Orange Coast College is launching OCC Artist Promise, an initiative that will provide $1,000 scholarships to 200 prospective students entering the College’s Visual and Performing Arts (VPA) programs.
This new initiative is part of the OCC Endowment for the Arts, which was established through a transformational $9.44 million gift from an anonymous alumni donor in late 2024. The $1,000 awards are available to eligible students enrolling in VPA-related programs starting in Fall 2025, helping to offset tuition and material fees.
OCC Artist Promise Scholarships are available for new students entering VPA programs such as art, dance, music, digital media art and design, photography, theater arts, film and television, and immersive media. To qualify, recipients must meet with a counselor to declare their major in one of the VPA programs, and complete at least one class in their major during their first semester.
"This is an incredible opportunity for students who may have thought college — and a career in the arts — was out of reach," says Dean of Visual and Performing Arts Larissa Nazarenko. "This scholarship is designed to ease the financial burden and send a clear message: your creativity matters, and we believe in your future."
Applications for OCC Artist Promise are now open. For more information on how to apply, visit OCC’s Visual and Performing Arts webpage.