Luciana Fernandes

Luciana received the 2011 Canada Games Young Artist of Excellence Award in 2016. She completed her undergrad at Dalhousie University, then relocated to British Columbia to pursue her MFA in directing at UBC.

Luciana returned to Halifax in 2018 to participate in Neptune Theatre’s Chrysalis Project, which provides practical experience and mentorship to emerging theatre artists.

Devin Huang

Devin began playing piano in 2013 at the age of seven, and has won both awards and competitions since then.

He was the 2017 recipient of the first ever Gordon Murray rising Star Award, and one of the winners of the 2017/18 Chebucto Symphony Orchestra Concerto Competition, an honour which gave him the opportunity to perform with the Orchestra in the spring of 2018.

Ian Parsons

Ian received Talent Trust scholarships to pursue studies in dance. He trained at the Maritime Conservatory of Performing Arts in Halifax, then attended Canada’s National Ballet School.

Ian began teaching ballet after touring with CATS in 2013, and relocated from London, UK back to Canada three years later.

Charley Young

Born in Alberta, Charley moved to Nova Scotia to pursue her BFA at NSCAD University. She received the Charlotte Wilson-Hammond/Visual Arts Nova Scotia Award and the Lieutenant Governor Award.

Charley is a practing artist who teaches drawing and printmaking at NSCAD University and Mount Allison University in New Brunswick.

Lee Yuen-Rapati

Lee received the Talent Trust 2011 Canada Games Award in 2017, the year he began the MA Typeface Design program at the University of Reading in the UK, which is considered by many in the design industry as the best in the world.

He completed his Bachelor of Interdisciplinary Design at NSCAD University, where he taught as a guest lecturer for two years prior to beginning his MA.

Shanice Skinner

Shanice, a soprano born in New Glasgow, Nova Scotia, graduated from Wilfrid Laurier University with an Honours Bachelor of Music in Vocal Performance in 2017.

Shanice was Nova Scotia’s alto selection for the 2014 National Youth Choir, and soprano for the 2016 National Youth Choir tour in Alberta. She won the Talent Trust Portia White award in 2016, and received a scholarship in 2018 to continue her voice studies.

Scholarships — Frequently Asked Questions

How do I know if I'm eligible for a Talent Trust scholarship?
Visit our Eligibility page for the list of criteria.

What kind of study programs does the Talent Trust support?

University arts programs
College arts programs (like NSCC)
Programs in film, dance, theatre, music, literary arts, visual arts, or circus arts offered by private institutions
Private studies with one teacher
Summer classes in the arts
Summer festival study opportunities
Mentorships
Artist residencies
If you’re considering a study program not on this list, please let us know so we can assess its eligibility.
(We don’t fund the Verbier Music Festival Orchestra summer placement because it is free.)

Do you support arts teacher training?
No. We don’t provide scholarships for teacher training programs.

Do you support art therapy training?
No. We don’t provide scholarships for art therapy training programs.

Do the application requirements change from year to year?
Possibly. We regularly review our application requirements, so they could change from one year to the next.

Tip: Review the General Application Guidelines and support material requirements for your discipline before you begin your application. You can find all updated files at nstalenttrust.ns.ca/Scholarships/Support-Material/

I study with a private teacher. What do I need for my application?
Collect all the information required in the General Application Guidelines (page 2). See our General Application Guidelines for details.

Combine all the information from your teacher in one PDF file before adding it to your application.

Late submissions of private teacher information will not be accepted.

Tip: Get in touch with your teacher at least a month before the deadline.

How long does it take to complete the online application?
According to our latest survey, plan on spending an hour or more to complete the application process. If you have all your information before you begin, you may be able to shorten that time.

Tip: Plan ahead. Carefully review all the application and support material requirements before you begin.

Do I have to complete the application at once? Can I start today and finish it tomorrow?
The system is able to save everything so you can work on your application a little at a time.

Tip 1: Use Chrome as your browser for best results.

Tip 2: If you have any technical problems let us know right away.

How much can I ask for in my Budget?

Our scholarships are between $800 - $4000. You can only ask for a portion of your study expenses.

How many video links can I attach to my application?
One video link. Combine your videos into one file. Your video index needs to indicate at what time each piece starts and ends, e.g. introduction 0:00 – 0:32, first music piece title 0:32 – 2:58 etc

Tip: In addition to the video index in your application, add the start time of each piece in the video information section on YouTube. Don't change the video link until the end of the application year.

Can I send you my video on a DVD?
No, you have to upload it to YouTube or Vimeo and include the link in your application.

I don’t want anyone to see my application video. What can I do?
On YouTube you can set the video to unlisted. Only people with the link can see it. Do not make the video private. If you do, we won’t be able to view it.

I’m a visual artist. Can I upload separate images of my work?
No. You need to upload a portfolio in PDF format containing all your images and the information of each image.

Tips:
Use high quality photos (no large files); no frames should show (crop if necessary), only your artwork is important

Your images should be 72 dpi for your digital portfolio (300 dpi is only required for printing)

Each page should contain a single image of your work and its description (10 images = 10 pages)

Keep it simple! (maximum file size is 8 MB)

What happens after I submit my application?
Our staff will look through your application to make sure all required files are attached and your links work. If we see anything that could be improved, we’ll send you an email and ask you to send an updated version by email.

When your application is complete, you will receive a confirmation email that also contains the date when you will be contacted with your application results.

Be patient: our staff will get in touch with you as soon as possible.

Tip: The earlier you apply, the more time you will have to improve your application.

I made a mistake in my application and only noticed after I pressed submit. What can I do?
Email our staff at scholarship(at)nstalenttrust.ns.ca and let us know right away. We can adjust your application for you.

Do not try to update your application yourself! The system will create duplicates which will make it difficult for us to know which version is the correct one.

Tips:
Start your application process early so you have enough time to thoroughly review it.

Save your application and read through it a day or two later to catch any small errors. Then submit it.

COVID-19 adjustments in 2022

Given the importance of maintaining social/physical distancing, and possible self-isolation for some, we understand that meeting some of the application requirements for the Spring/Summer scholarship deadline will not be possible. For example, it may not be possible to record your videos in a studio/theatre or to have someone accompany you for your piece.

Please know we will be understanding of these limitations and will welcome modifications (filming in your living room, solo performances rather than being accompanied, etc.). Please do your best to meet the requirements that are within your control. (side note: Always hold your camera horizontal so that the Scholarship Selection Committee members can see you fully.)