VCFA receives $1M gift in support of new vision

The gift, received from an anonymous donor, provides significant support as VCFA transitions to a new residency model, progressing toward its commitment to fully aligning its financial resources with strategic initiatives that directly benefit students, faculty, alumnx, and staff. 

“We are at the threshold of an exciting new future,” said VCFA President Leslie Ward. “This generous gift is a huge step toward increasing access so that more students can attend our acclaimed MFA programs, as well as toward building a more inclusive community of emerging artists across disciplines.”

In addition to operating funds that will support the relocation of residencies and promote a more equitable use of the college’s resources, the gift provides significant funding in the form of two matching grants to The Artists Development Fund for student scholarships at VCFA as well as the VCFA Center for Arts + Social Justice. 

$300K in scholarship funding has been designated to support student artists of traditionally underserved communities. These scholarships will be allocated to emerging artists who have been traditionally underrepresented in both the arts and in higher education, thereby directly contributing to the rich diversity of the VCFA community. 

Scholarship awards are currently available to incoming students across the college’s six MFA programs in Film, Graphic Design, Music Composition, Visual Art, Writing, and Writing for Children & Young Adults. This new funding will continue to support students working and creating in these disciplines and will be spread equitably across programs. As part of VCFA’s plans to more directly invest in its people and programs, the college has committed its fundraising efforts to matching this gift in the coming year.

The gift also underwrites a new Director for the VCFA’s Center for Arts + Social Justice, a new initiative of the college established to provide fellowships and professional development support for emerging artists working at the intersection of art and social justice.

Learn more about The Artists Development Fund, VCFA’s Center for Arts + Social Justice, and the college’s new plans for residencies or contact VCFA’s Office of Institutional Advancement for more information at 802-828-8839 or [email protected].