Robert Redford Launches Scholarship Program with Santa Fe University of Art and Design

Santa Fe University of Art and Design (SFUAD) announced today the new Robert Redford/Milagro Initiative Scholarship Program geared toward attracting, retaining, and graduating qualified students who wish to pursue a fulfilled life and career in the arts. The program consists of two scholarship categories: the Unique Voice Scholarship(s) and the Emerging Artist Scholarships. Both awards are available to qualified students within and outside the United States.

While the inaugural Scholarship Program will be funded by the university, award recipients will be selected by celebrated actor and Academy-Award winning director, Robert Redford, in conjunction with the Milagro Initiative spearheaded by Kathleen Broyles, The Sundance Institute Feature Film Program Consultant and Director of The Milagro Initiative.

"Regardless of the medium — whether it’s through a poem, art installation, or a film — Santa Fe University of Art and Design offers something special to its vibrant student body," said Redford. "It is an honor to collaborate with this exciting institution in choosing scholarship recipients for the next generation of storytellers, as it will be this generation of artists who will provoke thought and inspire significant change throughout the 21st Century," continued Redford. "With guidance and support from outstanding faculty, including the profoundly talented Film Chair, Chris Eyre, students will most certainly learn what it takes to have an authentic voice in society and in today’s industry.”

The two scholarship categories offered through the Robert Redford/Milagro Initiative Scholarship Program are the:

Unique Voice Scholarship(s) – Award(s) that covers 100% of tuition, room and board, as well as base fees, for an enrolled student in the BFA in Film program at SFUAD. The applicant must represent the voice of Indigenous people from the U.S. or around the world. The number of scholarships awarded each year will be contingent on the applicant pool.

Emerging Artist Scholarships – Awards for eligible students in any SFUAD department, variable depending on the cost of their respective program. Students could potentially receive up to $15,000/year for the Art, Contemporary Music, Film, Performing Arts, and Photography programs, and up to $7,000/year for the Arts Management, Creative Writing, Digital Arts, and Graphic Design, programs. The number of Emerging Artist Scholarships awarded will vary each year.

To be considered for The Redford/Milagro Initiative Scholarship Program, interested students must submit materials required for admissions to the university, provide an essay and/or video addressing why they want to become a Redford/Milagro Initiative scholar, and be willing to participate in an interview.

“I’m pleased to offer students the opportunity to apply for the new Redford/Milagro Initiative Scholarship Program through an important partnership with Robert Redford, one of my industry friends and key mentors,” said Chris Eyre, chair of The Film School at SFUAD. “Along with assistance from Kathleen Broyles, an instrumental member of our new Advisory Board for the Film School, we have created a program that opens doors for talented youth who might not otherwise have the means to pursue a higher education in an arts-related field.”

Eyre and Redford have a long-standing relationship that spans almost two decades. After graduating from New York University’s film school, Eyre was invited to participate as a fellow in The Sundance Institute’s Directors Lab under the mentorship of Redford. His relationship with Redford was instrumental in helping Eyre produce his early films: Smoke Signals (1998), which was the first feature-length film directed by a Native American to receive national theatrical release by Miramax Films; Skinwalkers (2002); and A Thief of Time (2003). Eyre’s 2004 film Edge of America was selected to show on Opening Night at the 2004 Sundance Film Festival, and it garnered Eyre the highly prestigious DGA Award for Outstanding Directorial Achievement from the Directors Guild of America.
More details on the application process for The Redford/Milagro Initiative Scholarship Program can be found on the SFUAD website.

The Film School at Santa Fe University of Art and Design is a fully accredited program offering a comprehensive, hands-on, four-year curriculum that integrates film, video and digital production with critical studies and writing. Films such as True Grit and Cowboys & Aliens and TV dramas such as Longmire have been shot at the university’s Garson Studios, where students have the opportunity to intern on professional productions. Garson Studios is part of the Garson Communications Center, which features a 65,000-square-foot production and postproduction facility. The Screen, a popular destination within the Garson Communications Center, shows some of the greatest works of world cinema daily for students and the public.

Santa Fe University of Art and Design is an accredited institution located in Santa Fe, New Mexico, one of the world’s leading centers for art and design. The university offers degrees in arts management, contemporary music, creative writing, digital arts, graphic design, film, performing arts, photography and studio art. Faculty members are practicing artists who teach students in small groups, following a unique interdisciplinary curriculum that combines hands-on experience with core theory and prepares graduates to become well-rounded, creative, problem-solving professionals. As a Laureate International Universities Center of Excellence in Art, Architecture and Design, the university boasts an international student body and opportunities to study abroad, encouraging students to develop a global perspective on the arts. Santa Fe University of Art and Design is accredited by The Higher Learning Commission and a member of the North Central Association, http://www.ncahlc.org.