Otis College of Art & Design is happy to establish a four-year scholarship program named after Charles White, a renowned American artist and educator (1918–79).
The Charles White Art and Design Scholarship honors the artist’s legacy and his long-standing influence as an Otis faculty member from 1965 until he died in 1979.
The Charles White Scholarship is supported in part by a ten-million-dollar contribution from Mei-Lee Ney, Chair of Otis College’s Board of Trustees, and is being established in collaboration with White’s son, C. Ian White, and The Charles White Archives. Related How to Apply for the Wigan Warriors Scholarship 2024
Charles White Scholarship: About Otis College of Art and Design
Otis College of Art and Design, founded in 1918, is a non-profit 501(c)3 college and the national leader in art and design education.
The College’s objective is to prepare a diverse student body to become highly competent, well-informed, and responsible professionals, empowering them to impact the world.
Otis College has around 1,200 full-time students and offers Bachelor of Fine Arts degrees in Communication Arts (Graphic Design and Illustration), Digital Media (Animation, Game and Entertainment Design, and Motion Design), Environmental Design (Architecture/Landscape/Interiors and Interiors + Furniture), Fashion Design, Fine Arts (Painting, Photography, and Sculpture/New Genres), Product Design, and Toy Design.
Otis College also offers Master of Fine Arts degrees in both Fine Arts and Graphic Design. The five-acre main campus is on Los Angeles’ Westside, near the beach and LAX, while the Graduate Studios are in Culver City’s Creative Corridor.
As Los Angeles’ first professional art school, Otis College’s alumni and faculty include Fulbright, MacArthur, and Guggenheim grant recipients, Oscar winners, legendary costume designers, leaders of contemporary art movements, entrepreneurs, and design stars from Apple, Abercrombie & Fitch, Pixar, DreamWorks, Mattel, Nike, and Disney.
The Charles White Art and Design Scholarship is a four-year scholarship program for underserved young artists and designers from Los Angeles and beyond. Students identifying as Black/African-American, Latinx, Asian, Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander, American Indian or Alaska Native, or bi- or multi-racial. This grant is exclusively open to undergraduate students.
Eligibility
Prospective applicants should fulfill the following eligibility requirements:
- Must be a US citizen.
- Must identify as a member of an underrepresented group.
- demonstrated financial need.
- Strong artistic talent and portfolio.
- GPA of 3.0 or better.
Timeline
Beginning in 2024, the Charles White Scholarship will include one recipient each from Los Angeles County and one from any place in the United States.
How To Apply for the Charles White Scholarship
Step 1: Complete an Application for Admission to Otis College.
Step 2: Eligible applicants will be required to produce a written response to the following question or prompt:
“An artist has a specific obligation. They must be responsible for the content of their work. And that work should demonstrate a deep, persistent care for humanity. How does your perspective on your art or design work agree or disagree with Charles White’s statement?
Applicants are urged to read Esther Adler’s essay “Charles White, Artist, and Teacher” to help them answer this question. “Charles White, Artist and Teacher”
Deadlines
February 15, 2024: Otis Application for Admission.
To be considered for the Charles White Scholarship, you must submit a completed application by February 15, 2024. An application is considered complete when all the needed extra materials and the application are submitted. Learn more about submitting your application and the supplemental documents needed.
March 15, 2024: Supplemental Charles White Art and Design Scholarship Application.