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2026-2027 Arts Scholarship & Grant Opportunities:
2026-2027 Arts Scholarship & Grant Opportunities:
Presidential Arts Scholarships
Presidential Arts Scholarships
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2025-2026 PRESIDENTIAL ARTS SCHOLARSHIPS
A limited number of Presidential Arts Scholarships are available to students who are pursuing a major or a minor in art, creative writing, dance, music, or theatre. These $1,000 scholarships are renewable upon good standing and are merit based, not determined by financial need.
Current recipients must submit a renewal request in writing.
DEADLINES:
UPDATED: March 9, 2026
FAFSA on file
Submission of all required application materials electronically to arts@salemstate.edu no later than Monday, March 9, 2026. Please note Presidential Arts Scholarship in the subject line.
REQUIREMENTS:
3.0 grade point average in your major area
Major or minor in the artistic field in which you apply
Must be a full-time, undergraduate student in the 2026-2027 academic year.
NEW APPLICANTS:
Application materials include*
A cover letter indicating the artistic department to which you are applying: art, creative writing, dance, music, theatre
A current resume of your creative or artistic achievements
*Please note, there is no printed application for this scholarship.
Applicants should submit their materials electronically to arts@salemstate.edu and note Presidential Arts Scholarship in the subject line.
Submissions must be made from your Salem State student email account.
RENEWAL APPLICANTS:
Please submit a letter to arts@salemstate.edu requesting renewal no later than Monday, March 9, 2026. This letter should include your artistic achievements since receiving the award.
All renewal applicants must submit a letter. There are no automatic renewals of this award. Submissions must be made from your Salem State student email account.
Summer Artistic Development Grants
Summer Artistic Development Grants
Summer Student Artistic Development Grants are intended as an investment in promising students in the arts who, it is hoped, will view their summer grant project as a seminal point in their development as an artist.
The Center for the Arts will offer between 1 and 4 students financial support ranging from $500-$1500 for summer projects across all creative disciplines including but not limited to: art, creative writing, dance, music, and theatre. Funded projects will combine creative experimentation and artistic merit, ultimately involving the undergraduate population through access to a completed project. Successful proposals will enhance the development of the student’s artistic identity through an apprenticeship with a great artist or company, by developing an innovative artistic idea, by completing a body of work, or by working and living in an environment that fosters creative development. Grants are between $500-$1500 each.
DEADLINE:
The deadline to apply for a 2026 Student Artistic Development Grant is Friday, March 20, 2026 by 5 pm.
Submissions must be made from your Salem State student email account.
REQUIREMENTS:
Full time students who will be juniors or seniors in Fall 2026 may apply. (Spring 2026 graduates are not eligible.) Candidates must demonstrate evidence of artistic contribution to the campus community, and significant growth as an artist during his/her college career. The work outlined in the proposal must constitute a truly exceptional opportunity for artistic growth.
Funded student artists will be required to attend occasional events throughout the year, to share their creative process throughout the summer project via some form of social media, and to share his/her work with the Salem State University community.
APPLICATION:
Include a cover letter, resume of artistic achievement, one letter of recommendation, and a 750-word or less proposal narrative to include: the scope of your project, who will be involved, how the project will foster your creative growth, how the project can be shared with the wider student community, project duration. Your submission must include a one-page budget proposal, itemizing project expenses.
Submit completed application materials to Karen Gahagan, Center for Creative and Performing Arts at kgahagan@salemstate.edu no later than Friday, March 20, 2026 at 5 pm. Submissions must be made from your Salem State student email account.
CCPA Mini-Grants
CCPA Mini-Grants
The Center for Creative and Performing Arts is offering a limited number of mini-grants for spring 2026. Applications will be accepted from January 28 through April 1, 2026. These grants are available to full-time students in good academic standing majoring or minoring in art + design, dance, music, theatre or creative writing concentrators. Students can apply for up to $200 total for the academic year to offset expenses to support networking opportunities in their creative field, supplies/tools specific to doing work in their academic discipline, attendance at special events/workshops, and opportunities to submit work to external publications/exhibitions.
Guidelines:
Students must be in good academic standing
Applications are limited to students who are full time majors or minors in: art + design, dance, music, theatre, or concentrators in creative writing.
Completed online application using this google form, email requests will not be accepted.
All communication must be via Salem State student email addresses.
**Funding awards are paid primarily on a REIMBURSEMENT basis, although CCPA may be able to pay vendors directly. Supporting financial documentation must be provided for all requests in order to receive funds.
Questions can be directed to Karen Gahagan at kgahagan@salemstate.edu
Examples of types of requests that would fit this grant:
Student membership in professional or trade organizations (this includes arts associations or other arts focused cooperatives)
Registration fees or travel costs for conferences /workshops
One-time events off campus that are not otherwise tied to the applicant’s academic departments.
Specialized equipment or expenses necessary to do work in the applicant’s discipline and as part of their degree progress here at Salem State. Examples include but are not limited to: professional makeup kits, professional accompanist fees, costumes for performers (not otherwise provided by your department), subscriptions to literary magazines, art supplies, senior capstone project support.
Submission fees to contests, publication opportunities, exhibitions
Things this grant will not fund:
Fundraisers, charity benefits
Fees for Student Services
Presentation of performing groups from outside the University
Receptions (including flowers, gifts, food, drinks)
Books
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