm on May 7, 2024.

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For more information or questions, contact Tronja Anglero at wcadc@wcadc.org