In order to meet our scholarship obligations for 2020, we depleted our reserve account. It is our hope and goal to award two $10,000 scholarships in 2021. In order to meet this goal, we are holding two fundraisers. If the first is as successful as we hope, we will award both scholarships for the Fall 2021 semester. If we fall short and need to also rely on the October fundraiser, we may pay out the scholarships in two installments. The first installment for the Fall 2021 semester and the second for the Spring 2022 semester. We rely on the generosity of artists to donate work and the public to buy it in order to fund the scholarship each year. While it is our goal to award the Jim Hamilton Memorial Shad Fest Scholarship as planned, the pandemic made our annual Shad Festival impossible in 2020, and while we have it tentatively scheduled for October 9-10 2021, circumstances beyond our control may prevent us from awarding a full $20,000 in scholarship money.

The purpose of the Jim Hamilton Shad Festival Scholarship is to provide two scholarships annually to area students. Students in the Chamber footprint (see list) attending either public or non-public high schools or current college students are eligible to apply for the scholarships.

First-time applicants will be high school seniors (or equivalent) entering their first year of college (or equivalent) or current college students no older than 20 years of age. The money is to be used in the pursuit of a degree in the arts (music, graphic arts, digital arts, performing arts, art education, art therapy, architecture, theater, culinary arts). If no applicants are deemed eligible to receive the Jim Hamilton Shad Festival Scholarship, the scholarship money will be held in escrow for future years.

The scholarship is merit-based. The selection of recipients is made by the scholarship committee based on the quality of the work and personal statement submitted by the applicant and on the applicant’s presentation during the interview. In addition to talent, the committee has to consider the candidate’s likelihood of finishing a four-year degree. Faced with two students of equal talent, financial need will be taken into account.

To be considered as a recipient of the Jim Hamilton Shad Festival Scholarship, it is mandatory to submit the application completely and accurately. Applications can be found below. Incomplete applications will not be accepted.

The Jim Hamilton Shad Festival Scholarship is made possible through the generosity of many individuals, each of whom works very hard to raise money for this award. Artists donate original artworks to be auctioned providing the bulk of the money. Area businesses help underwrite the auction, thus paying much of the expenses associated with the auction, so that as much of the funds raised as possible go directly to the scholarship fund. Finally, volunteers before and during the Shad Festival promote the auction and the Festival and make it possible.

Please consider doing a Shad Fest poster for the Scholarship Art Auction or volunteering your time at the Shad Festival.

SHAD FESTIVAL SCHOLARSHIP APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS

Students  — Please provide us with the following information. All applications must be submitted by June 30, 2021.

Teachers & Guidance Counselors — Please provide us with the following information.
All applications must be submitted by June 30, 2021.

• Shad Festival Scholarship Application Form (see below)
• Portfolio of works containing at least 5 and no more than 10 examples of your work. Portfolios will be judged on potential, accomplishment, attitude, and intent. Digital portfolios are strongly preferred. However, visual artists are encouraged to bring representative pieces to the interview. (If you are a performing artist, a video or audio disk of performances is acceptable, no more than 10 to 15 minutes in length.)
• A 500-word personal statement, explaining your goals and future plans

(The art teacher and the guidance counselor will be sent an email and should work together to gather these documents below. We require that they come directly from the guidance office.)

• Student Transcript – Student must maintain at least a C average to be eligible
• Student Activity Inventory. (Please highlight Community Service)
• Guidance Counselor Recommendation
• “Art” Teacher or Primary “Art” Mentor Recommendation

• Interviews with the scholarship committee on July 15 and July 16, 2021, if picked as a finalist, you will receive your date for your interview.

If you have any questions about these requirements or the scholarship application, please call the Delaware River Towns Chamber of Commerce: (609) 397-0055 or email.