O’Keefe Scholarship

Program Temporarily Suspended

One opportunity can change everything.

Patrick O’Keefe, Artist, Art Director, Spider-Man Into The Spider-Verse (2019) Spider-Man:Across The Spider-Verse (2023) and APW grad, has partnered with Animation Portfolio Workshop and Big Brothers Big Sisters of Canada to offer the O’Keefe Scholarship. The O’Keefe Scholarship is granted annually to one student who best meets the specific financial and artistic eligibility criteria for this opportunity.

The O’Keefe Scholarship consists of full tuition for one Session of the Animation Portfolio Workshop. Patrick O’Keefe will also provide a private online mentoring component for the scholarship recipient, consisting of one session per month for the duration of the APW Session. Gwartzman’s Art Supplies will supply the successful applicant with all required art materials free of charge for the duration of the APW Session.

TUITION

The scholarship covers the full tuition.

MENTORING

There will be several opportunities over the course of the term to have one-on-one private sessions with Patrick O’Keefe online.

ART SUPPLIES

All art supplies are provided by Gwartzman’s Art Supplies

Whether it is commercials, games, comic covers or film it all begins with an understanding of drawing and design that I learned at APW – which changed the way I look at the world and taught me how to express my creative ideas.

~ Patrick O'Keefe ~

APPLY TO THE O'KEEFE SCHOLARSHIP

O’Keefe Scholarship FAQ

Who Can Apply?

Must be a Canadian citizen or permanent resident of Canada
16 to 18 years of age (if you will turn 16 by April 8, you can still apply!)
Be registered as a current youth mentor or mentee within any Big Brothers Big Sisters of Canada agency.
Must not be enrolled in or have completed a full-time visual arts program
Complete the application through the “Apply Now” section by the deadline of April 8, 2022 at 11:59 PM ET.
- Submit a one-page written component describing their artistic aspirations
- Submit 5 (minimum) to 10 (maximum) pieces of original art in any medium.
- Submit all application material by the scholarship application deadlines to be considered
THE RECIPIENT OF THE O’KEEFE SCHOLARSHIP MUST BE ABLE TO ATTEND APW ONLINE SESSION I CLASSES ON EITHER SATURDAY OR SUNDAY, STARTING APRIL 23 OR 24, 2022 TO FEBRUARY 5, 2023

O’Keefe Scholarship Info

The O’Keefe Scholarship covers the full tuition of the 2022/2023 Online Session I of the Animation Portfolio Workshop. Patrick O’Keefe will also provide a private mentoring component (via Skype) for the scholarship recipient, consisting of one session per month for the duration of the Fall Session. Gwartzman’s Art Supplies will supply the successful applicant with all required art materials free of charge for the duration of the APW Session. Full tuition fee for regular 38-week online session is $5,050.00 CDN. The Scholarship is not transferable to another year and can only be used for the Spring 2022/2023 Workshop that falls within the same calendar year in which the scholarship recipient has been chosen.

Application Process

YOU MUST BE registered as a current youth mentor or mentee within any Big Brothers Big Sisters of Canada agency in order to apply for this scholarship.
Complete the application process by filling out and submitting the Application Form section on the O’Keefe Scholarship page on the BBBS website by the deadline of April 8, 2022 at 11:59 PM ET.
- Submit a one-page written component describing your artistic aspirations
- Submit 5 (minimum) to 10 (maximum) pieces of original art in any medium.
- Submit all application material by the scholarship application deadlines to be considered (See Application Deadline section)

Who Is Patrick O’Keefe?

Patrick O’Keefe is a Toronto-born, Los Angeles-based illustrator and art director. He began his artistic pursuit while attending Northern Secondary School in Toronto. At the behest of his high school art teacher, Mr. Steve MacNaughton, and in preparation for his post-secondary studies, Patrick enrolled in the Animation Portfolio Workshop (APW). After working with APW directors Gerard Sternik and Vincent Peets, Patrick soon discovered that this program would become the beginning of a lifelong pursuit of art, hard work, and mentorship that would lay the foundation of discipline for a career as a commercial artist.

After completing the APW program, Patrick studied illustration at Sheridan College before transferring to the Emily Carr University of Art and Design, where he received his Bachelor of Media Arts in Film and Animation Design.

Most recently, Patrick served as an art director on Sony Pictures Oscar winning animation feature film Spider-Man™: Into the Spider-Verse, which was released in December 2018

Scholarship Background

The idea for the scholarship arose from Patrick’s desire to give back to the community that gave so much to him. As a teenager, Patrick had the drive to pursue his craft, but not necessarily the means. The goal of the O’Keefe Scholarship is to find those in a similar position and eliminate the financial barrier that could possibly prevent a rising artist from achieving their goals, as well as to create an ongoing mentorship to open up a dialogue between emerging and establishing artists.

Who are the Partners ?

Check out our Scholarship Partners Click here

Application Deadlines

TBA application to BBBS of Canada must be submitted

TBA O’Keefe Scholarship recipient is notified

TBA APW Online Session I course begins for Scholarship recipient

Monthly mentoring schedule is arranged between Pat O’Keefe and Scholarship recipient after TBA start date of Online Session I classes.

THE RECIPIENT OF THE O’KEEFE SCHOLARSHIP MUST BE ABLE TO ATTEND APW ONLINE SESSION I CLASSES ON EITHER SATURDAY OR SUNDAY, STARTING TBA