Since 2010, The Arts Council has awarded more than $50,000 in scholarship funds to deserving Brazos Valley high school seniors pursuing a degree and career in the arts. In 2017, The Arts Council doubled its scholarship fund and has awarded $20,000 in arts scholarships to six local young artists. With a lead gift donated by the late John Simek, The Arts Council is also proud to award the inaugural Netta Jackson Simek Emerging Artist Scholarship to an innovative female artist. On June 6, The Arts Council Board of Directors recognized six Brazos Valley scholarship recipients for their achievements. The 2017 Arts Council scholarship roster includes:
$5,000 Netta Jackson Simek Emerging Artist Scholarship
- Ashley Konderla of Bryan High School, attending University of North Texas (Denton)
$3,000 Arts Council College Arts Scholarship
- Yanichka Ariunbold of A&M Consolidated High School, attending Stanford University (California)
- Isabela Cruz-Vespa of A&M Consolidated High School, attending Bard College (New York)
- Madeline Miller of A&M Consolidated High School, attending Chapman University (California)
- Josey Meyer of A&M Consolidated High School, attending Texas A&M University
- Caleb Duane of Bryan High School, attending Texas A&M University
Funding for The Arts Council’s College Arts Scholarship program is made possible by the generosity of local supporters, many of whom give to the program during the annual Celebrate the Arts event each September. The Arts Council would like to thank all those who have donated to the program to empower local students to continue their passion for the arts through their college education. Lead program donors for 2016-2017 include Coleen and Jay Bradfield, Pam and Bob Smits, Denise Bermudez, and the Willard & Anne Levin Foundation. The Arts Council would also like to congratulate the 2017 scholarship recipients and wish them luck in all their future endeavors. For more information on the scholarship program or to make a contribution to help a future artist, visit www.acbv.org/p/programs/scholarships.
For more than 45 years, The Arts Council has served the community with one driving mission: to make the arts accessible to all residents and visitors of the Brazos Valley through funding, promotion, advocacy, professional development, and partnership building programs. The Arts Council is a multifaceted organization supporting more than 65 affiliate arts, culture, and heritage organizations, 300,000 residents in seven counties, Texas A&M University, Blinn College, and more than 3.5 million Brazos Valley regional visitors annually. The vision established by The Arts Council Board of Directors is focused on providing leadership by maintaining and strengthening an arts and culture–friendly community, making the quality of life in the Brazos Valley the best that the state has to offer.
