Rau for Art Foundation Scholarship
Scholarship Sponsored by Rau for Art Foundation
Overview
The Rau for Art Foundation runs an annual student art competition that invites local high school artists to create an original work inspired by a designated theme. The current theme centers on the concept of the window — both as a literal object and as a symbolic framing device — and asks students to produce a two-dimensional work in which a window plays an integral role. Ten finalists are chosen to exhibit at M.S. Rau, giving students public exposure in a professional setting. The program has operated since 2012 and emphasizes thoughtful composition, use of light and perspective, and strong technical execution.
- Annual thematic competition for local high school artists
- Ten finalists exhibit at M.S. Rau
- Focus on two-dimensional work and narrative use of a window
Awards & Prizes
Award Value: Four students receive college scholarship awards totaling $20,000, distributed among the winning artists. The first-place winner’s high school art department also receives a $500 contribution. The top winner is offered an opportunity to study art in Italy, a prize modeled after the tradition of the Prix de Rome. Scholarship funds are paid directly to the college or university the recipient attends and are held until the student graduates from high school.
- $20,000 total in student scholarships across four winners
- $500 award to the first-place winner’s high school art department
- First-place study opportunity in Italy; funds disbursed to institutions after high school graduation
Eligibility & Entry
Eligibility: The competition is open to sophomores, juniors, and seniors enrolled in schools or home programs within Orleans, Jefferson, Plaquemines, St. Bernard, St. Tammany, and St. Charles Parishes. Students may attend public, private, parochial, or home schools, and current enrollment in an art class is not required.
Entry Requirements: Each student may submit one original artwork per competition year, and the submission is free. The submitted work must be created entirely by the student entering the piece.
- Open to 10th–12th graders in specified parishes
- One entry per student; no entry fee
- Work must be wholly produced by the submitting student
Artwork Requirements & Media
Format: Only two-dimensional artworks are accepted; finished work may not exceed 36 inches high by 36 inches wide. Photographic, digital, and three-dimensional works are not accepted.
Accepted Media: Traditional drawing and painting materials are allowed, including oil, acrylic, watercolor, gouache, graphite, colored pencil, pen and ink, pastel, and charcoal. Students may combine accepted media so long as the piece remains two-dimensional and every visual element is created by the student.
Collage Restrictions: Layered work and collage are permitted only when every included material is produced by the student; found materials (newspaper or magazine clippings), three-dimensional objects, and digital images are not allowed.
- Two-dimensional only; maximum 36" x 36"
- Traditional painting and drawing media accepted; photography and digital work excluded
- Collage allowed only with student-made materials
Submission & Review
Submission: A complete entry includes the artwork and a brief artist statement that explains the ideas behind the piece and the student’s interpretation of the annual theme. The artist statement should clearly connect the work to the theme and describe the student’s creative choices.
Judging Criteria: A rotating panel of guest judges evaluates entries based on the quality of the finished artwork and the strength of the student’s creative response to the theme. Key factors include technical ability and execution, originality, and the clarity of the thematic interpretation.
- Entries must include a concise artist statement linking the work to the theme
- Judges assess technical skill, creativity, and thematic clarity
- Selection includes finalists who exhibit at M.S. Rau before winners are chosen