La Quinta Arts Foundation announces 2017 scholarship winners
Two-dozen Coachella Valley students were awarded a total of $48,000 from the La Quinta Arts Foundation Thursday as they pursue college degrees in the visual arts.
“Our successful 35th anniversary La Quinta Arts Festival, along with memorial contributions on behalf of Ryan Ramirez, Nancy and David Marks, and Robert Blum, allowed us to increase the awards,” said LQAF President and CEO Christi Salamone.
Salamone said the organization has awarded $1.278 million in scholarships since the program’s inception.
“It is gratifying to experience the impact of the LQAF scholarship program over the years,” Salamone said. “467 students have benefited from the awards. After completing their education, so many are now serving our desert community with their great talents.”
This year the arts foundation increased grants by $8,000 to help students pay for college during the 2017/18 academic year.
Here are the art foundation’s new scholarship winners:
Lauren Cedar, La Quinta, Illustration/Graphic Design Rio Bella Chacon, Palm Springs, Film Aaron De Jesus Mendieta, Palm Desert, Concept Art/Media Design Christopher Espejo, Palm Desert, Digital Arts Alexa Gomez, Indio, Architecture Johnie Harrell, La Quinta, Graphic Design Riley Huebner, La Quinta, Photography Landon Johnson, Desert Hot Springs, Fine Art Elisha Kolp, Cathedral City, Studio Arts/Digital Media Jasmine Osorio, Palm Springs, Animation Montserrat Rodriguez, Indio, Studio Art Miranda Thoene, La Quinta, Studio Art Abel Venegas, Coachella, Studio Art
Returning scholarship winners include:
Kaho Akiya, La Quinta, Studio Art/Illustration Taelynn Dalle, Palm Desert, Architecture David Gonzalez Silva, Cathedral City, Studio Arts Katarina Hahn, La Quinta, Visual Art Jake Hill, Rancho Mirage, Cinema Laura Juarez Sanchez, La Quinta, Graphic Design Evelyn Olvera, Desert Hot Springs, Art Education Yrene Ramirez, Palm Springs, Graphic Design Micah Ramos, Palm Desert, Visual Art Karla Roman-Wong, Palm Springs, Architecture Colby Tarsitano, Indio, Photography View a gallery of this year’s scholarship recipients.
LQAF scholarship applications are available each year in February.
Applicants must be Coachella Valley residents for at least five years, graduate from local high school, attend college or university full-time, and major in a visual arts discipline, including studio art, architecture, film, photography, graphic design, digital design, animation, fashion design, art education, and museum studies.
Annual scholarship awards are made possible with proceeds from the LQAF public art events including La Quinta Arts Festival (ranked #1 in the nation 2013, 2014, 2015), and from memberships and contributions by sponsors, community partners, and memorial contributions.
The 36th La Quinta Arts Festival is planned for March 1 – 4, 2018.
