Arts Education Scholarships

Scholarship Program Mission:  The Norman Arts Council Arts Education Scholarships are intended to provide Norman children with the opportunity to attend arts programming that is offered outside of schools. 

APPLICATION DEADLINE: 

SPRING 2025 Programs – Applications are available on Monday, November 4, 2024, and are due by 11:59 p.m. on Wednesday, November 27, 2024.

Note: Please read the application guidelines thoroughly to ensure timely completion of all requirements!

ELIGIBILITY: The Norman Arts Council invites students in grades K-12 who live or go to school in Norman, Oklahoma to apply for a scholarship to offset the cost of an arts education experience provided by an established arts organization or educator.

APPLICATIONS: NAC guidelines and criteria should be followed carefully.  Only Applications submitted through the online process will be considered for funding. Applications must be 100% completed for consideration. "I don't know" or "unsure" answers will be deemed an incomplete application.

SELECTION CRITERIA:  The NAC is seeking applications for scholarships from students who:

• express a strong desire to enhance their arts education experience beyond what is offered in schools, demonstrate a past commitment to visual or performing arts, or a student that a parent, guardian, or teacher deems the child could benefit from an arts experience
• have the ability to commit to the completion of the program
• have a financial need that prevents them from funding the tuition themselves
• priority will be given to low-income applicants or families facing hardship
• $500 is the maximum award a single student will be granted for a single program
• Applications must be 100% completed

Applicants will not be turned down for not meeting ALL of the criteria. However, It is encouraged to try to meet as many as possible and address the criteria directly in the proposal.

AWARDS:  Award notification will be by email. Due to limited funds, applicants may not receive the full funding requested and/or may not receive any funding at this time.  Most of the time, our requests far exceed our budget each semester.

DISBURSEMENT OF FUNDS:  Upon award notification and receipt of the signed scholarship agreement, the Norman Arts Council will give the awarded funds directly to the organization or individual implementing the program applied for on behalf of the student. Should the program be canceled for any reason by the organization or individual implementing the program, the funds will be returned to the Norman Arts Council’s scholarship program and may be applied for during the next cycle.

COMMITMENT TO PROGRAM:  Upon award notification, the student’s parent or legal guardian will receive a scholarship agreement that states they will commit to ensuring the student’s regular attendance at the program. If the student fails to attend at least 75% of the program, the student will be asked to withdraw; any remaining funds will be returned to the Norman Arts Council’s scholarship program; and the student will not be eligible in the future.

AVAILABILITY OF FUNDS:  The total amount of scholarship funds available may be awarded to one applicant or divided among multiple applicants. The Norman Arts Council reserves the right to not award any scholarships should there be a lack of qualified candidates or a shortage of scholarship funds.

LIABILITY:  Award recipients and their guardians agree to indemnify and hold harmless the NAC, its employees, its agents, and its Board of Directors, in connection with any action, claim, lawsuit, charge, or proceeding, including but not limited to any civil action in State or Federal Court, or before any State or Federal agency, which is made or brought against recipients, NAC, and/or any of NAC's employees, agents, or board members, by any person or entity, based upon and/or arising out of a recipient's use of the funds.

APPEALS:  Any applicant who is denied a scholarship in whole or in part may only appeal directly to the NAC Education Committee on the following grounds: 1) discrimination against the applicant or its membership based on race, color, national origin, gender, religion, age, or disability, which is shown to have materially and adversely affected the outcome of their application; 2) illegal activity on the part of the Education Committee or a member of the Education Committee, which is shown to have materially and adversely affected the outcome of their application. 

SPRING 2025 applicants will be notified by late DECEMBER 2024.