The Arts Scholars Program at Hobart and William Smith Colleges is designed for talented students who would like to continue their study of a fine or performing art while pursuing a rigorous program of study in any of the liberal arts and sciences programs offered by the Colleges. Arts Scholars are awarded $3,000 to $15,000, renewable annually on the recommendation of the fine and performing arts faculty. They are selected from those who have been invited to come to campus for an audition/portfolio performance review.
Arts Scholarships are awarded in studio art, music, dance and creative writing. As an Arts Scholar, you will not be required to major in a fine or performing art—the entire range of departmental and interdisciplinary majors and programs is available to you. It is our expectation that you will continue to develop your talent and contribute to the life of the arts on campus. It is generally expected that your continued participation will be in the area in which you compete.
Faculty work closely with Arts Scholars to ensure they have access to the courses they need to pursue their arts studies at Hobart and William Smith.
You enjoy the option of electing a First-Year Seminar in whatever field of study you wish, including but not restricted to the arts. At HWS, we don't assume that you live only for your art, but that it enriches your life.
A rich menu of performances, exhibits and concerts, both on and off-campus, is available. There are also opportunities to meet guest artists and writers, participate in workshops and master classes—in short, to be part of a community of creative people who share your interests and value your contributions.
In order to be considered for the Arts Scholars Program, all of the following must be returned to the Office of Admissions by January 1:
Studio Art (including painting, printmaking, drawing, photography and sculpture): 10 slides or images on a CD, any medium. (Architecture students may apply but must also submit fine-art slides.)
Music (including vocal or instrumental): a 3-5 minute audio CD with good audio quality.
Dance (including technique, performance or choreography): a video no more than 10 minutes in length. If the applicant is part of an ensemble, s/he must be clearly identified.
Creative Writing (poetry, fiction or creative non-fiction): 10 to 15 pages of original creative writing, in any combination of fiction, poetry and creative nonfiction.
The fine and performing arts faculty will perform a preliminary review of your materials, and finalists will be notified by mid-January. All finalists are required to participate in an audition/portfolio review day, on Feb. 9, 2008. From those finalists the arts faculty will select the Arts Scholars winners.