By Evelyn Cairns
Applications are being accepted by the Downriver Council for the Arts for three $500 scholarships available to Downriver high school graduating seniors who plan to pursue further studies in art-related fields.
Sponsors of the grants are the estate of the late Caroline Kuspa of Southgate, the Perttunen family and the DCA Board of Directors.
The fields include, but are not limited to, the visual, music, dance, theater, literature, film and graphic arts. Public, private and home-schooled students who live in the 21 communities served by the DCA are eligible for the scholarships.
Completed application forms must be printed and hand-delivered to the DCA headquarters in the James R. DeSana Center for Arts & Culture, 81 Chestnut, Wyandotte, by 5 p.m. April 15.
The application must include digital samples of the student’s work, letters of recommendation, a digital photo of the applicant and a one-page personal-goals statement.
Complete rules and application forms are available on the DCA website, www.downriverarts. org.
The Caroline Kuspa Scholarship was established in 2013 by the Kuspa family to celebrate the 100th anniversary of her birth in 1912.
An advocate of the arts, Kuspa, who died in 1977, encouraged participation in music, theater and dance. Her unfulfilled dream was to become a ballerina.
The Perttunen Family Excellence in Art Scholarship is being offered for the first time this year by family donors, who are retired high school administrators, to continue their contributions to education by supporting the post- secondary endeavors of artistically talented youth.
The DCA grant was established by the nonprofit organization in 2013. The DCA serves more than 350,000 Downriver residents by supporting local artists and performers through programs and partnerships with other cultural organizations, schools and service clubs.
For more information about the scholarships, call the DCA office at 734-720-0671.