Fine Arts Awards
Your talents can earn you fine arts awards
Cornell College offers fine arts awards in theater, dance, visual art, vocal and instrumental music, and our B.F.A. in musical theatre.
Fine arts awards are open to any incoming first-year senior or transfer student interested in participating in fine arts at Cornell. You may begin the Fine Arts Award Application process at any time, but will only be notified of your award decision after completing the college application process and being admitted to Cornell.

Fine Arts Awards details
- Fine arts awards range from $500 - $5,000
- You must submit the Fine Arts Award Application to be considered
- The application opens on Sept. 1
- Please review the audition and portfolio guidelines and requirements to maintain awards prior to applying
Application Criteria and Audition Information
Cornell offers two Fine Arts & Audition days during the year for students to visit campus and audition or schedule an art portfolio review. 2022-23 dates will be announced soon!
NOTE: Students may only receive one talent award in fine arts, cheer and dance, mock trial, or esports.
For questions about the award application process, scheduling an audition, or fine arts department information contact Evelyn Rush, Visual and Performing Arts Senior Recruiting Specialist, erush@cornellcollege.edu
- Submit a digital portfolio of 5-15 pieces of your work. Portfolio links are accepted through the fine arts scholarship application or can be sent to Evelyn Rush, erush@cornellcollege.edu
- You are encouraged to submit pieces from all mediums you have worked with - including digital art
- Photos should be in high-quality JPEG format
- All portfolios must include the title, medium, and dimensions of each piece of art. For digital art pieces, please include the digital platform used to create the piece
- Acceptable portfolio formats include Google Drive (or other cloud-based storage) folder, personal website, or slide show (PowerPoint or Google Slides is preferred)
Requirements to maintain the art award
As long as you maintain satisfactory academic progress and fulfill the expectations outlined, the art award is renewable for up to four years.
- Perform two solo pieces, or excerpts of longer pieces, of contrasting styles that demonstrate your musical ability. For example, instrumentalists may choose to play an etude and a portion of a solo piece or two sections of a longer solo piece; pianists may play two works or two contrasting sections of a longer work.
- Students should not audition with any of the following: individual parts from band or orchestra music, self-composed pieces, or popular music covers
- Please keep auditions to no more than seven minutes of music.
- Live auditions may include a request for you to play scales or complete some basic sight-reading
Auditions
Students may schedule an on-campus audition through Evelyn Rush, erush@cornellcollege.edu or submit a link to a video audition through the application.
Audio-only recordings are not accepted.
Attire: Both live and recorded auditions should be treated like a professional interview (because it is!). Please do not wear torn clothing or loungewear for auditions.
Requirements to maintain a music award
- Participate in either Concert Band or Chamber Orchestra on your principal instrument
- If you are awarded $3,000 or more, you must enroll in music lessons on your principal instrument. You'll be awarded music lessons at a value of $350 per semester in addition to your scholarship.
- Enroll in MUS 701 Music Performance Seminar - A semester-long program requiring attendance at a number of musical events. The number of required events changes from semester to semester.
- Maintain satisfactory academic progress
- Perform two pieces of contrasting styles that demonstrate your musical ability. Vocalists should prepare two songs of differing styles such as two art songs or one art song and a musical theatre selection.
- Students should not audition with any of the following: individual parts from choral or acapella vocal music or covers of pop songs
- Please keep auditions to no more than seven minutes of music.
- Voice auditions should be performed with accompaniment if at all possible. For live auditions on campus, we can provide an accompanist if the piano accompaniment is provided two weeks in advance.
- Live auditions may include some basic sight-reading or singing vocalizes
Auditions
Students may schedule an on-campus audition through Evelyn Rush, erush@cornellcollege.edu or submit a link to a video audition through the application.
Audio-only recordings are not accepted.
Attire: Both Live and Recorded Auditions should be treated like a professional interview (because it is!) Please do not wear torn clothing or loungewear for auditions.
