Recipient of 2024 Gustave Blache III Art Scholarship is Benicia Diane King
To help foster Louisiana’s young artists, the LEH and The Helis Foundation John Scott Center are offering the Gustave Blache III Art Scholarships to support young artists in attending the School of Visual Arts (SVA) in New York City.
Named after accomplished Louisiana artist and SVA alumnus Gustave Blache III, the scholarship is open to all aspiring artists from Louisiana interested in pursuing either Bachelor or Master of Fine Arts degrees at SVA in New York, one of the nation’s premiere art schools. Applications for the 2025-6 school year scholarships are open from September 15 through February 1, 2025.
About the 2024 recipient
Benicia Diane King is the recipient of the 2024 scholarship, which she will be using to pursue a graduate degree at SVA.
King earned her bachelor’s in photography and entrepreneurship from a combination of experiences at the Art Institute of Seattle, Seattle Central, University of Southern California, and Grambling State University. In 2023, King received the Take Notice Fund from the National Performance Network, located in New Orleans, Louisiana, and funded by the Ford Foundation.
She’s developed commissions and exhibitions throughout the U.S. and Italy in partnership with the Contemporary Arts Center, Masur Museum, Crescenzi & Co, New Orleans African American Museum, Stella Jones Gallery, Superposition Gallery, and more.
Currently, she aspires to work more commercially in the fashion editorial space combining her distinctive fine art and portraiture style, continue to build upon her studio in Louisiana, and pursue other entrepreneurial interests.
“Receiving the Gustave Blache III Art Scholarship is such a great honor and recognition to achieve my career aspirations,” King said. “With this scholarship, I’m now able to navigate my career to New York, have support from another Louisiana artist while in New York, and refine my photography practice through an esteemed academic institution in a city that manages the photography industry at a high standard.”
About the scholarship
All applicants will be required to upload a portfolio of original work, including a minimum of 10 and a maximum of 15 art samples.
Of special note: The awarding of this scholarship is dependent upon the applicant’s successful application and acceptance into the School of Visual Art’s illustration or other fine arts program.
Students applying for a Gustave Blache III Scholarship should carefully review SVA’s admissions requirements and be prepared to submit an application to SVA. The application deadline for graduate admissions at SVA is generally mid-January. For undergraduates, applications are accepted on a rolling basis.
This scholarship may not be used at any other school.
Find more guidance on the application process and applicable programs at https://leh.org/our-work/the-helis-foundation-john-scott-center/gustave-blache-iii-art-scholarships/.