Two leading community arts groups have once again combined their energies and financial clout to enhance the level of funding support available to promising performing arts students in the Huntsville/Lake of Bays area.
This year, performing arts students, other than vocal applicants, are being encouraged to apply for the Huntsville Festival of the Arts scholarship, while vocal students will be eligible to apply for a scholarship provided by the Huntsville Community Choir.
The Huntsville Festival of the Arts scholarship award was introduced in 1997 to foster the development of the performing arts talent in the community. This year the festival has decided to once again offer a junior, an intermediate and a senior scholarship.
STRINGS ATTACHED: Laurel Hill, an intermediate festival scholarship winner, plays at the Algonquin Theatre during a Huntsville Festival of the Arts-sponsored concert last year. Applications are now being accepted for the 2007 scholarships.
The junior scholarship, of up to $500, is available to applicants 13 years of age and under as of December 31, 2006. The intermediate scholarship, also an award up to $500, is available to students 16 years of age and under as of December 31, 2006, and the senior scholarship is awarded to students 17 years of age or older as of the same date.
Once again the senior awards will total $1,500. Students may apply for only one level of scholarship per year and scholarship funds must be used toward the cost of tuition to a post-secondary institution or applied toward lessons from a qualified instructor.
Candidates must reside in the Huntsville/Lake of Bays area. Applications for both scholarships may be picked up from the Huntsville High School guidance department, music department or at the Huntsville Forester office at 11 Main St. W., across the road from the post office.
Applications are to be completed and mailed back to the festival office at P.O. Box 5465, Huntsville P1H 2K8 by May 11.
In the past, senior applicants were requested to supply a reference with the submitted application, but for the 2007 awards this is no longer a requirement.
In addition to the application, each candidate will be required to perform a live audition in front of an adjudication panel. Auditions for the community choir scholarship will be held at Trinity United Church on Saturday, May 26 and for the Huntsville Festival scholarship on Sunday, May 27. Award recipients will be notified during the week following the auditions.
Previous festival scholarships have been awarded to students pursuing studies in dance, theatre, and music.
Winners of either a festival or community choir junior or intermediate scholarship are eligible to reapply for the senior scholarship, but senior candidates can only win once. Unsuccessful senior applicants are encouraged to audition in subsequent years.
For further information please contact Rob Saunders at 788-2787 or Gerri Mar at 789-3175.
