“The financial support I received from the prize helped to finance much of my first year at Eastman…NSAL has taken an interest in my career and provided me with a tremendous amount of encouragement…”
  Kevin Chance
Third Place National Piano Winner 2002
Birmingham Chapter

  Early on in the history of our organization, The Nicholson/Nielsen Endowment Fund was established to provide permanent support for awards to be given annually to ranking finalists in the National Career Award Competition. The principal of the Fund remains intact while the income is used to provide awards each year in one of the six rotating art categories which NSAL highlights in its National Competition.

  Individuals or Corporations wishing to endow a named award may contribute $10,000 or more to the Fund. Current awards available from tax-exempt gifts to this Fund totaling $10,000 or more include:

NSAL First Place Award
  This award of $10,000 or more is in memory of Mollie Davis Nicholson and Francesca Falk Miller Nielson, founders of the Society to whom we owe the vision of establishing a perpetual financial support for the recognition of gifted young American artists.

The Estelle Campbell Award
  We honor our long time member and generous benefactor by presenting yearly the second place winner with this substantial award.

The Mary Peery Fife Memorial Award
  This is a memorial award designated to be given in the category of Dance.

Dorothy and Bruce Strong Award
  This award is contributed by Dorothy and Bruce Strong.

Mollie Davis Nicholson Award
  This award is contributed by Dorothy Nicholson Stabell in loving memory of her mother.

Catherine A. M. Cavanaugh Award
  This award is designated to be given in the Literature Category and is established in the name of the writer who is a loyal, long time member of NSAL.


Donations
  Donations to the Nicholson/Nielsen Fund are welcomed so that as the Fund grows the interest accrued annually will provide ever more substantial awards, as well as providing deserving young talent broader recognition.
A company or benefactor may establish an endowment in their name to insure an ongoing award in a specific art category or in each art category as they rotate in the NSAL six year competition cycle. A representative from the gifting party is invited to present this award personally at the awards ceremony.
A one time award of $1000 or more may be made to honor the memory of a friend or relative, or to mark a special occasion. The donor is invited to present this award.

  In our effort to encourage, to promote and to provide for the arts in America we concur with J. F. Kennedy's remark that "the life of the arts, far from being an interruption, a distraction, in the life of a nation, is close to the center of a nation's purpose—a test of the quality of a nation's civilization." We solicit your help in contributing financial support at the National and/or the Chapter level to aid and assist in furthering the art awareness and sensibilities of our developing youth.

  Scholarships at the grade school level on up through college to promising talent can be established. Seminars, concerts, exhibits, readings, experimental productions, master classes in art categories and sub-categories provide a means of lifting the consciousness of all people. To provide beauty, an awakening of the spirit both in the artist and the audience—this is indeed food for the soul and spirit. We invite your contributions toward accomplishing these worthy goals!

(Click here for more details on contributions and gifting.)