Entertainment studio partners with Gates Foundation and Viacom-founded educational non-profit to award $25,000 scholarship and other prizes to young animators.
Los Angeles, CA - Nickelodeon has partnered with Get Schooled, a national non-profit co-founded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and Viacom, to award one skilled and innovative animator with a $25,000 scholarship by creating an original animated short. This partnership marks the first-ever animation scholarship program between the two organizations, which will help elevate and support the brightest up and coming animators by giving an opportunity to submit their story.
“With a rich history of championing artist-driven shows and shorts, Nickelodeon is on a mission to bring these ever-growing, young animators to the forefront,” said Russell Hicks, president, content development and production, Nickelodeon. “By partnering with Get Schooled, we are able to discover the next generation of storytellers and provide an animation scholarship for a deserving student, which is really rewarding.”
“Get Schooled believes passionately in the power of education to unleash the potential of a young person,” said Marie Groark, executive director of Get Schooled. “We are excited to partner with Nickelodeon on this incredible opportunity to find, recognize and support one of the world's best young creative minds in animation.”
The scholarship opportunity will be available for 17 to 24-years-olds, in which applicants will be required to submit an animated short in any format. Realizing that talent is found across all age ranges and in all corners of the globe, 13 to 16-years-olds will be invited to submit a theme-based looping animation for the chance to win prizes, such as a tablet with animation software.
More information about the scholarship can be found at www.getschooled.com. Full guidelines will be available in April at Get Schooled and the winners will be announced summer 2015.
Source: Nickelodeon
Dan Sarto is Publisher and Editor-in-Chief of Animation World Network.
