WASHINGTON, D.C.—The National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) awards the Corcoran College of Art + Design the John Renna Art Scholarship grant of $200,000 to provide scholarship awards to talented first-year undergraduate art students who have limited financial resources.

A total of five full or half tuition, four-year scholarships will be awarded, beginning in fall 2008, to Bachelor of Fine Art students at the Corcoran. Awards will be made based upon financial need and each student's artistic and academic ability. At least one scholarship will be designated to an outstanding student from the District of Columbia. The only independent college of art in the nation's capital, the Corcoran is one of a few in the country that has maintained its historic partnership with a major museum. The College currently enrolls more than 2100 students from across the United States and throughout the world in its degree and continuing education programs.

“The NEA John Renna Scholarship will enable talented students to realize the dream of becoming professional artists, designers, and art educators through a Corcoran education” said Kirk Pillow, Vice Dean of Academic Affairs at the Corcoran. “The program is an important and welcome addition to the Corcoran’s scholarship fund, and we are very pleased to be able to designate at least one of the scholarships for an artistically talented student with financial need from Washington, D.C.” John Anthony Renna bequeathed his estate to the National Endowment for the Arts for the purpose of supporting scholarships for visual arts students of limited financial resources. The Arts Endowment is allowed to award grants to individual artists in literature and honorary awards in jazz and folk and traditional arts. To fulfill the terms of this bequest, the NEA Renna Arts Scholarship initiative was developed to award grants to independent schools and colleges of art—enabling these schools to provide scholarships. This one-time program (the entire bequest will be distributed through these grants) will provide as many as 118 scholarships to talented students who, otherwise, would not be able to enroll at these art schools. For more information, visit www.arts.gov.

Renna grants were awarded only to seven institutions, including the Corcoran. Other recipients are the Institute of American Indian Arts, Massachusetts College of Art, Maryland Institute College of Art, Otis College of Art and Design, Rhode Island School of Design, and Ringling College of Art and Design.

Admission and scholarship applications from prospective students are due February 15, 2008 in order to be considered for the John Renna Art Scholarship. For information and materials, contact the Admissions office at (888) CORCORAN or admissions@corcoran.org.

ABOUT THE CORCORAN
The Corcoran Gallery of Art, a privately funded institution, was founded in 1869 as Washington’s first and largest non-federal museum of art. It is known internationally for its distinguished collection of historical and modern American art as well as contemporary art, photography, European painting, sculpture and the decorative arts. Founded in 1890, the Corcoran College of Art + Design is Washington’s only four-year college of art and design offering Bachelor of Fine Art degrees in Photojournalism, Digital Media Design, Fine Art, Graphic Design, Interior Design, and Photography; Associate of Fine Art degrees in Digital Media Design, Fine Art, Graphic Design and Photography; a five-year Bachelor of Fine Arts/Master of Arts degree in Fine Art and Teaching (BFA/MAT); and two-year Master of Arts degrees in Teaching, Interior Design, Exhibition Design, and the History of Decorative Arts. The College’s Continuing Education program offers part-time credit and non-credit classes for children and adults.

4/22/2008
Annie Leibovitz Awarded Honorary Degree, Doctor of Fine Arts
at the Corcoran College of Art + Design
Saturday, May 24, 2008

2/19/2008
"GET OUT THE VOTE" CAMPAIGN: CORCORAN COLLEGE OF ART + DESIGN’S BEAUTIFICATION PROJECT AT THE RANDALL SCHOOL IN SOUTHWEST WASHINGTON

1/17/2008
RANDALL SCHOOL PASSES ZONING COMMISSION

1/7/2008
CELEBRATE GROUNDHOG DAY AT THE CORCORAN GALLERY OF ART
New Family Art Workshops Honor Rodent Forecaster!

1/3/2008
CORCORAN COLLEGE OF ART + DESIGN RECEIVES THE JOHN RENNA ART SCHOLARSHIPS GRANT FOR $200,000 FROM THE NATIONAL ENDOWMENT FOR THE ARTS

For more information on the Corcoran College of Art + Design and the Corcoran Gallery of Art, please visit our main press site at www.corcoran.org/press.