THE WESTPORT ART GROUP COLLEGE SCHOLARSHIP FUNDS

About the scholarship program

WAG typically offers two $1500 scholarships each year to high school seniors who intend to pursue a higher degree in Visual Arts.

Since the early 1970’s, Westport Art Group Inc. has awarded scholarships annually to local area high school students interested in pursuing a higher degree in the visual arts. Recipients of these scholarships have graduated with BA and BFA degrees, and gone on to careers as artists, animators, toy designers, art teachers, and computer artists, as well as lives enriched by their engagement with the arts as painters, photographers, ceramists, printmakers, and sculptors.

2024 scholarship requirements and application

Students currently in their senior year of high school who intend to pursue a higher degree in Visual Art are eligible to apply for a $1,500 Westport Art Group Scholarship if they meet either of the following criteria:

• They live in Westport, Dartmouth, or Tiverton, and they are in good standing at Westport High School, Dartmouth High School, Tiverton High School, Diman Regional Vocational Technical High School, Bristol County Agricultural High School, or Greater New Bedford Regional Vocational Technical High School; or

• They are the children or grandchildren of current Westport Art Group members.

Applicants must submit the following either by mail addressed to the Scholarship Committee, Westport Art Group, P.O. Box 157, Westport Point MA 02791 or as pdf attachments to an email addressed to info@westportartgroup.com with the subject “Scholarship Application.” All materials must be received by APRIL 15, 2024:

• Official copy of their high school transcript,

• Letter of recommendation from someone who knows the applicant and is familiar with their educational goals or career goals

• Completed copy of the application, including the essay. Download the application here.

In addition to the transcript, recommendation, and application, a review of the applicant’s artwork is required. A portfolio review of the applicant’s artwork (8–10 pieces of student artwork in various media) will take place during the spring, either at the Westport Art Group building, 1740 Main Rd, Westport MA or online using zoom.

Westport Art Group 2023 Scholarship Awards

Westport Art Group (WAG) has awarded two scholarships to local area public school students graduating in 2023: Tyler Simonin and Julia Han.

Tyler Simonin is graduating from Westport High School and plans to pursue a BFA degree at Pace University.

Julia Han is graduating from Tiverton High School and plans to major in illustration at Pratt University.

These two WAG scholarships include $1500 (awarded upon successful completion of the first semester of their freshman year), membership in WAG, and opportunities to exhibit the recipients’ artwork with other members in the organization’s galleries at 1740 Main Road.

For more than four decades, WAG has awarded scholarships annually to local area public school seniors who are interested in pursuing a higher degree in the visual arts. Past recipients have earned BA and BFA degrees, and gone on to successful careers as artists, animators, toy designers, art teachers, and computer artists, as well as lives enriched by their engagement with the arts as painters, photographers, ceramists, printmakers, and sculptors.

This year, WAG received scholarship applications from an impressive number of remarkably accomplished public school students living in Westport, Tiverton, and Dartmouth. In addition to their exceptional academic records, personal initiative, and community engagement, the portfolios of artworks submitted by this year’s applicants include stunning, compelling examples of artistic expression, originality, facility with a range of techniques and materials, and visual literacy. WAG commends all the 2023 applicants for their accomplishments and looks forward to seeing more of their artwork in the future.

Westport Art Group 2022 Scholarship Awards

In 2022, we invited applications from Westport, Tiverton, and Dartmouth students attending any of six local public high schools, as well as member’s children and grandchildren. In response, we heard from a remarkably impressive and competitive group of applicants -- their transcripts, essays, and references demonstrate academic accomplishment, personal initiative, and community engagement, and the artworks in their portfolios include stunning, compelling examples artistic expression, originality, facility with a range of techniques and materials, and discipline -- making this year’s decision particularly difficult for the WAG Scholarship Committee (Susan Montgomery, Carol Bliven and Alice Shire.)

The two recipients of Westport Art Group’s 2022 scholarships are Jordyn Peckham and Coen Sylvia. The awards were announced and presented at their school’s Awards Night, and applauded by an audience of peers, family, and friends. The scholarships include a $1500 grant (awarded upon successful completion of the first semester of their freshman year) and membership in WAG.

Jordyn Peckham is graduating from Dartmouth High School. She plans to attend Savannah College of Art and Design and may major in film.

Here are two images from Jordyn’s portfolio, part of a themed, introspective series she created using a variety of media:

Coen Sylvia is graduating from Dartmouth High School. He plans to attend Rhode Island School of Design and expects the Freshman Foundation program experience to help him decide on a major.

These two sets of images illustrate the variety of subject matter and range of media in the portfolio Coen shared with the Scholarship Committee:

In the future, we hope to see more of Jordyn’s and Coen’s work submitted to the annual Community Show and other shows at WAG.

WAG Scholarship Recipients showing at WAG’s 2022 Community Show

The “2022 Community Show,” open to the public through August 7th in the Westport Art Group (WAG) building at 1940 Main Road, Westport, includes artwork by two WAG scholarship recipients: Hannah August and Meghan Camara.

This picture shows Hannah (left) and Meghan (right) at the opening reception posing next to their work. Both artists are studying art education in college. Hannah has also served as the summer intern for WAG’s “KidsCamp” in 2021 and 2022.

Prior Scholarship Recipients

The Westport Art Group is very pleased to announce the winners of the 2021 Westport Art Group Scholarships.

Meghan Camarao

The 2021 recipient of the $1,500 Clara M. Stewart Scholarship is Meghan Camarao. This scholarship was established through the generosity of Clara M. Stewart, artist, teacher and long time member of the Westport Art Group. Meghan, a 2021 graduate of Dartmouth High School will receive this scholarship and attend the University of Massachusetts at Dartmouth to continue her art studies in the field of Illustration.

Robert Raposa

The $1,500 Westport Art Group Scholarship has been awarded to Robert Raposa, a 2021 graduate of Westport High School. Robert will attend the University of Massachusetts at Dartmouth to pursue a degree in Illustration with an emphasis on Animation.

We wish our 2021 scholarship winners great success in their college careers and well beyond.