Jack Kent Cooke Foundation Graduate Arts Award Application Now Open for Promising Artists with Financial Need

LANSDOWNE, Va., Oct. 2, 2013 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Today the Jack Kent Cooke Foundation announces the opening of its Graduate Arts Award application. The Graduate Arts Award recognizes and rewards America's up-and-coming artists from lower-income backgrounds with up to $50,000 per year for up to three years to attend an accredited graduate institution in the U.S. or abroad.

"By offering one of the most generous graduate scholarships in the fine arts,  performing arts, and creative writing, we hope to foster the development of exceptional artists from lower-income backgrounds," said Emily Froimson, vice president of programs at the Foundation.

As part of their scholarship recipients may use the award for tuition, living expenses, books, and other required fees. Recipients are also granted the opportunity to network with the larger JKCF Scholar Community.

To be eligible, applicants must have senior standing or have graduated from an accredited four year U.S. college or university within the past five years; earned a cumulative undergraduate GPA of 3.2 or better; received a bachelor's degree by the fall semester; plan to begin their first graduate degree program in the performing arts, visual arts, or creative writing; and demonstrate unmet financial need. A rigorous review will identify individuals who not only have exceptional or creative promise, but also demonstrate academic achievement and persistence in their chosen fields.

The Graduate Arts Award has a two-phase application process. Phase One of the application is open through November 26, 2013. Upon being invited to continue to Phase Two, students must be nominated by the Foundation's Faculty Representative at their undergraduate institution. The Foundation will select up to 20 recipients each year. Final notification will be made in May 2014.

For more information about the Graduate Arts Award, visit http://www.jkcf.org/scholarships/graduate-scholarships/graduate-arts-award/.

The Jack Kent Cooke Foundation is a private, independent foundation dedicated to advancing the education of exceptionally promising students who have financial need. Because we believe that high-potential, low-income students will excel educationally when given the resources to develop their talents, the Foundation supports exceptional students from elementary school to graduate school through scholarships, grants, direct service, and knowledge creation and dissemination. Founded in 2000 by the estate of Jack Kent Cooke, the Foundation has awarded $120 million for over 2,000 scholarships and $76 million in grants to organizations that support our mission.  www.jkcf.org

SOURCE Jack Kent Cooke Foundation

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http://www.jkcf.org