Current Artist Minigrants

Fall 2023

Todd Benson

Exploring Memory in Figurative Painting

I am applying for funding for oil painting and other supplies so that I continue my personal exploration of themes memory in figurative painting.

Jesper Braley

Lightbox Expo Convention: Preparing for a career in the animation industry

Project funds from this minigrant would help support a trip to Lightbox Expo, a networking convention for artists in Pasadena, California.

Alex Burijon

A Tenor’s Texture

Thus, I humbly request funding from the Miller Arts Scholars in order to fund vocal lessons this semester. Lessons at this juncture will be critical in order to ensure that I maintain healthy habits as my physical instrument changes.

Tyler Burkhardt

Stereo Microphone Setup

Over the summer, I made it my goal to write a solo acoustic album, and I immediately got to work, spending many hours each day writing and creating new music. However, I do not have any of the equipment required to replicate the recording setups we have been doing, and a huge part of the acoustic guitar sound revolves around a stereo mic setup.

Hunter Colson

Spectrasonics Keyscape and NotePerformer 4

I researched current music software and consulted with faculty mentors to identify the software in this request that is capable of producing professional sounding music while providing the highest return on investment.

Zoe Edelman

Developing and Maintaining an Online Portfolio

Through these two requested subscriptions, I believe I can format a professional digital portfolio that will help me obtain an internship, and later a full-time job. I will be able to take this time to grow and learn from the research I put into the website and create a presence that will benefit me for years to come.

Rachel Guo

Interdisciplinary Art Materials and Website

What is an artist without an audience? This is the question that, at its core, I’ve been thinking about for the past two years. My writing grew up on competitions. The subject and style that I used to write had been heavily influenced by the nature of the audience reading it.

Mary Hall

The Auditioner’s Toolkit

As I begin to prepare for my career as an actor, at UVa and beyond, I’ve found that my tools to prepare for and record auditions have simply been lacking as compared to my peers. While I’ve been able to make due with what I have so far, I’d like to put my best foot forward when it comes to future auditions by updating my repertoire with new tools that will aid in my professional development and overall preparedness.

Emily Hunter

Distinguished Music Major Recital - Piano Accompaniment Costs

In my upcoming DMP recital, I am performing French repertoire: Sonatine by Henri Dutilleux, Les folies d’espagna by Marin Marais, Piece Romantique for flute, cello, and piano by Philippe Gaubert, Concertino by Cécile Chaminade, Syrinx by Claude Debussy, and Le Merle Noir by Olivier Messiaen.

Abby Kim

Funding for a New Viola Bow

To continue my improvement in learning the viola, I am requesting a minigrant to buy a better quality bow, which will in turn enhance my playing.

Meg Kosefeski

Bringing The Digital Lab Home With Me

I am applying for this mini grant in order to help cover the cost of purchasing the 2022 model iPad Pro with an 11 inch display, which can help me bring the digital lab home with me in my backpack.

Hyebin Lee

Portraits with Prime Lens

I would like to request this minigrant to purchase an 85mm lens. This investment will help me hone my photography skills and is essential for my lm career. For my outcome report, I will attach a few portraits taken with the 85mm lens.

Jolinna Li

Preserving Family Artifacts through Film

As a student majoring in Studio Art and concentrating in Cinematography, I primarily work with time-based mediums. I want to expand my expertise to cover photography as well, to work on my skills and practice when it comes to composition.

Cassie Lipton

Final Recital Preparations

My Distinguished Major Program/ Performance Concentration recital will take place on March 29th, 2024, so over the summer and especially as the fall semester has begun, I have been kicking my preparation efforts into high gear, putting in more practice time with more of a focus on maximum results.

Grace Sellers

Delving into Film Photography

I am requesting $500 to purchase a film camera, photographic paper, and film. With these materials, I would be able to learn more about film photography and how it relates to my printmaking practice.

Spring 2023

John Barnes

Headshots and a Hard Drive

I would like to take industry-standard headshots to increase the professionalism of my acting resume and career. I am also applying for a minigrant that would fund a new external hard drive for my filmmaking endeavors.

Todd Benson

Exploring Memory in Figurative Oil Painting

I am applying for funding for oil paints and other painting materials so I can continue experimenting with themes of memory in figurative oil painting.

Elise Ebert

Third-Year Collaborative Voice Recital

Over the past three years, Jack Kehoe and I have both worked independently to develop our vocal technique, repertoire, diction skills, and performance, and would love the opportunity to work together to perform a joint third-year recital at the end of this semester. This recital would consist of approximately an hour of music, in languages including English, German, French, and Italian.

Emily Hunter

Music DMP Preparation

I am studying music in Vienna, Austria this semester through the IES abroad program. As I am living in the musical hub of the world, a number of opportunities to develop this repertoire are available now, here. Most specifically, that includes taking private flute lessons from Furugh Karimi at the Music and Arts Private University of Vienna.

Jack Kehoe

Third-Year Collaborative Voice Recital

Over the past three years that we’ve been at UVA, Elise Ebert and I have been studying and performing solo repertoire with Professor Pamela Beasley. We both share a passion for classic art songs, and our vocal studies have been on a very similar trajectory since the beginning. We have independently worked on our tone, diction, performance, and timbre with Professor Beasley, and have performed at multiple solo recitals. Because of our similar repertoire and styles, as well as being good friends, Elise and I would love to work together to perform a joint third-year recital at the end of this semester.

Hyebin Lee

Humanity Through the Lens

I mainly work with cinematography and videography. However, I want to expand my �eld to photography as well. I have been experimenting with taking portraits or candid pictures of people in my community. Some turned out good, while others did not. One major challenge I repeatedly faced was too much light exposure, especially if the picture was taken outside during the day. This challenge can be easily overcome by using lens �lters like neutral density �lters and polarizers. These �lters reduce the amount of light entering the camera lens, so good exposure can be achieved without increasing the aperture.

Cassie Lipton

Commissioning a Recital Work

My request is to commission a work by a living composer whose work I have enjoyed. This would be a two- to three-minute work for solo flute that I would perform at my senior recital in April 2024. The composer I have selected is Judy Nishimura, whose work I greatly enjoyed when I played her Mood Swings from the 21st Century Masterworks: Eleven Pieces for Flute Alone book.