As of now, the application period for both the Shirley Martin Scholarship and the Metzger Award is closed. A warm thank you to everyone who took the time to submit an application!

As songwriters and musicians ourselves, we see how cultivating the arts locally impacts the community, and that’s why we’ve kept the Shirley Martin Scholarship going for over 25 years. We are also proud to honor the work the Ouibache Festival has done in the last few years by taking responsibility for the Metzger Award, honoring the lives of Bryan and Cindy Metzger.

Now that submissions are closed, our committees are hard at work reviewing applications. Everyone who applied, either for the scholarship or the award, will hear from us soon. Applicants for the scholarship will each receive constructive feedback, regardless of whether they win an award. We’ve seen over and over again how repeat applicants continue improving year after year, until they finally win the scholarship themselves. For that reason, we encourage you to think of us next year, and we hope you continue writing songs until that time comes around.

In the meantime, we’d like you all to mark your calendars! On Monday, May 4th, we will award the winners of the Shirley Martin Scholarship, giving them an opportunity to perform their songs live (or, if they prefer, play a recording). We will also award the funds for the Metzger Award, highlighting the way this grant will make a local impact.

Join us at The Arts Federation on Monday, May 4th at 7pm. We’ll be in the upstairs gallery as usual. Please share this poster to help us raise awareness of this special event, and we hope you'll join us!