Miller Arts Scholars
Miller Arts Scholars

J. Sanford Miller Family Arts Scholars Arts Awards


Rising Third and Fourth-Year Arts Awards

Between 2007 and 2013, the designation of “Arts Scholar” was awarded to a select group of rising fourth-year students to pursue intensive artistic work beyond the classroom—locally and internationally, from Charlottesville to Hamburg to Ghana. In 2013, the award process expanded to include rising third- and fourth-year Miller Arts Scholars.

Today, these awards support high-impact artistic projects that extend well beyond traditional coursework and deepen students’ identities as both scholars and makers.

Purpose of the Award

Rising Third- and Fourth-Year Awards support exceptional creative research, advanced artistic training, collaborative initiatives, and other transformative artistic experiences undertaken under the mentorship of UVA faculty in the arts.

Priority is given to proposals that:

  • Significantly elevate or expand the applicant’s artistic work
  • Involve meaningful faculty collaboration or mentorship
  • Enable advanced artistic exploration, intensive study, or substantial creative production
  • Provide access to opportunities not typically available through standard academic coursework
  • Demonstrate clear potential for artistic growth

Important Deadlines 

  • Letters of Intent (DUE Monday, March 16 at 11:59 PM)  Applicants should meet and discuss their project with their faculty mentor before submitting the Letter of Intent. 
  • Award Applications & Faculty Assessments (DUE Friday, March 27 at 5 PM) 

Award Funding and Eligible Projects

Awards range from $500 to $3,000, depending on the scope and ambition of the proposed project.

Funding supports initiatives that meaningfully advance a student’s artistic practice beyond standard coursework and resources available at UVA. Eligible proposals may include, but are not limited to:

  • Intensive artistic research, experimentation, or production
  • Faculty-led, research-based, or project-driven travel
  • Collaborative or interdisciplinary creative work
  • Advanced study, specialized training, or mentorship outside the regular curriculum
  • Immersive artistic experiences, such as trainings, workshops, residencies, or focused study programs, including associated travel required to participate
  • Short-term living expenses when directly necessary for participation in a defined artistic opportunity or internship

Use of Funds for Living Expenses: Award funds may be used for short-term living expenses when they directly support participation in a defined artistic opportunity—such as a residency, fellowship, exhibition, temporary relocation for a project or intensive workshop, or an unpaid/low pay internship or fellowship that advances the student’s creative practice. Funds are not intended to cover ongoing personal living expenses unrelated to the proposed artistic activity.

Budget Expectations Budgets must be realistic, carefully justified, and aligned with the actual needs of the project. Applicants are expected to request only the amount necessary to complete the work, rather than automatically requesting the full $3000.

Collaborative proposals: Collaborative proposals are welcome, provided each member submits a separate proposal outlining their specific role, contributions, and individual budget request. Each group member may request and receive up to $3000 in funding. 

The Arts Awards Do Not Support

  • Equipment or materials readily available through University labs, studios, or other campus resources. Applicants are expected to use institutional resources responsibly before seeking grant funds.
  • Reimbursement for expenses incurred prior to application approval
  • Direct payment for services to UVA students, faculty, or staff
  • Books readily available through the university library
  • Routine coursework expenses or standard class-related costs

Eligibility

Applicants must:

  • Be rising third and fourth-Year Miller Arts Scholars
  • Be enrolled and actively engaged in the College of Arts and Sciences through a major, minor, or sustained coursework in an artistic discipline
  • Have completed or are currently enrolled in CASS 1010 or CASS 1011 (This requirement is waived in the spring semester for Arts Scholars admitted during the spring of their second year)
  • Demonstrate consistent and active participation in Miller Arts Scholars program activities and cohort engagement
  • Maintain a minimum GPA of 3.4 in arts courses and a 3.2 cumulative University GPA
  • If previously funded, have submitted the required outcome statement before reapplying

Faculty Mentorship Requirements

Each project requires a formal faculty mentor with an ongoing UVA appointment in a related discipline within the College of Arts and Sciences whose expertise aligns with the scope of the proposed project.

Faculty mentors are expected to review and recommend the proposal prior to submission and, if funded, to actively support the execution of the project at the level outlined in the approved Mentorship Plan.

In addition, the faculty mentor must submit a brief confidential assessment (minimum 200 words) by the application deadline. The letter should address the applicant’s academic and artistic preparation for the proposed project, readiness to complete the work successfully, the strengths and expertise they bring to the project, and the overall feasibility and scope of the plan, including any additional study or preparation that may be required. 

Applicants are responsible for notifying their mentor of this requirement well in advance of the deadline. 

Mentorship Categories: 

Faculty mentors will be formally recognized as Miller Arts Scholar Mentors for their dedicated participation and will receive research support in recognition of their contribution to funded projects. 

The level and duration of mentorship should correspond to the scope, timeline, and complexity of the proposed work. Applicants must select and justify the appropriate faculty mentor and mentorship category in consultation with their proposed mentor as part of the application process.

1) Short-Term Mentorship (Faculty Research Support: $500)

For discrete projects such as summer travel, short-term artistic intensives, or defined production-based work. Expectations:

  • Pre-project consultation and proposal development
  • At least one substantive check-in during the project period
  • Post-project debrief and outcome review
  • Faculty final written evaluation

2) Semester-Based Mentorship (Faculty Research Support: $700)

For projects extending through one academic semester. Expectations:

  • Pre-project consultation and proposal development
  • Regular meetings (recommended minimum: 3–4 substantive meetings)
  • Review of work-in-progress
  • Final evaluation and outcome review

3) Year-Long High Engagement Mentorship (Faculty Research Support: $1,000)

For projects requiring significant artistic collaboration, substantial intellectual partnership, ongoing rehearsal, critique, or studio supervision. Expectations:

  • Pre-project consultation and proposal development
  • Consistent meetings throughout the academic year
  • Mid-year written evaluation
  • Final written evaluation and outcome review

*Faculty will receive their Mentorship Research Support at the completion of the mentorship period. 

