Community organisations provide creative arts scholarship

Five local community organisations have joined forces with Bellingen Shire Council to offer a new $7500 creative art scholarship for study at Southern Cross University in 2011.

The scholarship is now open for applications from Bellingen Shire residents, with preference given to recent school leavers.

The Bellingen Shire Creative Arts Scholarship is supported by the Bellingen Community Arts Council, Bellingen Chamber of Commerce, Camp Creative, Dorrigo Arts Council and Global Carnival, which will collectively contribute a total of $2000 a year, and the Bellingen Shire Council, which will contribute $500 annually.

The scholarship will provide $2500 per year over three years and will be awarded to a person living in the Bellingen Shire at the time of application. The scholarship is for a student commencing fulltime studies in the Bachelor of Visual Arts, Bachelor of Contemporary Music, Bachelor of Visual Arts/Bachelor of Education, Bachelor of Music/Bachelor of Education or Bachelor of Contemporary Music/ Bachelor of Laws.

Southern Cross University Director of Development and Alumni Relations Ms Karen Van Sacker said this new scholarship was a very welcome addition to the University’s Rising Stars Scholarship Program.

“It is wonderful to see these community groups come together with the Council to provide support for a student from the region. Scholarships are a valuable and important resource which assist students to follow their goals,” Ms Van Sacker said.

“We appreciate the contribution each of these organisations is making to encourage participation in the creative arts.”

Bellingen Shire Mayor Mark Troy said: “The Bellingen Shire Creative Arts Scholarship is about supporting people from our shire to achieve their potential and help develop our economy.

“The provision of the scholarship to a local person who is committed to progressing a career in the creative arts is a sign of the local commitment to providing real educational opportunities which will produce a longer term benefit for our community,” said Mark.

Applications for the Bellingen Shire Creative Arts Scholarship are now open and are available by emailing scholarships@scu.edu.au or phone 66203006. Applications close on December 3 and the successful applicant will be notified in early February.