Iowa Scholarship for the Arts
Direct application
$5,000
Eligibility
Location
Iowa
Major
Visual Performing Arts
Education level
High school
About this scholarship
Iowa high school seniors who are Iowa residents, demonstrate proven ability in music, dance, visual arts, theatre, folklife, or literature, and will major in one of those fields at an accredited Iowa college or university may apply for the Iowa Scholarship for the Arts.
One-time awards of $5,000 may be applied toward tuition at an accredited Iowa institution.
Apply through SlideRoom by the April deadline. Finalists must attend an interview. Immediate family or dependents of IEDA board members, Iowa Arts Council board members, or IEDA staff are ineligible.
The Iowa Arts Council supports outstanding high school seniors pursuing careers in the arts.
Essay question
What else to submit
- Artistic-vision essay
- Letter of recommendation from a teacher or equivalent professional
- Work samples
- Letter of recommendation from a teacher or equivalent professional addressing the applicant's artistic abilities relating to the intended field of study in college (submitted via secure portal; cannot
- Work samples: each work sample may not exceed 5 pages of a PDF; reviewers will not view more than 5 pages per sample; each poem counts as one work sample
- Application must be submitted via the Iowa Arts Council's SlideRoom portal (iowaartscouncil.slideroom.com); no other format accepted
- Top-scoring applicants must attend a 15-minute personal interview with the review panel (on or about April 23, 2026)
- Eligibility: current Iowa resident graduating from an Iowa high school in 2025-2026 with proven artistic ability; accepted as a full-time undergraduate at an accredited Iowa college/university majorin
- Application must be submitted through the Iowa Arts Council SlideRoom portal.
- Finalists must attend a personal interview.