Salem Arts Association Presents 2023 Scholarships to Three Local Graduates, Gavin Legan of Salem High School, Allie Nicastro of Gloucester High School, and Chiara Cole of Salem High School.
Salem Arts Scholarships are awarded each spring. This year Salem Arts Association is proudly presenting three scholarships to local students who will attending college in the Fall, with a focus on the arts. Each scholarship is presented with a $1000 award. In addition works created by our scholarship winners will be on display at Salem Arts Association from June 4 through July 29, 2023.
We invite you to attend our Salem Arts Association Scholarship Award Presentation at our gallery, 159 Derby Street, at 1:00 PM on Saturday June 17th.
Ellen Hardy Memorial Art School Scholarship
The recipient of the 2022 Ellen Hardy Memorial Arts Scholarship is Gavin Legan. Gavin is graduating from Salem High School and attended North Shore Community College as part of a program for high school students. He will be attending University of Massachusetts.
Our Ellen Hardy Memorial Scholarship has been awarded since 2018 to a high school graduate working in any visual art, performance, or multi-media.
Gavin Legan was a National Arts Honors Society student while at Salem High School and participated in AP art courses to further his creative efforts. He also participated in arts education at North Shore Community College. Gavin has been an active member of the Boys and Girls Club of Greater Salem where he acted as a mentor to younger students and developed lesson plans involving environmental studies. In 2018 Gavin also participated the Young at Art exhibition at Salem Arts Association. He plans to study art and science at UMASS Boston where he’ll explore the intersections of these disciplines.
In his own statement Gavin Legan refers to himself as an “Artistic Explorer”. “I am inspired by bio-design and marine biology. My dream is to work with researchers at sea or on land connecting technology, marine life, and science to art. Helping spell out the complexities of science without using words -- A science that reaches the visual and creative learners. Creating art through effective partnerships will make science accessible and relatable to a wide array of learners-learners like me- who thought they never had a chance.”
Salem Arts Association is proud to offer Gavin Legan the Ellen Hardy Memorial Art School Scholarship. Ellen Hardy would have enjoyed Gavin’s curiosity and his path is very close to the interests expressed in Ellen Hardy’s own works. When we first met Gavin Legan as a creative entrepreneur selling his work during the Salem Arts Festival in 2018. We were impressed with his creativity and attitude as a young artist. Gavin continued to impress us when he participated in our Young at Art exhibition at our galleries. We’re very proud that Gavin has continued to express himself through art and continues to explore the world through art.
Paula Beaulieu Memorial Art School Scholarship
The recipient of the 2023 Paula Beaulieu Memorial Arts Scholarship is Allie Nicastro. Allie is graduating from Gloucester High School and will be attending Massachusetts College of Art and Design (MassArt).
The Paula Beaulieu Memorial Art Scholarship awards has been awarded since 2014 to a High School graduate working in the visual arts.
Allie Nicastro has been a very active artist during her high school experience. She is also credited by both the National Honor Society and the National Arts Honor Society.
As an avid member of the Gloucester Youth Leadership Council, she was able to organize activities for at-risk youth. Allie is on the Gloucester Citywide Arts Festival Committee, as the student representative. She also teaches art classes at Art Haven which has helped her learn that she loves sharing my passion for the arts and has contributed to her desire to become an art teacher after college.
Allie recently created a mural at Gloucester High School, She has won a People’s Choice in the Crane Estate Student Art Show, and, two Silver Keys and one Gold Key in the Scholastic Art and Writing Awards. Her painting will also be hung in the Congressional Art Awards. She also has her first Solo Exhibit currently on display at BankGloucester.
In her scholarship application Allie Nicastro says “The one thing that has always felt right is art. My art makes me feel valuable, accomplished, and aware of who I am. Going to art school will allow me to create a lifetime revolving around my passion. It is crucial to me that I share my love of creating and inspiring. Art is not only my favorite way to express myself and spend my time, but also what makes me feel safe and complete.”
In a message from our scholarship sponsors, Matthew and Daniel Beaulieu, they say “On behalf of our Mother, Paula Beaulieu, we are excited to offer this year's Paula Beaulieu Scholarship to Allie Nicastro from Gloucester. For those who did not know our Mom, she was a teacher and an artist. She took pride in helping her students find their passion thru art and the magic that can be brought to life on a piece canvas. Our Mom would be proud to see that Allie is pursuing a similar path with her continued education and touching additional lives thru her art.”
We congratulate you on your graduation from Gloucester High School, we commend your dedication to your passion as an artist. We wish you great success at MassArt.
Creative Collective Innovation Award Scholarship
Our Creative Collective Innovation Award is presented to a graduate from any Northshore school who demonstrates creative innovation in visual arts, performance, and multi-media. This award encourages inclusive innovation in any creative efforts and celebrates student achievements that take their talent to new places through interdisciplinary work, collaborations, breaking systemic boundaries, and creating outcomes beyond the traditional.
The recipient of the 2023 Creative Collective Innovation Award is Chiara Joelle Cole. Chiara is graduating from Salem High School and will be attending John Hopkins University.
Miss Cole impresses with a long list of accomplishments including National Honor Society and National Arts Honor Society recognition, Creative Director and Editor of her school newspaper, Varsity Tennis, Student Leader of the Witch Mix Club, OSM Bilingual Tutoring, and Salem High School Theater Club, and has exhibited at Marblehead Arts Association and Neville Museum.
Chiara has received numerous awards including Best in Show in Photo Illustration (Kettle Moraine Press Association), Honorable Mention in News Multimedia Packages (Kettle Moraine Press Association), John Lewis Teen Art Contest 1st Place Winner, AP Scholar With Honor, Polyglot Award (German and Spanish), School Scholars Recognition Salem High School
In her words, Chiara Cole says “As an artist I am empowered to make a lifelong commitment of utilizing my art as a tool that ignites change, sparks discussions, and provides educational information for others. I am choosing to become an activist through art because art pushes me to push boundaries and critically express my emotions and thoughts. Receiving a university education allows me to strengthen the technical, conceptual, and professional skills needed for me to continue this pursuit. Additionally, pursuing higher education allows me to build connections with people of different backgrounds and push myself outside of my comfort zone.”
Our scholarship sponsor, John Andrews at Creative Collective notes “When I first conceived of this sponsorship opportunity, I held high hopes that the applicants possess skill and versatility across multiple mediums and styles. Among all the talented young creators, Chiara has truly stood out, not only showcasing impressive skills but also demonstrating a keen willingness to explore diverse styles and mediums. I am delighted to acknowledge Chiara's remarkable talents and their commitment to pushing artistic boundaries.”
We congratulate you on your graduation from Salem High School, we commend your dedication to your passion as an artist. We wish you great success at Johns Hopkins University.
Learn more about our scholarship programs here: https://salemarts.org/scholarship
