Fine Arts Awards
Your talents can earn you fine arts awards
Cornell College offers fine arts awards in:
- Visual art
- Creative writing
- Vocal & instrumental music
- Theatre & dance
Program details and getting started:
- Award value: $1000-$5000 per academic year.
- Who is eligible: incoming first-year and transfer students.
- Important note: you don't need to major in the fine arts to qualify.
- Required materials: Fine Arts Award Application and portfolio or audition.
- Application deadline: March 1, 2026.
- Audition and portfolio deadline: May 1, 2026.
How do I earn a fine arts award at Cornell?
If you're passionate about the arts and want to keep that part of your life alive in college, Cornell College makes it possible. You don’t have to major in art, music, theatre, or creative writing to qualify for a fine arts award. Awards are available to any admitted student who wants to participate in the fine arts. To be considered, submit the fine arts award application and follow the audition or portfolio guidelines. Awards range from $1,000 to $5,000 and can be renewed each year. Students are eligible to earn a single talent award from Cornell which includes fine arts awards, mock trial, esports, and cheer and dance awards.
Once you’re admitted to Cornell, you’ll be notified about your award decision. Questions? Reach out to finearts@cornellcollege.edu to learn more or schedule your audition.
Apply to Cornell Apply for Fine Arts Award
Application criteria and audition information
Once you've completed your application, you'll be invited to participate in one of our fine arts audition days where you can visit campus, meet program faculty, audition for your award, and get to know other prospective students.
2025-2026 audition days
Friday, Dec. 12, 2025
Monday, Feb. 16, 2026
If you are unable to attend one of the fine arts audition days, we can help you schedule an individual audition to complete your award application. Contact Trevor Baty, Visual and Performing Arts Recruiting Specialist about auditions or any questions you have about the application process.
- 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 Trevor Baty.
- 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.
- Submit a sample of your creative writing—e.g., fiction, poetry, creative nonfiction. You may submit one piece or several pieces, totaling between 3-10 pages. Portfolio links are accepted through the fine arts scholarship application or can be sent to Trevor Baty.
- Multimedia projects of equivalent length are welcomed.
- If submitting more than one piece, begin each piece on a new page.
- Each piece should have a title, and excerpts of longer works should be identified as such.
Requirements to maintain the creative writing award
Scholarship recipients will be required to take 2 semesters (.5 credits) of English and Creative Writing adjunct courses, chosen from among ENG 510 (Book Arts), ENG 515 (Literary Citizenship), and ENG 715 (Editing). One semester must be taken in the student's first year.
- 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 Trevor Baty, 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.
All-State award
Admitted students who have been selected for All-State Music participation and plan to participate in an ensemble at Cornell can be considered for an All-State Music Award. This award is valued at $5,000 per year.
Students must apply and provide verification of All-State selection by February 15.
No additional audition is required. Students who receive All-State Music awards must maintain the music award requirements all 4 years and are not eligible for any other Talent Award.
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 Trevor Baty, 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.
All-State award
Admitted students who have been selected for All-State Music participation and plan to participate in an ensemble at Cornell can be considered for an All-State Music Award. This award is valued at $5,000 per year.
Students must apply and provide verification of All-State selection by February 15.
No additional audition is required. Students who receive All-State Music awards must maintain the music award requirements all 4 years and are not eligible for any other Talent Award.
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 Trevor Baty, 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: dance resume and recommendation letter from a studio or dance teacher or coach
- Perform a solo piece that is 1.5-3 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.
- Perform a short phrase taught by dance faculty
- If auditioning on campus, you will learn the phrase and be given time to practice
- If sending a video audition, a recording of the phrase will be sent to you to learn on your own
- 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. You will still be asked to perform a solo before or after the class, and you will still have time to ask questions and talk with the dance professor.
Auditions
Students may schedule an on-campus audition through Trevor Baty, 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