fine arts scholarships
The Department of Fine Arts offeres a variety of scholarships for new and current students each year.
This competition is for Prospective Fine Art Students who plan to join Winthrop University’s Department of Fine Arts for the first time (freshman and transfer students) in the coming academic year!
Students must declare a major within the Department of Fine Arts: Studio Art (includes the disciplines of painting, sculpture, printmaking, ceramics, photography, expanded media, Art Education, or Art History.)
Scholarship amounts will vary based on the decision of the Fine Arts scholarship committee. Students selected for an award have the opportunity to renew their scholarship for up to three years after the initial award year providing they remain in good academic standing as a full-time student in the Department of Fine Arts. Out-of-state students selected for this award are eligible to receive the scholarship amount in addition to an out-of-state tuition waiver.
This scholarship is contingent on admission to Winthrop University. An online application can be found at www.winthrop.edu/admissions. Acceptance of this award does not impact eligibility for other Winthrop academic scholarships offered by the Office of Admissions.
Submission of a digital portfolio for review and critique by our internationally acclaimed faculty is open to students planning to pursue degrees in Art, Studio Art or Art Education.
Digital essay submissions are being accepted for students planning to pursue a degree in Art History.
Must submit a digital portfolio. The following digital portfolio guidelines must be met for consideration:
PowerPoint or Word Document saved as a PPT or PDF.
Individual images no larger than 150 dpi. Total submission can not be larger than 1 GB.
Your Name, Your e-mail address, Your phone number, Your permanent mailing address.
Statement about your creative goals and interests in art making.
•10 images that illustrate your best work.
•On same slide or page include TITLE OF WORK, SIZE OF WORK (approximate size is ok),
MEDIUM/MATERIALS, and YEAR.
Slides that illustrate pages from your journal or sketchbook.
Title your portfolio file with your name. Example: Smith_John
Must submit an essay. Please upload a sample of your best research paper in art history that meets the following guidelines:
Cover page that includes your full name, e-mail address, home address, high school, and title of essay
Minimum of 1,000 words
Double-spaced
Proofread and spell-checked
Bibliography of all cited sources
PDF file with images and captions after body of essay
Priority Deadline - November 22, 2024
Final Deadline - March 21, 2025
After the priority deadline, digital portfolios/essays will be accepted and awards will be disseminated on a rolling basis until available funds are exhausted.
The first committee review will take place in early December after the priority deadline. Results will be disseminated shortly after. Remaining award amounts will be disseminated until available funds are exhausted.
Questions about the Art History essay contest? Dr. Kyle Grant Sweeney sweeneyk@winthrop.edu
Questions about the Fine Arts portfolio contest? Mark Hamilton hamiltonm@winthrop.edu
The Department of Fine Arts invites current majors to apply for merit-based scholarships. Awards will be based on the quality of portfolio or written work submitted during the application process. The next call for submissions is currently open and will applied to the 2025-26 academic year. Please follow the guidelines below, and apply via the submission portal.
*Scholarships are offered each Spring, and vary in amounts depending on available funds each year.
The Department of Fine Arts invites current students to apply for our merit-based scholarships. Awards will be made based on the quality of written work submitted during the application process.
*Submissions that do not meet the guidelines will not be considered.
Please upload a PDF which is:
This scholarship was established by Crystal Theodore, Class of 1938, in memory and in honor of her parents, James V. and Florence G. Bell Theodore, for the purpose of providing renewable scholarships (up to the equivalent of full-time tuition and fees) for a student majoring in Art. Recipients should have at least a 3.0 grade point average, or, if freshmen, should have graduated in the top 20th percentile of their high school class and earned a minimum of 1000 on the Scholastic Aptitude Test. This fund should yield one award, unless the annual award amount exceeds the equiavalent of full-time tuition and fees, in which case a second award can be made with the additional funds.
This fund was established to provide financial support for undergraduate students in the Department of Art and Design. Was previously known as Art & Design Scholarship.
This scholarship was established by Mary Mintich for the purpose of providing scholarships for students majoring in Sculpture and/or Jewelry/Metal Design. This scholarship is renewable to students who maintain the required departmental academic standards.
