Hello!
My name is Claire, and I have been accepted into Gobelins's Master in Visual Storytelling program for September 2026.
I'm a first-generation college student who graduated from Austin Peay State University in 2021.
After college, I joined AmeriCorps VISTA from 2021 to 2023 to pay off my student debt. I have served as a Financial Literacy Coordinator, assisting students with budgeting, credit, and SNAP Benefits.
In 2022, my senior thesis, Sagiso, won Best Animation at the 16. Grand OFF – World Independent Short Film Awards in Warsaw, Poland. {Sagiso poster and photo}
I'm currently employed at Murray State University as of September 2023.
Why Gobelins?
Gobelins’ graduate program is designed to train students to become producers, storytelling directors, character designers, and more in filmmaking, animation, and illustration.
According to Animation Career Review, the animation programs at Gobelins boast a 100% employment rate within six months of graduating.
Why art?
We are living in a time where funding for the arts is being attacked or removed altogether. Art is a necessity.
Even if you don't consider yourself an artist or creative person, you’re most likely a consumer of the arts. If you enjoy streaming films or TV shows, going to your local theater, listening to music, cooking, reading a book, visiting your local farmer’s market, crafting, fiber arts, snapping a photo, then you’re engaging with art.
Providing people of all ages access to the arts - through school, your local library, or community programs - is vital, providing them with an outlet for self-expression and social engagement. Art can be a form of communication and healing for individuals with physical, mental, neurological, and intellectual disabilities, as well as for those living with dementia.
Saying the arts aren't necessary is like saying we don't need to learn to read or write because it doesn't keep us alive. Art accentuates and enriches our lives because it helps us communicate with others. At least it has for me.
Let’s Talk Numbers
Much of the U.S. federal aid for art programs has been suspended, and French scholarships cap eligibility at age 26—I’m 27.
I’m fundraising to help cover a portion of my tuition.
My GoFundMe goal: $5,000
Gobelins Tuition (for students from outside the European Union) for Two-Year Program:
€15,200 / year
Total (2 years): €30,400
Airfare: $1,000
Living Expenses for Two Years
€900 / monthly
€10,800 / year
Total (2 years): €21,600
Why France?
Below is a comparison of tuition at leading American art graduate programs:
School Estimated Tuition (2-Year Program)
CalArts: ~$108,880
SCAD: ~$82,000
USC: ~$103,000+
ETSU: ~ $62,400 – $66,300 (In-state costs because I'm a TN resident)
Gobelins: ~ €30,400 / $36,000 (estimate Aug 2025)
If you are unable to donate, please consider sharing my campaign on social media. Thank you for reading.
Cheers,
Claire
My website/portfolio: https://www.clairesdrawing.com/
@aesthetical_claire https://www.instagram.com/aesthetical_claire/