Required Application Materials (Please review the descriptions below for details on the materials required for each category.)

Applicants must submit the application form along with the following items. All materials must be combined, in the order listed above, into a single PDF titled: Lastname_Firstname_Awards_Year_Semester_Proposal.pdf

  1. Proposal Narrative 
  2. Detailed Budget
  3. Faculty Mentorship plan
  4. Evidence of Participation in the Arts
  5. Artistic Portfolio (discipline-specific guidelines)
  6. Unofficial transcript
  7. Current resume

Guidelines

*** The Proposal Narrative, Detailed Budget, and 'Faculty Mentorship Plan must not exceed 4 single-spaced pages, using a 12-point font. 

***If funded, the narrative may be published on the Miller Arts Scholars website.

1) Proposal Narrative:  

The proposal should be written in a clear, professional grant-writing style and must clearly describe your proposed project and explain how it advances your creative and scholarly development, including:

  • Project title
  • Executive summary: Brief overview of the project
  • Description of the work: Nature of the creative project and rationale for support
  • Objectives and significance: Artistic goals, anticipated outcomes, and importance of the work
  • Methods: How the work will be carried out and completed
  • Required resources (e.g., spaces, collaborators)
  • Artistic trajectory: How the project builds on your prior artistic or academic experience
  • Project Timeline: Provide a clear and achievable timeline outlining major goals and milestones
  • Impact Statement (optional but encouraged): How the project will contribute to your artistic growth and/or the broader arts community

A Guide to Writing Good Proposals.pdf (200.67 KB)

2) Budget: Provide a detailed, itemized budget in table format with justification. Group expenses by category and include:

  • Item name
  • Brief description
  • Source and date of cost estimate
  • Actual cost
  • Include a grand total and an income section indicating the amount requested from the Arts Award and any additional funding sources.If you are applying to multiple funders, clearly outline in your budget the amount requested from each organization and detail how those funds will be allocated. Indicate as well whether each source of funding is pending approval or has already been secured.
  • All project-related expenses must be fully accounted for.

3) Faculty Mentorship Plan: Identify mentor, explain relevance of their expertise, details mentorship frequency and scope.

4) Evidence of Participation in the Arts (Maximum 1 page, single-spaced, 12-point font)

  • Describe your artistic engagement within the University, including relevant coursework, creative projects, extracurricular involvement, leadership roles, collaborations, performances, exhibitions, or other related activities.
  • Describe your level of participation in the Miller Arts Scholars Program so far, including seminars, events, and other program related activities.

5) Portfolio Submission Guidelines

Portfolio materials should demonstrate artistic readiness for advanced-level support and reflect the applicant’s current level of development. 

Submissions should include recent creative work appropriate to the applicant’s discipline.

  • Visual Artists: A minimum of seven and a maximum of ten work high-resolution still images ; Two to Five minutes of time-based media (video, film)
  • Musicians: A minimum of four and a maximum of six work samples, in any format (audio or video), submitted via accessible links (not set to private). For audio files, .mp3 format is preferred. Composers may submit up to three scores (audio recordings encouraged when available)
  • Performing Artists: Two performance samples, each up to five minutes, submitted as unedited video, submitted via accessible links (not set to private)
  • Dancers: Four to seven minutes total of dance excerpts that highlight their strengths as dance artists. Submissions may include a range of material, such as movement phrases, improvisation, and/or choreography. Each excerpt must be clearly labeled with the maker/choreographer and music credits, where applicable, and submitted via accessible links (not set to private).
  • Creative Writers: Three writing samples, each no longer than five pages (excerpts permitted if needed ; submissions may include poetry, fiction, nonfiction, playwriting, or other creative forms)

Portfolio Guidance: 

  • Include brief descriptions for each work (when applicable)
  • Submit Your Strongest, Most Recent Work
  • Select work that best reflects your artistic interests, abilities, and direction. Reviewers value clarity, intention, and potential for growth over volume or polish.
  • High school work is not accepted.

6) Unofficial transcript

7) Current resume

Outcome Requirements

MAS awardees must:

  1. Submit a Final Outcome Report (maximum 5 pages, single-spaced, 12-point font) by April 1 of the following academic year.
  2. Awards that include a Year-Long High Engagement Mentorship require submission of a brief Mid-year Progress Report by November 1 outlining project development, milestones achieved, challenges encountered, and next steps.
  3. Include images/media documentation when applicable
  4. Provide a final itemized accounting detailing how all awarded funds were spent
  5. Present their work publicly at the Annual Awards Outcome Event in April

Faculty mentors must:

  • Submit a brief mid-year check-in or confirmation of progress in Nov (if applicable)
  • Submit a one-page final evaluation in April of the following academic year

Evaluation Criteria

  • Artistic merit and potential for significant creative growth
  • Overall clarity, rigor, and quality of the proposal
  • Demonstrated need and feasibility of the project
  • Relevance to the applicant’s past work and artistic trajectory
  • Anticipated impact of the project on the applicant’s development
  • Strength, clarity, and appropriateness of the Faculty Mentorship Plan, including the proposed level of engagement and alignment between mentor expertise and project scope
  • Level of participation and engagement in our departments and within the Miller Arts Scholars program  

Ready to Submit your Application?

*Only complete applications received by the stated deadline will be reviewed. Late, incomplete, or incorrectly formatted submissions will not be considered.