2015: Sixteenth Annual Young Artists Scholarship Awards

The Gualala Arts Young Artists Scholarship Committee recently awarded a scholarship to a local high school students, Joshua James Riboli, a senior at Point Arena High School.

2015 Young Artists Scholarship Winner Joshua James Riboli with members of the Scholarship Committee
2015 Young Artists Scholarship Winner Joshua James Riboli with members of the Scholarship Committee

Joshua has been very active in the community and has completed over 300 volunteer hours. He has been accepted at Cabrillo Community College in Aptos, CA where he plans to take courses in the visual arts as well as guitar and song writing. His goals include creating designs for a clothing line, exploring song writing and pursuing a career in the visual arts.

The Young Artist Scholarship program is open to graduating seniors who reside in Gualala Arts’ region, from Fort Ross to Elk, and intend to pursue a career in some field of art. Individual scholarships have ranged from $500 to $2,000. Qualifications include strong interest, activity and accomplishments in some field of the arts and plans to enroll in program of art studies at a college or university. Previous scholarship winners have gone on to develop their talents at a wide variety of specialized institutions, community colleges, colleges and universities in fields as various as painting, ceramic arts, music, performing arts, photography, writing and more.

“We are delighted to be able to provide scholarships for these three excellent students who are pursuing careers in the arts,” says Gualala Arts Young Artist Scholarship Awards Committee chairperson Nancy Kyle. “We are grateful to the Pacific Piecemakers Quilt Guild (PPQG) for their donation from the quilt raffle that makes this scholarship possible.”

The Gualala Arts Young Artists Scholarship Awards Committee of Kyle, Jane Head, Hal Fogel and PPQG Vice President Sandy Hughes are devoted to using the program to fulfill Gualala Arts’ mission to promote public interest and participation in the arts. “This scholarship is a helping hand and note of encouragement,” says Kyle. “What better way to help a talented young person already active and productive in a field of the arts? This is Gualala Arts’ way of saying ‘we applaud you and here’s a scholarship to help you on the career path you have chosen.'”

Since the Young Artists Scholarship Awards Program was launched in 2000, Gualala Arts has encouraged local talent by awarding 51 scholarships totaling more than $50,000. Awards go to young and talented graduating seniors with a strong commitment and a record of achievement and distinction in their fields of art. Eligibility also includes local residency and firm, realistic plans to further a career in the arts. Applicants submit a written application, school records, letters of support, and for the finalists bring examples of their work to an interview before the committee. Students interested in applying for a 2016 Scholarship can talk to their High School Guidance Counselors, and applications will be posted to this page late 2015 and will be due by April 4, 2016.

Anyone wishing to make a contribution toward the support of young artists or wishing further information on the program should contact David “Sus” Susalla, Executive Director of Gualala Arts at (707) 884-1138 or Sus@GualalaArts.org. The Gualala Arts Young Artists Scholarship Awards Committee thanks the Pacific Piecemakers Quilt Guild (PPQG) for its longtime and ongoing support of the Young Artists Scholarship fund through its annual donation of the proceeds from the Art in the Redwoods Quilt Raffle.

This scholarship program is a wonderful way to encourage young artists. It helps fulfill Gualala Arts’ mission to promote public interest and participation in the arts. The scholarships help to support the career development of our local talent by first recognizing and honoring a young person’s commitment to a chosen field of art, and second by helping with the considerable expenses of further study.

– Young Artists Scholarship Committee members Nancy Kyle, Jane Head, Hal Fogel and Sandy Hughes