This scholarship was established by the Lipscomb Family Foundation in honor of Margaret Fant Lipscomb, Class of 1941, for the purpose of providing renewable scholarships for students majoring in Art and Design, including Art History and Art Education. This scholarship is renewable to upperclassmen who maintain a 3.0 grade point average or to freshmen who earned a minimum of 1100 on the Scholastic Aptitude Test and graduated in the top 25th percentile of their high school class.
Established in memory of Professor Paul Martyka, this scholarship will provide deserving support to candidates for the B.F.A. in Art degree within the Department of Fine Arts at Winthrop. Qualified students within the B.F.A. in Art program will have a minimum GPA of 3.0. Preference will be given to students with financial need. Scholarship recipient selection and number of recipients will be determined by recommendations of the Fine Arts Scholarship Committee under the auspices of the Dean of the College of Visual and Performing Arts. The Office of Financial Aid is charged with the administrative responsibilities of a scholarship.
This scholarship is an endowment established by Tom and Kathie Rice Stanley. The purpose of the fund is to provide one annual scholarship to a senior studying painting, sculpture, art education, or photography (or future interations of these majors). Perference should be given to students who are South Carolina residents. Scholarship recipient selection and number of recipients will be determined by the fine arts faculty in conjuction with the dean of the College of Visual and Performing Arts. It is the donors' wish that the recipient's career goals as well as their understanding and celebration of difference and diversity in art be considered in addition to academic and artistic performance.
This scholarship, given by Charles Wyche Wofford, honors his wife, Nancy Biggs Thomas Wofford, Winthrop Class of 1967. The purpose of the fund is to provide support to students majoring within the Fine Arts at Winthrop University. At the time of this fund's establishment, it is the intention of the donor to utilize available funds as follows: A. Funds will be used to assist a student(s) enrolled in the College of Visual and Performing Arts' Fine Arts Art Education program. Through Internship I and Internship II, award recipients will be expected to participate in a robust curriculum about Catawba Indians, their culture, traditions and history with specific emphasis on Catawba pottery and the impact it had on the tribe and the community. B. Part of the initial curriculum development will include additional educational materials, videos and interviews, and other resources available for students and teachers throughout the state, and will act as the guiding resources within the Department of Fine Arts Art Education Program as it relates to South Carolina Cultural History and advancing knowledge and interest in the Catawba Pottery Tradition. An additional section of any initial materials will be developed to assist high school educators regarding Native American history and more specifically Catawba Indian Culture and the art of Catawba pottery making. C. Curriculum will be aligned with South Carolina curriculum requirements for high school as it relates to South Carolina Art Education Standards. It will rely on Arts Integration within the elementary and social science classrooms. D. Start-up funds during the first year funds are available will be used for, but not limited to, the following: research, stipends, web-design, a mini-conference to develop ideas for the long-term project, and a presentation about the project at the South Carolina Art Education Association Conference. E. Funds may be used for scholarships to be awarded annually to an Art Education student who will further the goals of the project. F. Art Education Faculty and the Chair of the Department of Fine Arts may recommend to the Dean of the College of Visual and Performing Arts any proposed recipient of the scholarship. Should the foregoing Winthrop or state curriculum change, this fund should provide Fine Arts scholarships and other support. Scholarship recipient selection and number of recipients will be determined under the auspices of the Chair of the Department of Fine Arts (or its successor department) in conjunction with the Dean of the College of Visual and Performing Arts. The Office of Financial Aid is charged with the administrative responsibilities of scholarships.
This fund was established to support Art History majors. Funds are typically awarded to support student travel related to study abroad programs or to present papers at academic conferences. The Art History Coordinator issues a call for proposals with guidelines each spring for travel that summer or the following academic year. The art history faculty select proposals primarily based on the student’s academic achievements (e.g., the applicant’s GPA, Honors status, or other work on projects with academic distinction) as well as departmental activities that show leadership and initiative. Students with tentative plans are encouraged to apply; funding can be awarded after formal acceptance into a study abroad program or conference. Questions about applying for a PALS Award should be directed to Dr. Kyle Grant Sweeney sweeneyk@winthrop.edu.