Organization doubling the amount of money available to students
The Huntsville Festival of the Arts (HFA) has announced that it will be doubling the amount of money available in scholarships this year.
The HFA is offering a total of $5,000 for this year’s scholarship applicants in keeping with the HFA’s ongoing and growing commitment to support the development of young artists.
The scholarship program was introduced in 1997 to foster the development of the performing arts talent in the community. As in past years, the festival will offer a junior, intermediate and senior scholarship.
The junior scholarship, up to $1,000, is available to applicants 13 years of age and under as of Dec. 31, 2007. The intermediate scholarship offers an award up to $1,500 and is available to students 16 years of age and under as of Dec. 31, 2007. The senior scholarship, which this year will total $2,500 (the most in the festival’s history), is awarded to students 17 years of age or older as of the same date.
“In the past senior applicants were requested to supply a reference with the submitted application, but for the 2008 awards this is no longer a requirement,” said Rob Saunders, HFA general manager.
WINNERS: Ashley Hill, last year's Huntsville Festival of the Arts senior scholarship recipient, stands on the Algonquin Theatre stage with entetainer Oliver Jones and scholarship recipients from earlier years, Dan Neil (at left) and Jamie Bestwick (right).
Winners of either the junior or intermediate scholarships are eligible to re-apply for a senior scholarship, but senior candidates can only win once. Unsuccessful senior applicants are encouraged to audition in subsequent years.
The Huntsville Community Choir has been working with the HFA in the past couple of years in offering scholarships for vocal applicants. This has allowed the festival to focus its scholarship funds on the remaining performing arts, said Saunders.
“However, the community choir is taking a one-year hiatus from offering scholarships in 2008, so this year vocal applicants are being encouraged to apply through the festival.”
Applications for scholarships may be picked up from the Huntsville High School guidance department, music department or at the Huntsville Forester office at 11 Main Street West, just across the street from the Capital Theatre.
Applications must be completed and mailed back to the festival office at Box 5465, Huntsville P1H 2K8, by May 12. In addition to the application, each candidate is required to perform a live audition in front of an adjudication panel.
Auditions will be held at Trinity United Church in late May or early June, with a date to be identified soon. Award recipients will be notified of the results during the week following auditions.
Previous festival scholarship recipients and applicants have participated in a number of performance opportunities over the years, both at festival main stage concerts and the Music at Noon concert series.
For further information please contact Rob Saunders at 788-2787 or Gerri Mar at 789-3175.
