The Jack Kent Cooke Foundation Graduate Arts Award recognizes and rewards America's promising up-and-coming artists from lower-income backgrounds with the nation's leading graduate scholarships in the visual arts, performing arts, and creative writing.  Jack Kent Cooke began his career as an encyclopedia salesman and went on to build a media empire and become owner of the Chrysler building, the Los Angeles Lakers, and the Washington Redskins. Although he never completed his high school education, Cooke had an immense respect for learning and was himself well read and knowledgeable in a wide variety of fields.  He was especially fond of the arts.

Brown can nominate two candidates to the national competition. Graduating seniors and Brown alumni who graduated no earlier than May 2008 are eligible. Alumni already enrolled in graduate school are not eligible. All candidates must be accepted into a full-time graduate degree arts program at an accredited university in the U.S. or abroad to begin studies in the fall of 2013. U. S. citizenship is not required. Candidates must have a minimum grade point average of 3.2. Selection criteria include artistic and creative merit, academic ability and achievement, unmet financial need, the will to succeed, and a broad set of involvements.  Graduating seniors should be receiving financial aid from Brown. International students and transfer students are exempt from this requirement because they are not eligible for financial aid. Alumni should have received financial aid from Brown while students. All alumni who did not receive such aid will be considered only if their family and/or personal financial circumstances have changed significantly. The parents of all applicants must complete the financial information forms.

Each scholarship will cover tuition, required fees, and living costs for the length of the graduate program. The amount and duration of awards vary by student, based on the cost of attendance and the length of the program as well as other scholarships or grants received. The maximum available per student is $50,000 per year. Most awards are for fewer than six years and less than $50,000 per year. Scholars must apply for federal and institutional financial assistance each year; most Scholars receive aid from other sources as well as the Foundation’s award.