The Art Department Announces Video Games Industry Scholarship Program

Online, May 31, 2010 (Newswire.com) - The Art Department (www.theartdepartment.org), a global art school with classes set to launch in July 2010, is offering over $500,000 in scholarships to artists who seek success in the video games industry, including full-rides for selected winners to attend without paying tuition. The Video Games Industry Scholarship Program is designed to develop artists and their talents at a higher skill level, and teach them how to apply their artistic abilities in real-world, industry settings. The scholarship program is open to artists over the age of 18 and at any skill level.

Created by the founders of the award winning Illustration Academy and leading games industry art education portal Conceptart.org, The Art Department (TAD) offers an alternative approach to traditional art education, providing career-driven training from successful professionals working directly in the industry today. TAD's cutting-edge educational program has three ways to study: online, in-person, or a hybrid of both, and includes experiences for networking and immersive hands-on training. The on-site studios, called PODs, currently exist in five U.S. cities: San Francisco and Berkeley, CA; Kansas City, MO; Austin, TX; and Richmond, VA. Students have the unique opportunity to learn from professionals at the top of the industry, including: Jason Manley, Lorne Lanning, Andrew Jones, Sterling Hundley, John English, Jon Foster, Marshall Vandruff and more.

"TAD created the scholarship program to give artists from any place or any background a chance to get the best training possible," said Jason Manley, TAD President and Founder of Massive Black, Inc. "We provide the connections, skills training and experience necessary for an artist to succeed in the video games industry. With more than 400 entertainment and games companies having sent their own employees to our training programs, including Sony, Microsoft, EA, Nintendo, id software, CCP, Blizzard and more, we understand what artists need to develop and thrive as a pro artist and as an independent creative person with their own point of view. We are here to help."

TAD will kick off its on-site learning program on June 14, 2010 with a 3-week intensive educational and networking workshop held in Kansas City, MO. The workshop is open to all TAD students, though non-TAD students are invited to register as well. Classes start for the full online, POD and hybrid programs on July 12, 2010.

Details and Eligibility:

- Scholarship awards are offered in three categories: The full-ride covers 100 percent of all tuition and one three week workshop each school year. Half and quarter ride scholarships also are available. TAD will offer 4 full ride scholarships at a total value of $180,000, 10 half ride scholarships at a total value of $225,000 and 10 quarter ride scholarships at a total value of $112,500.

- All students over the age of 18 who want to work in games are eligible to apply.

- Students must apply for scholarships between June 1 and June 10, 2010.

- Scholarship awards will be based on quality of the portfolio.

- Scholarship awards will be announced no later than June 11, 2010.

Submission Guidelines:

- Complete the TAD application at www.theartdepartment.org.

- As part of the TAD application, students will need to submit a portfolio of 10 images.

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