Music Center Spotlight Awards

Scholarship Sponsored by Music Center

The Spotlight competition provides cash scholarships and artistic development to empower high school students by emphasizing preparation, courage, critical thinking and perseverance while providing an invaluable opportunity for students to hone their performing skills! Southern California High School students of ALL skill levels are encouraged to apply for FREE. $100,000 in cash scholarships are awarded each year to students along with personalized feedback, eligibility for mastery classes with world renowned artists, and more! We are part competition, part education and always fun! It's easy to apply; fill out an application and upload a video! Take a chance on yourself! Check out The Spotlight Academy for info on the program and categories!

Spotlight Merit, Semifinalist and Honorable Mention awardees from 2023 will automatically bypass Preliminary 1 and advance to Preliminary 2 auditions. You still must fill out a new Spotlight application and upload the 2024 Placeholder Video that will be sent to you.

During the registration process, please use student's name and not a parent's/guardian's.

To Apply, You Must:

• Be a Southern California high school student who attends a public, private, online, or home school. Your home base must be in one of these counties: Los Angeles, Orange, Ventura, Santa Barbara, San Diego, Riverside, Kern, or San Bernardino.
• You must be an enrolled high school student as of December 31, 2023.  You may not be enrolled as a full time college student.
• Dance and Ballet students, please check the category rules page for out of state residency exceptions.
• Apply to one or more of these categories: Acting, Ballet, Dance, Classical Voice, Non-Classical Voice, Classical Instrumental, or Contemporary Instrumental Music. You can apply to as many categories as you want!
• Read all the important information listed in the application, even though it’s the last thing you want to do. ☺ Think of it as a way to get ready for your college and competition auditions!!
• Complete the online application by October 16, 2023. Don’t wait until the last minute!
• Prepare and upload your audition video. Check out our video on filming a great audition!  

By applying to Spotlight you are eligible for*

• Written feedback from our distinguished panel of judges
• Mastery classes with world-renowned artists
• Live audition experience and coaching
• Grand Prize Finale performance
• College and career preparation
• Cash awards
• School achievement recognition
• News and social media coverage possibilities

**Given circumstances around COVID-19, program rules, elements and benefits are subject to change.

COVID 19 REQUIREMENT: The first round (Preliminary 1) of Spotlight is online. All students who advance to subsequent rounds, including Preliminary 2, Semifinals and Grand Prize Finals must be fully vaccinated.