Requirements to maintain a music award
- Participate in Concert Choir each semester
- If you are awarded $3,000 or more, you must enroll in music lessons on your principal instrument. You'll be awarded music lessons at a value of $350 per semester in addition to your scholarship.
- Enroll in MUS 701 Music Performance Seminar - A semester-long program requiring attendance at a number of musical events. The number of required events changes from semester to semester.
- Maintain satisfactory academic progress
- All applicants please provide: headshot, theatre resume, and recommendation letter from a theatre director or teacher
- Actors: Please prepare 2 contrasting monologues.
- Playwrights: Please provide a sample of your writing including play excerpts
- Technical theatre and designers: Please prepare a hard copy or electronic portfolio displaying photos or documentation of your work.
- Directors: Please prepare any pre-production materials generated as part of a director's notebook.
Auditions & interviews
Students may schedule an on-campus audition or interview through Evelyn Rush, erush@cornellcollege.edu or submit a link to a video audition through the application.
Audio-only recordings are not accepted.
Attire: Both live and recorded auditions should be treated like a professional interview (because it is!) Please do not wear torn clothing or loungewear for auditions.
Requirements to maintain the theatre award
- Attend monthly theatre Block meetings.
- Complete one course in the Department of Theatre per academic year.
- Participate in one mainstage production each year in a position that requires a minimum of 30 hours of participation.
- Maintain satisfactory academic progress
- All applicants please provide: headshot, dance resume, and recommendation letter from a studio or dance teacher or coach
- Perform a solo piece that is 2-3 minutes in length in the style you feel most comfortable performing.
- The choreography can be original or that of another choreographer.
- If auditioning on campus, bring your music and the device your music will be played on because an accompanist will not be provided.
- Your music can be a cutting from a larger piece.
- During the scheduled audition you will meet with the dance professor and discuss the program, talk about your interests in dance, and be given the chance to ask questions.
Note: Students auditioning on campus may be asked to join a dance class as substitution for an individual dance audition.
Auditions
Students may schedule an on-campus audition through Evelyn Rush, erush@cornellcollege.edu or submit a link to a video audition through the application.
Requirements to maintain dance award
- Participate in one dance course per academic year.
- Participate in one main stage production or one movement-based adjunct course per academic year.
- Your yearly main stage production should be movement intensive, such as a cabaret, a musical, or a dance recital.
- Attend the theatre and dance department meetings monthly.
- Maintain satisfactory academic progress
Please only select this audition option if you would like to be considered for the Bachelor of Fine Arts (B.F.A.) in musical theatre degree program. Students interested in participating in theatre or musical theatre as a non-major should select ‘Theatre’ on the fine arts award application.
On-campus auditions are preferred for the B.F.A musical theatre program. One theatre, music, and dance faculty member will be present for each audition.
- Prepare and present two contrasting Broadway musical selections (16 - 32 bars), totaling a 3-minute package with piano accompaniment.
- An accompanist will be available for on-campus auditions provided enough notice is given. Please send pdf copies of your pieces to Evelyn Rush, erush@cornellcollege.edu
- Auditions will also include a sight reading and scales component, as well as an informal interview.
- Prepare and present a 1-minute contemporary monologue (written 1980 - present day). This must be from a published play, not a monologue book.
- Provide a copy of your headshot and resume. Please bring physical copies for an on-campus audition.
- Dance component: A minimum 2-minute movement solo, showcasing a variety of dance styles as shows your skill sets. As part of an on-campus audition, a student may be asked to join a dance class to complete this portion of the B.F.A. program audition process
Auditions
Students may schedule an on-campus audition through Evelyn Rush, erush@cornellcollege.edu. If you are hoping to audition for the B.F.A in musical theatre award but are not able to make it to campus for an audition, please also contact Evelyn, erush@cornellcollege.edu.
Attire: Both live and recorded auditions should be treated like a professional interview (because it is!). Please do not wear torn clothing or loungewear for auditions. Students will be provided time to change into their dance shoes and attire prior to the dance portion of their audition.
Requirements to maintain the B.F.A in musical theatre award
See the Academic Catalog for the degree requirements