Museum of Contemporary Art Denver Failure Award Scholarship (UA)

The Museum of Contemporary Art Denver is awarding a $20,000 college scholarship to a graduating high school senior who demonstrates innovation, creativity, fearlessness, and a willingness to risk failure in the pursuit of something new. The Failure Award Scholarship rewards a Colorado student who embraces the spirit of creative risk-taking with scholarship dollars that can be used at any accredited, post-secondary institution or trade school toward educational expenses.

While so much of student life is focused on achievement, MCA Denver believes that in order to create something original and authentic, it is necessary to risk failure. The Failure Award is given not on the basis of academic merit or athletic prowess, but rather on a student’s demonstration of a willingness to take these risks.

After reviewing submitted projects, finalists will be selected in early April to present their projects to a panel of judges on Saturday, April 25, 2026, at The Holiday Theater. Finalists will also be invited (and highly encouraged to attend) to rehearse their presentations and have dinner the night prior, on Friday, April 24, 2026. The winner will be announced after the presentations on Saturday, April 25th.

To learn more about MCA Denver and the Failure Award, please see the MCA Denver website. If you have questions about the MCA Denver Failure Award Scholarship, please contact Christina Chambers at MCA Denver by messaging christinac@mcadenver.org or calling 720-236-1825.

Eligibility

• Resident of Colorado
• Graduating high school senior of a Colorado high school
• Planning to attend an accredited post-secondary institution in the fall of 2026
• Can attend the Failure Award Scholarship presentation

Selection criteria

Applications will be reviewed based on:

• Submission of an original, completed, individual project completed during high school
  • Group projects will not be considered
• Demonstration of creative risk-taking
• Project description and supporting documentation

Finalist’s Presentations

• Finalists must be available on Saturday, April 25, 2026, to present their project at The Holiday Theater
  • Are invited, and highly encouraged to attend, to rehearse their presentations and have dinner the night prior, on Friday, April 24, 2026
  • Winners will be announced after presentations on Saturday, April 25th
• Presentation will be held at The Holiday Theater to a panel of judges as well as the visiting public
• Each student will be given 10 minutes to present their work
  • Immediately followed by questions from the panel
• Finalists will be evaluated on originality, innovation, and their ability to present a project within the theme of risking failure as an integral part of the creative process

Applicants who cannot present their work at the theater will not be eligible for this scholarship. Neither MCA Denver nor The Denver Foundation will reimburse for travel or lodging expenses.

Award details

• Scholarship Range: $20,000 ($5,000 per year for up to four years)
• Typical Number of Awards: 1
• This scholarship is renewable for up to three additional years (while pursuing an undergraduate degree). Must meet eligibility requirements every year. An individual may only receive an award from this fund up to a total of four times
• Award amounts may be used toward the recipient’s tuition, fees, required books and supplies, room and board, and other qualified educational expenses
• All scholarships will be paid directly to a recipient’s post-secondary institution. Award disbursement is contingent upon the outside scholarship policies of a recipient’s post-secondary institution
• Award must be used for the upcoming academic year. Exceptions are made for students who have been accepted into a post-secondary institution but defer enrollment for one-year (commonly referred to as a gap year)

How to apply 

1. Read through the eligibility criteria above (or on the MCA Denver website) to confirm you meet the requirements for this scholarship
2. Log into TDF Scholarship Manager and apply for the Universal Scholarship
3. Prepare and submit the following items:
   1. Transcript
   2. Top three choices of post-secondary institutions
   3. Three to five photos, illustrations, or videos that demonstrate your project
      1. JPEG and PDF format only
      2. Video demonstrations must be submitted via URL links to video-hosting websites that hold examples of your work (maximum of three links)
   4. Response to the following prompt(s):
      1. How did you become interested in your project? (3,500 characters or approximately 600 words)
      2. Describe the process of creating your project. (3,500 characters or approximately 600 words)
      3. What obstacles did you have to overcome in creating your project? (3,500 characters or approximately 600 words)
      4. Please describe how your project demonstrates or relates to failure. (3,500 characters or approximately 600 words)
      5. Describe how you plan to present your project if selected as a finalist. (3,500 characters or approximately 600 words)