Scholarships
The Scholarship Portal for Fall Classes is Now Open!
Scholarships are awarded on a first come – first served basis until our funding is exhausted. Awards may be used towards a full-year course or a short-term session in any of the disciplines we teach. Scholarships are designed to cover up to 50% of the cost of your selected course, so please be specific about which class you would like to take when filling out your application. There is a maximum combined family award of $600 for Visual & Performing Arts Scholarships, and we will award up to that cap.
Please join us in thanking our generous donors! Each year, they give approximately $25,000 in restricted donations that fund our robust scholarship program!
We invite YOU to make a contribution to 171’s Experience Art Fund!
Individual contributions at any level help provide scholarships to students in need.
Scholarship Fund Descriptions
Scholarships are designed to provide partial support and help offset the cost of taking a course at 171.
The Gahagan Family Scholarship Fund
was created in 2025 by Kevin and Maureen Gahagan as a public celebration and marker of their family’s legacy of patronage and participation in the arts. The fund supports students in all disciplines and seeks to extend the reach of 171 into historically underserved communities to help increase artistic literacy.
Edwin Caplin Foundation Scholarship Fund
was established in 2010 to provide financial assistance to students who are pursuing instrumental lessons in the music department. Through their annual grant, the Caplin Foundation demonstrates a commitment to fueling passion, encouraging learning, and cultivating a philanthropic spirit to support the arts in generations to come.
Rosemary Ann Neal Scholarship Fund
was created in memory of Rosemary Ann Neal (Jermano) by her son, the late Dwayne Thomas Neal. This scholarship commemorates Rosemary’s love of music and the arts. The fund supports students taking classes in any of the artistic disciplines taught at 171.
Claire Murray Memorial Scholarship Fund
was established in 2007 to celebrate the life of Claire Murray, a 171 student who passed away at the age of 13. The scholarship supports students wishing to study dance or the visual arts at 171. Eligible applicants must be between the ages of 12 and 18.
Helen E. Stevenson Memorial Scholarship
was established in 2008 after the passing of Corning resident Helen E. Stevenson by her sons Richard, Jim, and Andrew. The Stevenson Fund provides a partial scholarship to one student each year in the disciplines of visual arts or music.
171’s Experience Art Fund
seeks to introduce youth to a new artistic discipline which they have not had the opportunity to explore before! This scholarship supports students pursuing any of the disciplines that are taught at 171. Returning students are eligible to apply, with the understanding that priority is given to first-time applicants.