Performing Arts Scholarship Program

PAFAA awards ten scholarships ($500 each) annually to the full time college and high school senior class students of Asian ancestry. Six of the ten scholarships are allocated for the music category and four for the dance category. Music category covers instrumental (piano, violin, strings, and winds) and vocal (classical and Broadway musicals) Dance category covers Western dance such as ballet, tap dance, modern jazz (excluding Hip Hop), and Asian Ethnic dances. Applicants have to submit application form along with most recent year transcript, plus application fee to PAFAA. Application forms may be down loaded from Website: http://www.pafaa.org. Applicants are required to be U.S. Citizen, with a GPA of 3.0 or better and to be personally auditioned by a panel of distinguished judges with academic background and professional expertise. PAFAA’s Scholarship Program used to take place in the fall. Starting 2012, it is moved up to the spring. Scholarship winners are mandated to personally participate and perform for the Scholarship Award Banquet in September. For the past decade, a total of 60 talented artists in college and high school have been awarded PAFAA scholarships worth of thousand of dollars.

Mission Statement

PAFAA is a non-profit public organization for the purpose of fostering the spirit of cultural interaction for the common good and general welfare of the Asian-Americans. Our primary goal is to assist the development of young Asian-American performing artists in pursuit of excellence. To accomplish this, scholarships are awarded annually to qualified candidates in college and in high school senior class. Our secondary goal is to promote diverse types of performing arts, instrumental and vocal music, Classics and musical comedy, traditional and Asian ethnic dances. The foundation sponsors concerts and performances in order to provide talented artists opportunities to perform as well as Asian and general community the exposure to music, dance, and other types of performances.

Historical Perspectives

Julia L. Wu, Trustee Emeritus of the Los Angeles Community Colleges Board, a life time music lover and vocalist, founded PAFAA. Julia firmly believes in music and arts  as the heart and soul of human civilization that not only enrich life and spirit but also enhance world harmony and peace.  With a pianist son in the family, a product of a music conservatory in New York, Julia could feel the pains of the musicians whose  efforts and contribution receive very little support and recognition from the society.  PAFAA was first incorporated in 2000 and by early part of 2001 was granted by IRS tax exempt status as a 501C3 non-profit organization. After several months of persuasion and convincing, the founder was able to generate the support from a hundred charter members including her own family, relatives, friends, and supporters, whose generous contribution helped to lay a foundation for PAFAA. By middle part of September, 2001, PAFAA was officially formed and Board of Directors installed. Los Angeles County Supervisor Michael Antonovich and Los Angeles County Sheriff Leroy Baca both graciously committed to the role of serving as Honorary Chairmen on the Foundation Board.

Annual Scholarship Award Concert

The Annual Scholarship Award Concert is designed to showcase the scholarship winners and to provide the community exposure to the artistic performances. Scholarships winners formally receive their awards before they perform. Occasionally, community artists are invited as special guests to join the performance in the concert. The annual concert usually draws an audience of several hundred and gains favorable reviews. In the past decade approximately several hundred of scholarship candidates representing some forty colleges and high schools filed applications. Sixty of them received PAFAA scholarships. The annual concert has inspired many young artists and generated tremendous community interest and support.