The Music Center, Los Angeles’ performing arts center, invites all Southern California high school students interested in the performing arts to apply for The Music Center’s 38th Annual Spotlight program, a longstanding, free, nationally acclaimed competition that provides more than $100,000 in performing arts scholarships and artistic development for students each year.
Applicants will gain artistic development through auditions, feedback, performance opportunities as well as mastery classes taught by professional artists and arts administrators. Through a supportive environment, students can develop important life skills, including self-esteem, preparation and perseverance.
As the West Coast’s leading performing arts destination, The Music Center has provided students with over $3 million in scholarships to date. Applying for The Music Center’s Spotlight is free; students of all skill levels are encouraged to apply.
The application deadline is Monday, Oct. 13.
The Santa Clarita Valley is home to many winners of previous Spotlight scholarships and grants.
The Music Center’s Spotlight is part of the performing arts organization’s commitment to help all students gain outstanding arts learning experiences in their schools and communities.
It is designed to help students explore their professional goals and increase their confidence through the audition process.
Spotlight alumni are performing with the world’s best dance companies, top orchestras and leading jazz clubs; singing in the leading opera houses and starring on Broadway. They are also major executives working behind-the-scenes in arts schools, non-profit institutions and businesses.
The Music Center’s Spotlight process is comprised of:
First Round Auditions. Students submit an online video audition in one or more of the following categories: Acting, Ballet, Dance, Classical Instrumental, Contemporary Instrumental, Classical Voice and Non-Classical Voice.
New this year: Acting and Non-Classical Voice categories each will be capped at 300 applicants. All who apply will receive personalized written feedback from distinguished panels of judges. Spotlight merit, semifinalists and honorable mentions from the previous year will bypass online First Round Auditions and advance automatically to live Second Round Auditions (an application is still required).
Second Round Auditions: Students who advance to this round will audition live before distinguished panels of judges and receive personalized feedback from a panel of industry experts.
Semifinal Mastery Classes/Auditions: Spotlight judges will invite 10 semifinalists in each category to participate in mastery classes to gain feedback prior to their semifinal auditions. Following the semifinal auditions, The Music Center will announce two Grand Prize finalists and an honorable mention in each category. All participating students are invited to observe select mastery classes.
Grand Finale: Spotlight will conclude with a live Grand Finale evening performance featuring the 14 Grand Prize finalists at The Music Center’s Ahmanson Theatre on Saturday, May 16, 2026. More details to be announced.
Available to view on-demand, The Spotlight Academy is an episodic series of online videos and tutorials, including an overall introduction to The Music Center’s Spotlight; application rules for each of the seven categories; tips to create a great video audition and topical episodes with guest experts including New York City Ballet Principal Dancer Tiler Peck, opera singer Suzanna Guzmán and film, television and Broadway actor Barrett Foa.
For more information, including details on how to apply in each category, visit musiccenter.org/spotlight.
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