SWEA - Swedish Women’s Educational Association International, Inc.

Sigrid Paskell's scholarship

for the performing arts

Previous recipients

SWEA International’s Sigrid Paskell Scholarship for the Performing Arts

The scholarship is awarded to promising young performing artists who would benefit from encouragement and financial support to pursue further studies and develop professionally.

The scholarship is intended to fund the continuation and/or completion of higher education at a national or international level.

Each year, SWEA International awards scholarships in support of the organization’s public-benefit mission: to promote Swedish culture and traditions around the world, as well as the Swedish language. The scholarships are intended to benefit the public and contribute to increasing international knowledge and understanding of Sweden.

The scholarship is awarded in the performing arts:

voice, dance, theatre, and instrumental music, with one art form being selected each year as part of a rotating four-year cycle.

The History of the Scholarship: Who Was Sigrid Paskell?

Sigrid Paskell was a long-standing member of SWEA Hawaii and SWEA Las Vegas. When she passed away on August 7, 1998, she had bequeathed her entire estate to SWEA International, Inc., with the wish that SWEA establish a scholarship for the performing arts.

At the 2001 Annual Meeting in Brussels, the SWEA International Board established a fund, “The Sigrid Paskell Fund for the Performing Arts.” At the 2003 Annual Meeting in New York, the Board established “The Sigrid Paskell Scholarship for the Performing Arts.”

The scholarship is awarded to singers, actors, musicians, and dancers, with one art form selected each year as part of a rotating four-year cycle. The first scholarship was awarded during SWEA’s 25th anniversary celebrations in the Blue Hall of Stockholm City Hall by H.R.H. Crown Princess Victoria to opera singer Susanna Andersson.

Apply here!

Applications Open for SWEA International’s Sigrid Paskell Scholarship 2027

2027 Performing Arts: Instrumental Music
Scholarship amount: USD 15,000
Age requirement: 16–26 years
Application period: September 15, 2026 – January 15, 2027

Apply here!

2026 Scholarship Recipient – Theatre

Alice Andersson has been awarded SWEA International’s Sigrid Paskell Scholarship, worth USD 15,000, in recognition of her strong artistic presence, distinctive personal expression, and ambition to further develop her career as an actress on the international stage.

Read the article

JURY

Katarina Agorelius, (Photo: Francesca Geremia) singer and vocal coach.
Elin Klinga, actress and member of the permanent ensemble at the Royal Dramatic Theatre (Dramaten).
Anna Larsson, (Photo: Anna Thorbjörnsson) Court Singer and member of the Royal Swedish Academy of Music.
Tobias Ringborg, (Photo: Mats Bäcker) violinist and conductor, and member of the Royal Swedish Academy of Music.
Anneli Alhanko, (Photo: Stellan Herner) prima ballerina assoluta and Court Dancer.

Scholarships over the years

Welcome to explore the inspiring recipients who have received SWEA International’s Sigrid Paskell Scholarship over the years.

Previous recipients

Application

Fill in the application form at the link and upload required files.

Eligibility and Criteria

The scholarship is open to applicants of any nationality who meet the eligibility criteria.

The scholarship is awarded to young performing artists who would benefit from encouragement and financial support to pursue further studies and develop professionally. The scholarship is intended to fund the continuation and/or completion of national or international higher education.
The applicant must be a promising young woman or man at the beginning of their professional career in one of the performing arts: voice, dance, theatre, or instrumental music.
The scholarship is awarded in one performing art each year, following a rotating four-year cycle in the order listed above: voice (2024), dance (2025), theatre (2026), instrumental music (2027), and so on.
Applicants must meet the following age requirements during the year in which the scholarship is awarded: 21–26 years for voice, instrumental music, and theatre; 16–21 years for dance.
Applicants must have a relevant connection to Sweden and speak Swedish. The application must include a description of how the scholarship funds are intended to be used.
The application must include links to two (2) unedited video recordings of two (2) musical pieces, monologues, or choreographies in contrasting styles, uploaded to YouTube.

SWEA Membership and Conflict of Interest

The recipient must not have been a member of SWEA or actively involved in SWEA during the three years preceding the year in which the application is submitted. The same applies to close relatives and other persons with a close relationship to the applicant.

For the purposes of this requirement, “close relatives or other close relationships” include a spouse, registered partner or cohabiting partner; children, stepchildren, and adopted children; grandchildren; parents; grandparents; siblings; parents-in-law; sons- and daughters-in-law; as well as other individuals with whom the applicant has a close personal, financial, or professional relationship that could reasonably create an actual or potential conflict of interest, such as a close friend, business partner, or supervisor/student relationship.

If You Receive the Scholarship

The scholarship recipient is expected to:

provide a brief account, in connection with the scholarship award ceremony, of how the scholarship funds are intended to be used, and participate in SWEA Live during the following autumn;
provide the chair of the scholarship committee with an account of how the scholarship funds have been used no later than March 31 of the year following receipt of the scholarship. The committee chair will forward the report to the Treasurer of SWEA International;
be willing to give a presentation or performance for SWEA members, both in Sweden and abroad. SWEA chapters inviting the recipient will cover any associated costs, where applicable;
help promote awareness of the scholarship and SWEA, including through the recipient’s own social media channels and other social media relevant to the scholarship.

The scholarship may be reclaimed in whole or in part if the payment violates the terms and conditions, if the funds are not used in accordance with the application, or if incorrect information has been provided.

Application

Applications and all supplementary materials must be received by the Scholarship Committee no later than January 15.

Incomplete or late applications will not be considered.

Selection process

All application materials are treated confidentially by our independent jury.

The Scholarship Committee reviews the applications.
The jury makes a recommendation to the SWEA International Board of Directors.
The Board deliberates and makes the final decisions.
Decisions made by the SWEA International Board of Directors are final and cannot be appealed.
The recipient and all other applicants will be notified of the decision during March.
SWEA International may publish the names of scholarship recipients and information about their projectsthrough SWEA’s communication channels and press releases.
SWEA International reserves the right not to award the scholarship if the jury does not identify a suitable candidate.
These guidelines may be amended by the Board of Directors but must always comply with SWEA’s public-benefit purpose and the rules governing tax-exempt organizations under IRC §501(c)(3).

Apply here!

Important dates

16 september 2026: Application opens
15 januari 2027: Application closes
mars 2027: Announcement
september 2027: Award ceremony at SWEA Sverige Sommardagarna (Stockholm, Göteborg, Helsingborg eller Malmö)
mars 2028: Presentation of the usage of scholarship

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