Canopy Financial Aid & Scholarship Opportunities
New guidelines have been approved by the Board of Directors. Please be sure to read these before applying for aid. Scholarship applications will be made available during the scholarship windows online and in the studio.
Scholarship applications are available five weeks before each session of classes in the studio and on our website. Financial Aid is awarded based on documented financial need or referrals from our partner agencies for those with special needs. The deadline for financial aid applications will be three weeks before the start of each session.
Please read the application carefully, some details have changed. No late or incomplete applications will be accepted. Email outreach@canopystudio.org with questions about our financial aid program.
Applications are available through the following methods:
Google Form
PDF Form that you can email or drop off at the studio
Paper copies in the studio
2025 Scholarship Application and Confirmation Windows
Winter Session | Due December 2
Spring Session | Due February 17
Summer Session | Due May 5
Early Fall Session | Due July 14
Late Fall Session | Due September 15
Winter Session 2026 | Due December 8
The studio provides a significant amount of in-kind funding so that our programming is available to anyone. In 2024 Canopy awarded scholarships and financial aid totaling more than $60,000 in assistance.
Laura Conroy Community Light Award
Laura Grace Conroy – “A spirit so bright this world could not hold her.”
Those who knew Laura – and so many did – knew she was full of light and love and energy. She reached wide and far and changed many lives for the better. She had a joy for life, a love for community, a deep artistic nature, a lust for travel, and a desire to make the world a better place. Let’s keep on embracing those qualities for her.
One of Laura’s greatest passions was her work as an aerial artist and an instructor at Canopy Studio in Athens, Georgia. On the pole, the trapeze, and the silks she personified grace, beauty, and strength. On the ground she inspired her students to believe in themselves and not be afraid to fly.
Another of Laura’s great passion was helping people. She spearheaded a program to bring in and teach scholarship-funded classes at Canopy Studio to members of the underserved Migrant-Latino community in her hometown of Athens. She wanted her students to have a space to dance, perform, and thrive. Her compassion and dedication to her students and community will never be forgotten.
To honor Laura’s memory, the Conroy Family and Canopy Studio have established this annual scholarship – for more info, please see the Scholarship Application – please consider making a donation or nominating someone in the future. The LCCL Award provides a year of Canopy classes for the recipient through donations to the Laura Conroy Memorial Fund.
LCCL Award Recipients
2022 Sarah Gehring
2021 Carrie Bishop
2020 April Greene
2019 Sally Speed
2018 Tracy Brown
Laura Conroy Memorial Fund
This Fund is established and operated by Laura’s family: Mike Conroy, Liz Conroy, and Mary Conroy Almada in collaboration with Canopy Studio.
Donate to the Laura Conroy Memorial Fund
You can also make a contribution to the fund with a check made out to Athens Area Community Foundation – make sure to note Laura Conroy Memorial Fund on the memo line.
Please mail checks to: Athens Area Community Foundation, P.O. Box 1543, Athens, GA 30603.
Thank you for your support in keeping Laura’s work and memory shining on.